2021

The student’s guide

to the leading law
firms and sets
in the UK
e-Edition

chambers-student.com
Connect with us on

c b a K
Travers Smith is defined
by its unique culture, deep
commercial insight and
outstanding client service.
Above all else, we are a
collaborative and inclusive
firm where the most
talented people – from all
backgrounds – can thrive and
enjoy working.

www.traverssmith.com
10 Snow Hill, London EC1A 2AL
+44 (0) 20 7295 3000
The True Picture
The True Picture reports on firms in England and Wales, ranging from
the international giants to small regional practices. Most handle
commercial law, although many also offer private client experience.

The True Picture p.178 Farrer & Co p.324 Norton Rose Fulbright p.472
Addleshaw Goddard p.183 Fladgate p.328 Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe p.477
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld p.187 Foot Anstey p.332 Osborne Clarke p.481
Allen & Overy p.191 Fox Williams p.336 Paul Hastings (Europe) p.485
Arnold & Porter p.194 Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer p.340 Penningtons Manches Cooper p.489
Ashfords p.198 Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver Peters & Peters Solicitors p.493
Ashurst p.202 & Jacobson p.345 Pinsent Masons p.497
Baker McKenzie p.206 Gateley Legal p.349 Reed Smith p.501
Bates Wells p.211 Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher p.353 Ropes & Gray p.506
BDB Pitmans p.214 Goodwin p.357 RPC p.509
Bevan Brittan p.218 Harbottle & Lewis p.361 Russell-Cooke p.513
Bird & Bird p.222 Herbert Smith Freehills p.365 Shearman & Sterling p.517
Birketts p.226 Hewitsons p.369 Sidley Austin p.522
Blaser Mills Law p.230 HFW p.373 Simkins p.526
BLM p.233 Hodge Jones & Allen Solicitors Simmons & Simmons p.530
Boodle Hatfield p.237 Limited p.378 Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher
Brabners p.240 Hogan Lovells p.381 & Flom (UK) p.534
Bristows p.243 Howes Percival p.385 Slaughter and May p.538
Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner p.246 Irwin Mitchell p.389 Squire Patton Boggs p.543
Burges Salmon p.250 Jones Day p.394 Stephenson Harwood p.547
Charles Russell Speechlys p.254 K&L Gates p.398 Stevens & Bolton p.552
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton p.258 Kennedys p.401 Sullivan & Cromwell p.556
Clifford Chance p.262 Kingsley Napley p.405 Taylor Vinters p.560
Clyde & Co p.266 Kirkland & Ellis International p.409 Taylor Wessing p.564
CMS p.270 Latham & Watkins p.413 TLT p.568
Collyer Bristow p.274 Leigh Day p.417 Travers Smith p.572
Cooley p.278 Lewis Silkin p.421 Trowers & Hamlins p.577
Covington & Burling p.282 Linklaters p.425 Vinson & Elkins RLLP p.581
Cripps Pemberton Greenish p.286 Macfarlanes p.429 Ward Hadaway p.585
Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt Maples Teesdale p.433 Watson Farley & Williams p.588
& Mosle p.289 Mayer Brown International p.437 Wedlake Bell p.593
Davis Polk & Wardwell London p.293 Memery Crystal p.442 Weil, Gotshal & Manges (London) p.597
Debevoise & Plimpton p.296 Michelmores p.446 White & Case p.602
Dechert p.300 Mills & Reeve p.450 Wiggin p.606
Dentons p.304 Mishcon de Reya p.454 Wilsons p.610
DLA Piper p.308 Morgan, Lewis & Bockius p.458 Winckworth Sherwood p.614
Dorsey & Whitney p.312 Morrison & Foerster (UK) p.462 Winston & Strawn London p.618
DWF p.315 Muckle p.466 Withers p.622
Eversheds Sutherland p.319 Northridge Law p.469 Womble Bond Dickinson UK p.626
  The True Picture chambersstudent.co.uk

The True Picture

Think all law firms are the same? They’re not. Even superficially similar
firms can be worlds apart in how they operate internally. Fortunately, one
tool exists to help you tell the difference: the True Picture.

Between them, the firms covered in the True Picture have the gossip on firm politics, office oddities and after-hours
thousands of training contract vacancies to fill. With luck, fun. We look for the things trainees agree upon, and if
one of them could be yours. If none of these firms wants they don’t agree we present both sides of the argument.
you, reading the reports will teach you a great deal about
the nature of legal training and the experience of working We also speak to senior sources at every firm – manag-
within a law firm. ing partners, training partners, recruiters. You’ll notice
their comments scattered throughout the True Picture
features and published in more detail online. We con-
How we do our research duct these management interviews to get their insights
Every year we spend many months compiling the True on what their firm’s strategy is for the coming years. We
Picture reports on law firms in England and Wales, rang- know that by the time you, our readers, hopefully begin
ing from the international giants to small regional prac- your training contracts in 2020 and beyond, market con-
tices. Our purpose is to get to the heart of what you need ditions might be very different, so we’ve tried to make
to know about a prospective employer – what it can of- this a forwardlooking guide. Additionally, the True Picture
fer you in terms of work and working environment. You’ll feature isn’t supposed to simply be a review of a training
want to know how many hours a day you’ll be chained to contract, but rather a broader picture of a firm as a whole.
your desk, the tasks that will keep you occupied and who After all, it’s not much use knowing that ‘trainees at Firm
you’ll be working with. Importantly, you’ll want to know X are happy/sad and work reasonable/terrible hours’ but
about a firm’s culture and whether colleagues will turn not having a clue about the commercial environment in
into party animals or party poopers come Friday night. which Firm X operates. Again, we’re the only publication
to go into this much detail.
Most of our chosen firms handle commercial law, al-
though many also offer private client experience. There
are also a few firms which handle publicly funded or pub- What kind of firm do I choose?
lic interest work. To take part in the True Picture a firm Your choice of firm should be based on location, size and
must provide a complete list of its trainees. After check- the practice areas available. Once you’re settled on those,
ing the list is complete, we randomly select a sample it’s all about chemistry: some firms are stuffier, some are
of individuals for telephone interviews. Our sources are more industrious and some are very brand-aware, involv-
guaranteed anonymity to give them the confidence to ing trainees heavily in marketing activities. Most work in
speak frankly. The True Picture is not shown to the law modern open-plan offices; a few occupy buildings with
firms prior to publication; they see it for the first time a more traditional set-up. Some focus on international
when this book is published. business; others are at the heart of their local business
communities. Some concentrate on contentious work;
If you’ll allow us to blow our own trumpet for a minute, others transactional. The combinations of these variables
The True Picture

we’re the only publication that conducts our research in are endless.
this way. By chatting to trainees rather than sending them
formulaic questionnaires, we can follow up on leads and
delve deeper into what makes firms tick and what chal- What we hear every year
lenges they face. We think that leads to better, more de- • Some seats are more popular than others and there are
tailed information for our readers. no guarantees of getting a specific seat. Employment
and intellectual property are perennial favourites.
Trainees tell us why they chose their firm and why oth- • Levels of responsibility vary between departments. In
ers might want to. We put on our serious faces and talk property you might have your own small files. In corpo-
about seat allocation, the character and work of different rate you will generally work in a very junior capacity as
departments, the level of supervision and what happens part of a team.
to people on qualification. And we flirt shamelessly to get

178
chambersstudent.co.uk The True Picture 

• The experience in litigation depends entirely on the • All firms conduct appraisals: a minimum of one at the
type of cases your firm handles; usually a trainee’s re- conclusion of each seat, and usually halfway through
sponsibility is inversely proportionate to the value and as well.
complexity of a case. • Client secondments help you learn to understand cli-
• Working in corporate and finance seats means putting ents’ needs. They can be the highlight of a training con-
in long hours, commonly climaxing in all-nighters. The tract.
size and complexity of a deal will determine your role, • Trainees love doing overseas seats. They’re not just a
but corporate and finance usually also require the most fun jaunt abroad but a good way of getting an insight
teamwork. into a firm’s international activities; as overseas offices
• Most firms offer four six-month seats; some offer six are usually smaller than domestic ones, responsibility
four-month seats and others operate their own unique levels are usually higher abroad.
systems. Trainees switch departments and supervi- • The Solicitors Regulation Authority requires all train-
sors for each seat. Some share a room and work with ees to experience both litigation and transactional mat-
a partner or senior associate; others sit in an open-plan ters. Additionally, some firms have certain seats they
office, either with the rest of the team or with other require or prefer trainees to try.
trainees.

And finally...
Use the True Picture to help you decide which firms
to target. No matter how easy or hard securing a
training contract is for you, you’ll want to end up
with the right one.
The True Picture

179
  The True Picture chambersstudent.co.uk

Jargonbuster
We’re not massive fans of lawyers’ jargon, but some of the phrases do
actually mean something. If you want to brush up on your legalese for an
interview, here’s a handy guide to sounding like a pro.

• ABS – alternative business structures: newly permitted • CSR – Corporate Social Responsibility: the practice
arrangements for law firms, which allow non-lawyers of companies taking responsibility for the impact of
to have a financial stake in the business. their activities on society; in reality ‘CSR committees’
• Adjudication – the legal process by which an arbiter or at firms will run projects where lawyers paint schools,
judge reviews evidence to come to a decision. plant trees and clean playgrounds.
• Agency work – making a court appearance for another • Damages – a sum of money which one person or or-
firm that can’t get to court. ganisation has to pay to another for not performing a
• AIM – a ‘junior’ stock market run by the London Stock certain duty.
Exchange, which allows smaller companies to float • Data room duty – used to involve supervising visitors
stock within a more flexible system. to rooms full of important documents, helping them
• Ambulance chasing – a derogatory term for personal find things and making sure they don’t steal them; with
injury and other lawyers who chase potential claim- electronic data rooms the job has become more of a
ants; SRA rules prohibit this kind of activity. desktop exercise.
• Antitrust – the US term for competition law. • Disclosure – making relevant documentation available
• Arbitration – a type of dispute resolution where the to the other parties in a dispute.
parties agree to abide by the decision of one or more • Dispute resolution – an umbrella term for litigation, me-
arbitrators. diation and arbitration.
• Associate – solicitors not at partner level; sometimes • Document management –dealing with the more admin-
called assistant solicitors. istrative side of deal documentation.
• Bench – the judge or judges in a courtroom. • Due diligence – the thorough investigation of a target
• Best friends relationship – a situation where two firms company in a deal.
have no organisational or financial ties, but use each • Equity partner – a partner who receives a contractually
other as the first port of call when referring work. agreed share of the firm’s annual profits. A part owner
• Bibling – putting together sets of all the relevant docu- of the firm. The other type of partner is a salaried part-
ments for a transaction. ner.
• Billing target/chargeable hours target – the number of • Fee earner – a lawyer or a paralegal who bills time to a
hours lawyers are required to record working for a cli- firm’s clients. The term doesn’t include lawyers who act
ent; time is usually recorded in six-minute chunks. in a more supportive role.
• Boutique – a firm (usually a small firm but there can be • FTSE 100 (pronounced ‘footsie’) – an index of the 100
exceptions) which works only on one area of law. most valuable companies listed on the London Stock
• Brief – the instructing documents given to a barrister Exchange; the value of these companies is used to give
when they are instructed by a solicitor. an indication of the health of the UK’s business world.
• Bundling – compiling bundles of documents for a court • Grunt work – administrative (and boring) yet essential
case. tasks including photocopying, bundling, bibling, pagi-
The True Picture

• The City – the commercial and financial centre of Lon- nating, scheduling documents, data room duties and
don; also known as the Square Mile. proof reading or checking that documents are intact.
• CMC – case management conference. • High net worth individuals – rich people; commonly
• Coco – company-commercial department/work. used when referring to private client work.
• Conditional fee arrangements – also called ‘no win no • Highly leveraged – the practice of having a ratio of few
fee’; an arrangement whereby a solicitor acting in a partners to lots of solicitors; leverage is also a term
claim agrees only to be paid a fee if they win the case; used in finance – the two are not connected.
such payment is usually made by the losing party. • Infant approval – court authorisation for a settlement
• Contentious matters – legal disputes between parties. involving a minor.
• Conveyancing – the transfer of the ownership of prop- • In-house lawyer – a solicitor or barrister who is em-
erty from one person to another. ployed by a company or public body rather than a law
• Counsel – a barrister. firm or barristers’ chambers.

180
chambersstudent.co.uk The True Picture 

• Injunction – a court order requiring a party to do, or to thenticate and certify estates, deeds, powers of attor-
refrain from doing, certain acts. ney and other documents, especially for use abroad;
• IPO – the Initial Public Offering of shares in a company the majorities of notaries are also solicitors.
to the public on a stock market; also known as flotation. • NQ – a newly qualified solicitor.
• Judicial review – the legal process by which the actions • (Offshore) outsourcing – hiring in an external organisa-
of the government or public bodies can be challenged. tion (overseas) to perform a part of a company’s activi-
• Junior Lawyers’ Division – a sub-group within the Law ties.
Society set up in 2008 to represent student members • Overseas seat – same concept as a seat (see further
of the Law Society, trainees and lawyers up to five down the list), except that it’s undertaken in an over-
years’ PQE. seas office.
• Law Society – the official representative body of solici- • Panel –a group of law firms or lawyers chosen for regu-
tors in England and Wales. lar consultation by a certain business.
• Legal aid – a government-funded system which pays • Paralegal – a non-lawyer, often with some legal train-
for legal representation in criminal and some civil ing, who assists qualified lawyers on legal matters.
cases for individuals who would otherwise be unable • PFI – Private Finance Initiative; a way of creating ‘pub-
to afford it. lic-private partnerships’ (PPPs) by funding public infra-
• Legal Aid Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders structure projects with private capital.
Act – the 2012 Act of Parliament which brought in the • PLC – public limited company; a company listed on a
most recent round of (ongoing) reforms and cuts to le- stock exchange. Big firms’ clients may be public com-
gal aid. Known as LASPO for short. panies, and one law firm in this guide (Gateley) has now
• Legal Services Act – this 2007 Act of Parliament de- listed publicly too.
regulates the legal market by allowing non-lawyers to • Power of attorney – the legal authority to act on some-
invest in law firms and non-legal businesses to provide one else’s behalf.
legal services. • PQE – post-qualification experience.
• Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) – a way of structur- • Pro bono – from the Latin ‘pro bono publico’, meaning
ing a professional partnership such that no partner is ‘for the public good’; legal work done without payment
liable to any of the firm’s creditors above and beyond as a public service.
a certain sum. • Profits per equity partner (PEP) – the annual profits of a
• Litigation – a method of settling disputes through legal law firm divided by the total number of equity partners
proceedings in court. in the firm; this statistic is often used to indicate the
• Lockstep – the practice of increasing solicitors’ salaries financial health of a firm, but it can easily be manipu-
based purely on seniority. lated by altering the number of equity partners.
• M&A – mergers and acquisitions; the buying, selling • PSC – Professional Skills Course; a compulsory course
and combining of companies; often the main focus of taken during the training contract.
firms’ corporate teams. • Public procurement law – regulates the purchasing by
• Magic circle –the name given to five of the leading Lon- public sector bodies of contracts for products, works
don-based law firms; it is generally held to consist of or services.
Allen & Overy, Clifford Chance, Freshfields Bruckhaus • Restructuring exercise (in the context of a law firm)
Deringer, Linklaters, and Slaughter and May. – the reorganisation of a business, usually to make it
• Managing partner – the main boss of a law firm, who more efficient or more attractive to clients; often a eu-
leads the partnership and/or management committee phemistic way of talking about staff/lawyer redundan-
in running the business and devising its strategy. cies.
• Master (in the High Court) – a judge in the High Court • Rights of audience – the right of a lawyer (either a so-
ranking lower than a High Court judge, chiefly respon- licitor or barrister) to appear and conduct proceedings
sible for case management. They are called ‘Master’ in court.
The True Picture

regardless of whether they are male or female. • Rotation (when referring to seats) – when a trainee
• Mediation – a type of dispute resolution where a dis- moves from one seat onto the next.
pute is resolved with the help of a neutral third party. • Salaried partner – a partner who receives a salary but
• Moot – a mock trial used to train or test advocacy skills. has no contractual claim on the firm’s profits; the other
• Nearshoring – the outsourcing of work to another or- type of partner is an equity partner.
ganisation, usually in a part of the UK where overheads • Seat – time spent by a trainee working in a department,
and salary costs are lower. usually four or six months.
• Niche practice area – a practice that is specialised and • Secondment – the practice of ‘lending’ trainees and
not in a mainstream area. qualified solicitors to a firm’s client to work in their in-
• Northshoring – nearshoring to the North of England. house legal department for a certain period.
• Notary public – a qualified lawyer appointed by the
Archbishop of Canterbury, who is authorised to au-

181
  The True Picture chambersstudent.co.uk

• Silo-ing –encouraging people to work in a specific field • TMT – technology, media and telecommunications; an
rather than being generalists; teams working very in- increasingly common area of practice.
dependently of others within a firm. • Tort – a breach of duty owed to someone else (a ‘civil
• Silver circle – a group of elite English law firms, gen- wrong’) which leads to injury to a person or their prop-
erally considered to fall just outside the magic circle. erty.
This tends to include Ashurst, Bryan Cave Leighton • Training contract –a two-year period of working in legal
Paisner, Herbert Smith Freehills, Macfarlanes and Tra- practice in which someone who has completed their
vers Smith. Some of these firms have expressed their Legal Practice Course is trained by an accredited or-
reservations to us about being labelled as members of ganisation to become a qualified solicitor.
the ‘silver circle’, so be careful how you use the term. • Training partner – the partner who oversees the train-
• SQE –the Solicitors Qualifying Examination; a new two- ing scheme.
part ‘superexam’ being introduced in 2020 for all those • Tribunal – a specialist judicial body that decides dis-
qualifying as solicitors. putes in a particular area of law.
• SRA – Solicitors Regulation Authority; the body that • Vacation scheme – a placement with a law firm de-
regulates the professional conduct of solicitors in Eng- signed to familiarise a prospective trainee with a firm
land and Wales. and vice versa; sometimes called ‘vac schemes’ or
• Superinjunction – the informal term for an injunction ‘summer placements’, they are usually held during the
whose existence and details may not be publicly dis- summer (or more rarely in winter or spring) and can last
closed. anywhere between one and three weeks. The vast ma-
• Swiss Verein – a business structure consisting of a jority of commercial firms offer vac schemes.
number of independent offices, each of which is inde- • Verification – the aspect of a deal in which lawyers en-
pendently liable for its own obligations. sure stated information is accurate.
• Tesco law –a nickname for the effects of the Legal Ser-
vices Act.

Learn to distinguish between legal

jargon which actually means something and meaningless
business guff.
The True Picture

182
chambersstudent.co.uk Addleshaw Goddard LLP A

Addleshaw Goddard LLP

The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Locations: London, Manchester, Leeds, Scotland How to get a training contract at
Overseas offices: 6
Addleshaws
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 236/624/112
Seats: 4x6 months How to navigate vacation schemes
First-year salary: £40,000 London; £27,000 North;
£23,500 Scotland
Qualification salary: £75,000 London; £45,000 North; £42
Scotland

Commercial powerhouse Addleshaw Goddard gives trainees “scope to do

complex, high-value work” in a mish-mash of seats.

The Firm phasised, “but it’s not the kind of place where it’s frowned
Location, location, location. Kirstie and Phil tell us it’s eve- upon if you have to leave the office at 6pm.” That said, “you
rything. And Addleshaw Goddard sure knows it, with a are pushed to take on challenging work, which sometimes
national spread of six offices in London, Leeds, Manches- involves long hours.”
ter, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen (it acquired the
Scottish offices in 2017 through a merger with HBJ Gate-
ley). Sticking with the theme of British property shows, The Seats
Addleshaw Goddard has a place in the sun too –or several Trainees do four six-month seats, with no compulsory
places rather, with six overseas offices in the Middle East, seats beyond SRA requirements. Seat options vary year
East Asia, and most recently in Hamburg, which opened to year, but “there are always a few in banking and finan-
in 2019. There are plenty of options if you have grand de- cial litigation,” as well as litigation, corporate, and real
signs want to escape to another country (enough - Ed.). estate. The firm uses a fancy computer algorithm to al-
locate seats, with trainees ranking their preferences ten
“You are pushed to take on challenging to zero. They weren’t quite sure how the algorithm makes
work.” its decisions, with one bemused source telling us: “I got
my top preference in my first seat, but my next seat was a
This was the firm of choice for trainees who “wanted zero preference.” Sources thought it was mostly fair, but
somewhere with impressive commercial experience” that “a lot of people feel it might be better if we chat about what
could offer them “scope to do complex, high-value work.” we want” – with a human, we should add.
The firm acts for a lot of financial institutions, funds, in-
vestors, and real estate clients, as well as businesses in AG offers secondments to its international offices, and
the retail, energy, transport and healthcare sectors. All trainees pointed out those who want to do one are likely
told, the firm holds around 90 Chambers UK rankings to to get to go, “but you won’t get control on where.” Unlike
The True Picture

its name. Outside London, AG is a national leader in bank- some firms where trainees have their bags packed and
ing and finance, corporate/M&A, employment, IT, intellec- passports at the ready, sources felt that at AG “not eve-
tual property, litigation and restructuring. It shines par- ryone wants to do an international secondment.” Clients
ticularly brightly with top regional rankings in the North secondments were much more popular, and more likely
West and Yorkshire. Nationally, it’s ranked in as many as – “around half of the trainees have done one.” In addition
26 practices. Go to chambers.com for a full breakdown. to local placements for Leeds and Manchester trainees,
there were also options to relocate to London for six
In its English offices, the firm recruits around 45 train- months.
ees a year, which are split pretty evenly between London,
Manchester and Leeds, with London recruiting a handful
more. AG also hires trainees in all of its Scottish offices. Seat options: litigation; finance & projects; real estate;
“The quality of work is really excellent,” one trainee em- corporate & commercial

183
 A Addleshaw Goddard LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Chambers UK rankings The firm’s enticingly named global investigations seat

Asset Finance Intellectual Property
offers trainees litigious experience. The team deals with
Banking & Finance Litigation
alleged money laundering, fraud, bribery and market
Banking Litigation Local Government
abuse. Cases are often high-profile in nature and fea-
Capital Markets Outsourcing
tured in headlines. Adding a sense of drama, AG keeps
Commercial Contracts Partnership
its clients strictly confidential. To give you a flavour of the
Competition/European Law Pensions
work, trainees told us the team had been working on mat-
Construction Planning
ters connected to the Manchester Arena bombing as well
Consumer Finance Private Equity
as the Grenfell disaster. While “the context behind the
Corporate/M&A Product Liability
work was fascinating,” the day-to-day work was “heavily
Defamation/Reputation Professional Negligence
administrative” and not quite as thrilling. “There’s a lot of
Management Projects
doc review,” trainees said. On the plus side, a dedicated
Employment Public Procurement
team is on hand to “do the admin heavy-liftingwith things
Energy & Natural Real Estate
like bundling. I don’t think I’ve ever had to photocopy or
Resources Real Estate Finance
print a thing.” Trainees said they “also drafted a lot of ad-
Environment Real Estate Litigation
vice notes” in this seat.
Financial Crime Restructuring/Insolvency
Financial Services Retail
Trainees might sit in financial litigation, which acts for
Fraud Shipping
big banks like Nationwide and Lloyds. The team recently
Health & Safety Social Housing
defended RBS in a £100 million claim brought by a prop-
Healthcare Sports Law
erty developer regarding the activities of the bank’s
Hotels & Leisure Tax
global restructuring group. Trainees got experience with
Information Technology Transport
“huge litigations” that were running for as long as a dec-
Insurance ade. Trainees also reported working on asset finance
cases, which might entail “people who’re getting their cars
taken off of them.” Trainees felt they were given the “right
level of responsibility,” with the team “pushing you to be
AG’s real estate department accounts for a big chunk independent.”
of the firm’s global turnover.It represents real estate in-
vestment trusts like British Land, alongside well-known “You’re working on housing developments
names like Network Rail, Siemens, Asda, and WeWork. AG and large-scale infrastructure.”
was recently one of three firms that worked on the £1.6
billion acquisition of commercial assets in the Battersea AG’s planning seat can also “count as a contentious seat,
Power Station redevelopment. In Leeds, the team acted as there are opportunities to go to Planning Court.” The
for Channel 4 in connection with its HQ relocation to the team splits into two major categories: housing and in-
Majestic building in Leeds City Centre. The firm also has frastructure. The firm counts property companies Hub
local authorities clients such as Kirklees Council, which Group and UPP as clients, as well as housing association
sought the firm’s expertise for the £250 million regenera- Notting Hill Genesis. On a recent matter, the team acted
tion of Huddersfield town centre. Like many real estate for British Sugar in delisting its former headquarters in
departments, there are “often a lot of smaller matters like Peterborough. It also acted for BP in its appeal against
leases, easements, and wayleaves,” which trainees typi- the refusal to grant planning permission for a new ser-
cally run by themselves. They warned “you can be dealing vice station in Yorkshire. Across offices, “you’re working
with an awful number of matters all the time – it’s like spin- on housing developments and large-scale infrastructure” in
ning plates!” On these smaller matters, trainees said they transport, energy and airport projects.Trainees in London
“take complete control of the matter from inception,” and “mostly drafted due diligence reports and some statutory
The True Picture

were “drafting documents, negotiating with the other side, instruments challenging council opinions.” A Leeds source
and speaking with the client.” Trainees added that there described a “small, brilliant team – with fewer people to do
are “opportunities to get involved in larger-scale cases the work, I was given opportunities to work with partners
with bigger retailer or landlord clients.” On these matters, from all offices.”
“you’re playing more of anancillary role: document tracking
and keeping enquiries up to date.” However, there’s “still In infrastructure, projects and energy the firm works
scope for getting involved on drafting ancillary docs.” with the Department of Transport, Transport for Greater
London, Hitachi Rail, and Merseytravel in Liverpool. AG
“The context behind the work was recently advised Luton Airport on the £200 million devel-
fascinating.” opment of a dual carriageway linking the main road en-
trance to the airport with the second terminal. Sources
described this seat as “a really technical area,” and lik-

184
chambersstudent.co.uk Addleshaw Goddard LLP A

ened their experience to “a baptism of fire.” Fortunately, but there were some grumbles that the firm doesn’t pay
the team is “really friendly,” with “very hands-on training.” for taxis home before 9pm. “People finish [at the clinic] at
Trainees added that it’s “a very transactional, contractual different times, so I’ve been walking at night on my own,”
seat, where there are small tasks that feed into a bigger one voiced.
picture.”
When it came to diversity and inclusion at the firm, some
thought AG was “proactive” in all facets of D&I, pointing
Trainee Life to the number of women partners particularly, which sits
All of our interviewees were required to work long hours above the national average at 28%. Others thought “the
when they encountered tough workloads, “like having to firm could do more to hire and retain a diverse workforce”
prepare a bundle at 10pm on a Friday night, or being asked and wanted to see more action from “non-diverse” attor-
to review over 75 contracts in two days for a due diligence neys. “Most trainees are white and middle class,” observed
report.” Corporate, financial regulation and banking were sources, who found the disparity more noticeable within
singled out as being particularly demanding, but sources the senior ranks. Some wanted to see the firm do more to
underlined that “the extra hours and stress definitely get address the numbers of BAME partners specifically. The
recognised and are genuinely appreciated by the wider firm does have an AG BAME Sponsorship Programme
teams.” As one said, “there is always plenty of support, which was established with a view to attracting and re-
whether from your supervisor, a paralegal or a partner in taining ethnic minority talent. It is also worth noting that
the team – even if they’re just volunteering for tea rounds AG makes efforts to support social mobility, taking “ex-
while waiting for others to finish work for final sign-off.” tenuating circumstances” into consideration when it re-
views applications, and several of the trainees we spoke
“The teams vary quite drastically.” to came from less privileged backgrounds. AG also funds
the LPC for its trainee hires.
That said, trainee feedback on supervision and training
was mixed. “The teams vary quite drastically and this can “They’re the type you’d want to go to the
hit you hard when moving seats,” a Manchester trainee pub with after work.”
cautioned. “Trainees quickly learn to be very adaptable to
new teams and how to work with different people.” Others Trainees thought that Addleshaw Goddard “tends to hire
found that “no question is ever a stupid question, and you friendly, open, supportive people” at all levels. “Even the
are made to feel like you never have to apologise for getting cleaners are chatting along with everyone.” One source
something wrong.” Sources described “unparalleled su- described their colleagues as “normal people.” Mean-
pervision” in the banking and finance team, while over in ing? “They’re the type you’d want to go to the pub with af-
the corporate department, “the partners are really hands- ter work.” Another agreed “it’s not a stuffy, old-fashioned
on and give weekly training.” Trainees in London added place. You can crack a joke with the partners and chat to
that the corporate department holds “a weekly meeting them.” Teams are often spread across offices, but train-
where associates can air any issues on their mind with the ees reported partners from other offices visiting every
partners. This creates a nice team culture and the partners now and then, “so you get to meet people who you work
are really responsive to any feedback.” with on a daily basis.” There were regular lunches and
drinks on the social side, and occasional away days “for
More generally in London, trainees found “partners and a whole day of networking” with the office. Overall, every
senior lawyers are approachable, and you learn a lot via one of our survey respondents felt they had joined the
osmosis in an open-plan office.” London trainees are also right firm, and (almost) everyone was happy with their lot.
encouraged to attend the firm’s pro bono clinic in Lam- This year’s qualification process deviated slightly from
beth one evening a month. One trainee highlighted that the normal procedure due to Covid-19 upheaval, but ulti-
a client “sent a really lovely email” at the end of a matter, mately the firm retained 44 of 50 trainees in 2020.
The True Picture

AG OGs:
Several sources had worked at the firm as paralegals
before deciding to commit to the training contract route.

185
 www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
A Addleshaw Goddard LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Addleshaw Goddard
Milton Gate, 60 Chiswell St, London EC1Y 4AG
Tel: 020 7606 8855 Fax: 020 7606 4390 Twitter: @AGgrads Partners: 269
Email: [email protected] Facebook: Addleshaw Goddard Graduates Assistant solicitors: 882
Website: graduates.addleshawgoddard.com Total trainees: 108
UK offices: Aberdeen, Edinburgh,
Glasgow, Leeds, London,
Firm profile Manchester
We are a premium international law firm with an exceptional breadth of services. Our reputation for Overseas offices: 6
outstanding quality is built upon long-term relationship investment and a deep understanding of client
Contacts
markets. This, together with our high-calibre expertise, straight-talking advice and collaborative team
Graduate recruiter: Erena Pillitteri
culture, means we are here for our clients, whenever and however they need us; from everyday queries [email protected]
to high-value strategic advice, we are proud of the consistently excellent, relevant and focussed service
our people provide. Application criteria
Training contracts pa: 50
Main areas of work Applications pa: 2,000+
We have a broad client portfolio, which is testament to the strength and expertise of our people. It Minimum required degree grade:
2:1 or equivalent
includes financial institutions, public sector bodies, successful businesses and private individuals.
Vacation scheme places pa: 70
We are a leading advisor to FTSE 100 companies and a market leader across: corporate, commercial,
finance and project, real estate and litigation business divisions; specialist fields such as private capital; Dates and deadlines
energy, financial services, health and life sciences, real estate, retail and consumer, and transport sectors. Training contract applications
open: 1st April 2020
Training opportunities Training contract deadline, 2023
We are more than just exceptional lawyers here. We attract sparkling people from all backgrounds, start: 31st July 2021
who bring their own unique qualities, along with a collaborative approach, professional drive and a Vacation scheme applications
commitment to every client’s success. This is just one of the reasons we’re sure you will enjoy working open: 1st October 2020
with us. Vacation scheme 2021 deadline:
We require a 2.1 honours degree (or equivalent). But what will really open doors to an outstanding 5th January 2021

career here is the real you. At Addleshaw Goddard, we’re looking for original minds and collaborative Salary and benefits
spirits alongside motivation, drive and commercial awareness. We’re constantly delighted by the First-year salary: £40,000
diverse backgrounds of our best lawyers, and we’re open to law and non-law graduates alike, as well as (London); £27,500 (Leeds and
those looking to change career. Manchester); £23,500 Scotland
As a trainee, important cases will come your way from the get-go. You will work on everything from Second-year salary: £43,000
multi-million-pound deals to high-profile fraud cases, employment disputes to complex technology (London); £29,500 (Leeds and
Manchester); £26,000 Scotland
contracts. Our success is intrinsically linked to yours, so we’ll always have your back and help you realise
Post qualification salary: £75,000
your potential. (London); £45,000 (Leeds and
Training contracts are four seats long, with opportunities to spend time in another of our offices as well Manchester); £42,000 Scotland
as on secondment with clients. During each six-month seat, you will have regular two-way performance
reviews with your supervising partner or solicitor. He or she will help you develop the skills you need to Sponsorship
LPC fees: Yes
deal with the demanding work you will come across every day. As well as learning on the job, you will
GDL fees: Yes
also have access to high-quality in-house and external training, a buddy scheme in your first seat, and a
Maintenance grant pa: £7,000
mentor throughout your training contract and beyond.
(London), £4,500 (other UK
locations)
Work placements
We offer week-long Easter work placements in Edinburgh and London, and two-week summer work International and regional
The True Picture

placements in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, London and Manchester. And because everyone is an indi- Offices with training contracts:
vidual, we make sure each placement is a valuable experience for each individual student. Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds,
London, Manchester
While you are here, you will get to know the everyday life of an Addleshaw Goddard trainee. You will be Overseas seats: International
allocated a department to sit in and, if you are part of the summer scheme, will swap into a new depart- secondments in Dubai, Hong
ment in your second week. You will be supervised by an experienced solicitor, who will welcome you to Kong and Oman
the department and allocate work. A trainee buddy will be on hand to help throughout your placement. Client secondments: Yes

This is a scheme as unique as you are. As well as informative sessions, group exercises, assessed work
and plenty of time at your desk, you will attend social events with a range of people across the office.
It’s a real chance to get to know our people and our culture. We offer training contracts to successful
placement scheme students, so we’d encourage you to apply.

186
412 2 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................
chambersstudent.co.uk Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld A

Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld

The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Location: London Get hired at Akin Gump
Overseas offices: 19
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 48/74/12
Seats: 4x6 months
First-year salary: £50,000
Qualification salary: $190,000

Looking for an entrepreneurial environment, small trainee intake and

a mouth-watering NQ salary? If so, the London base of this US outfit is
likely to comfort even the most Akin of hearts.

The Firm a restructuring of aggregate debt amounting to around

Seventy-five years ago in Dallas, two down-on-their-luck $1 billion for Norwegian paper and pulp company Norse
lawyers pooled what was left of their cash in a post WWII Skog. On tasks and responsibilities, trainees told us,
economy and founded a law firm. That firm today has a “when I showed I could handle it, I was given more. It’s a ‘the
weighty 900 lawyers across 21 locations worldwide and more you put in, the more you get out’ situation.” Tasks can
generates a global revenue of $1.14 billion. How’s this for range from liaising with local counsel teams, recording
a decent return on investment? It may be no surprise that and collating responses, documents and research tasks.
Akin Gump is considered a world leader in investment Interviewees were impressed with the department’s
funds – alongside international trade and restructuring/ structure, commenting: “The two partners are women. It’s
insolvency, according to Chambers Global. very encouraging to see such strong female leadership.”

Chambers UK recognises Akin Gump’s London office in “It’s very encouraging to see such strong
nine practice areas, and is a market leader in restruc- female leadership.”
turing and insolvency. Other areas of strength in the UK
include financial litigation, tax, hedge funds and private Over in “litigation, there really isn’t any room for error and
equity, construction arbitration, and true to its Texan there is a great deal of responsibility,” said Spiderman. “I
roots, the London team sits high in the rankings for oil had to analyse the argument, go through and read a lot of
and gas work. Corporate partner Vance Chapman has it documents and try to understand what was going on. There
on the DL: “The London office had its best ever year in 2019. will be a bit of bundling, but I didn’t have to do that much,
The PE group expanded significantly. The transactional ca- mostly research tasks.” Another source informed us: “I got
pabilities of the office, it’s a different beast to what it was to attend an arbitration which was pretty cool. You get to be
The True Picture

five years ago.” The office has grown recently by hiring around some pretty superior people. It’s quite glamorous.”
from US firms O’Melveny, White & Case, Vinson & Elkins Due to the nature of the work, you could be working on
and Orrick. a civil case relating to oil and gas, a fraud dispute in con-
struction, you name it. “You are expected to take the lead
without your supervisor necessarily telling you.” A recent
The Seats chunky matter saw the firm representing Renova Indus-
In financial restructuring the work is “very international, tries in a $1 billion litigation relating to the ownership of
coordinating with different offices and teams.” The firm
generally represents creditors, so trainees can expect to Seat options: corporate/M&A; financial restructuring;
be dealing with big funds, banks and household names disputes; international trade; finance; investment man-
on transnational deals across jurisdictions. The depart- agement; energy; EU/UK competition; financial services
ment recently advised Oceanwood and other investors on regulatory; tax

187
 A Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld chambersstudent.co.uk

Chambers UK rankings as a monthly catch-up.Commentators agreed the process

Banking Litigation Fraud
was fair and thorough, and one said: “I think it’s very nur-
Construction Investment Funds
turing.”
Energy & Natural Litigation
Resources Restructuring/Insolvency
Financial Services Tax
Trainee Life
Hours vary from team to team, but a good day could be
9.15am to 7/7.30pm (rumour has it you could even get out
at 6 if it’s really quiet). But as with most top firms dealing
a private energy company in Russia that included fraud with overseas transactions, adapting to other time zones
claims and interlocutory applications. is common, and on closings you might find yourself stay-
ing till 1 or 2am. Sources are realistic, though, and tell us:
The corporate department has “literally everything go- “Any trainee would be naive to go into a City law firm to
ing on, especially having recently expanded,” and offers expect to do 9 to 5, but it’s definitely not as bad as I was
a general corporate seat and a seat in oil and gas. The anticipating.” Most teams are flexible on late starts after
work could be run-of-the-mill M&A transactions or auc- late nights and often provide dinner and taxi home. The
tion processes, joint ventures or strategic alliances, often collegiate vibes are there, as noted by an interviewee:
with cross-border elements. One recent matter saw Akin “Because the teams are smaller, the people you’re working
Gump representing Vitol in its acquisition of an owner- with know when you’ve got a lot on, so people will be sup-
ship interest in Petrobras Oil and Gas, with the work portive.” It’s fair to say that trainees don’t stress too much
involving Nigeria and Brazil. One source told us: “You in- about the pay, with NQs starting on $190,000 a year – the
teract a lot with teams outside of corporate,” citing interac- top market rate in the US. Vance Chapman offered some
tions with the firm’s US securities arm and its Russian- useful insight into what makes a successful trainee:
qualified desk based in Moscow. One source reported: “I “Partners stay heavily involved with cases, which is the US
did some crossover work in corporate with the restructuring model. As a result of that, you need to be more self-starting
team. The corporate team is so big, so they help on a lot of and entrepreneurial, and have the robustness to take the
other deals.” knocks as you go up the learning curve.”

“You get to be around some pretty superior “A very intellectual firm.”

people. It’s quite glamorous.”
Akin provides regular training sessions, with “one or two
A seat in tax will see you getting right down to the nitty associates or counsel giving a talk on executing deeds or
gritty including “lots of research tasks on technical issues. whatever, drafting, skill sessions, legal sessions.” Trainees
All the work was international, advising on the UK tax as- have had trainings from “an associate from corporate on
pects of a huge deal involving a huge range of jurisdictions.” how to run a closing” and “one senior finance partner who
The department works closely with finance departments gave an introduction to debt.” Something that shouldn’t be
representing financial institutions and standalone cli- overlooked is the plentiful pro bono work, which mirrors
ents. Acting as independent international legal counsel Akin Gump’s considerable pro bono achievements in the
for Agrokor, a corporate group based in the Balkans, Akin US. “Pro bono hours count towards billable hours. It is really
Gump recently worked on a $6 billion restructuring of the heavily encouraged and offers great opportunities to work
group’s debt. Sources told us they really enjoyed their with other people in the firm.”
time in tax, with one commenting: “They made a conscious
effort to get me involved and I got to work with everyone Sources describe Akin Gump as “a very intellectual firm,”
individually.” with one adding that partners are “pretty chill, some are
surprisingly chill and get involved and go for drinks. They’re
The True Picture

Seats are allocated in a relatively informal process: “If not stiff, if you know what I mean.” There is an effort to en-
they can accommodate, they will, provided there’s need in courage more socialising, with a new open-plan cafeteria,
that department, and there isn’t someone in the year above pool table and foosball. Let’s not forget the “two sleep-
who wants to try before qualifying.” The qualification pro- ing pods with kitchens and couches and shower facilities.
cess is transparent: “Once the trainees have expressed a The reception has marble floors and a beautiful view.” The
preference there will be a discussion. You’ll be told by the firm lays on Christmas and summer parties, with reports
partners and graduate recruitment but it’s a mutual pro- of partners even having a bash at karaoke. “The Christmas
cess,” unless there’s competition for a seat, where there party this year was really swish, held in the church in Spital-
may be an interview: “You’re not competing with 60 or 70 fields. I wouldn’t say people are raging drunk or going wild,
trainees, so you know what everyone wants and if there’s but it is informal.”
popular demand. It allows you to be strategic.” The apprais-
al system includes mid and end-of-seat reviews, as well

188
chambersstudent.co.uk Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld A

On the firm’s culture, Vance Chapman noted: “We’re a suc- unconscious bias to neurodiversity. A source told us: “I
cessful and profitable firm but we try not to lose touch with feel like they’re acknowledging these issues are out there
that human spirit that has been a part of our history from and are making an effort to tackle them in the workplace.”
the beginning.” There are plenty of diversity initiatives Trainees are also offered scheduled sessions with a psy-
in place, with an LGBTQI group, a wellness programme, chologist, in which they can talk about work or any other
a women’s initiative and talks on topics ranging from issues.

And finally...
A trainee tip: “They don’t expect you to bring every bit of
legal knowledge with you, it’s soft skills and personal skills
that will serve you best.”

The True Picture

189
 www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
A Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld chambersstudent.co.uk

Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld

Ten Bishops Square, Eighth Floor, London, E1 6EG
Tel: 020 7012 9600 Fax: 020 7012 9601 Twitter: @akin_gump Partners: 41
Email: [email protected] Associates: 72
Website: www.akingump.com/uk-students Total trainees: 9

Contacts
Graduate recruiter:
Firm profile Vicky Widdows,
Akin Gump’s London office is the main hub for the firm’s international offices, practising at the [email protected]
020 7012 9600
top of its markets. The firm’s clients range from corporations and financial institutions to foreign
Training partner:
governments and individuals. Vance Chapman,
[email protected]
Main areas of work
Market leading practices including: financial restructuring, corporate/M&A and equity capital Application criteria

markets, debt finance (including debt capital markets and securitisation), energy, project finance, Training contracts pa: 6
Applications pa: 350
financial services regulatory, disputes (including international arbitration and civil fraud), invest-
Minimum required degree
ment funds (hedge, private equity, real estate and infrastructure), EU competition, international
grade: 2:1
trade and tax.
Minimum UCAS points or A
An important part of Akin Gump’s culture is its commitment to pro bono. Trainees are encour- Levels: AAA or equivalent
aged to take part and are represented on local and firm-wide pro bono committees, including a Vacation scheme places pa: 8
unique scholarship programme. The firm has an inclusive working culture and actively supports a
broad diversity strategy for its continued success. Dates and deadlines
Training contract applications
open: October 2020
Training opportunities Training contract deadline, 2023
By focusing on a smaller intake we maintain flexibility and seek to grow through our junior lawyer start: July 2021
retention. You will have the choice of sitting within the financial restructuring, corporate/M&A, Vacation scheme applications
energy, finance, financial regulatory, funds/investment management, litigation/arbitration, inter- open: October 2020
national trade/EU competition or tax practice areas. Seats can be tailored to three or six month Vacation scheme 2021 deadline:
durations across the two year training programme to provide a breadth of experience. January 2021

Salary and benefits

Vacation scheme First-year salary: £50,000
Akin Gump’s two week summer vacation scheme provides an excellent opportunity to gain a Second-year salary: £55,000
first-hand understanding of the day-to-day work of trainees in an international law firm. Through Post-qualification salary:
training sessions, mentoring and social activities, you will get to know our firm. Through work- $190,000
ing side by side with partners and associates on live deals, you will get to know our practices and Holiday entitlement: 25 days
clients.
Sponsorship
We welcome applications from law students in their penultimate year of study, non-law students
LPC fees: Yes
in their final year and graduates looking to commence a training path in two years’ time. Partici-
GDL fees: Yes
pants are offered a training contract interview at the end of the programme. Maintenance grant pa: £10,000
Participants are paid at the London Living Wage.
International and regional
Offices with training contracts:
Other benefits London, Hong Kong (via PCLL
The True Picture

Health insurance, income protection insurance, life insurance, travel insurance, dental insurance, route)
pension, season ticket loan, annual eye exam, moneygym, employee assistance programme, onsite Overseas seats: Ad-hoc
wellbeing adviser, fitness reimbursement programme. Client secondments: Ad-hoc

190
Org ID: 3522 3 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................
chambersstudent.co.uk Allen & Overy LLP A

Allen & Overy LLP

The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Locations: London, Belfast How to get hired at Allen & Overy
Overseas offices: 27
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 190/545/162
Seats: 4x6 months; overseas seats
First-year salary: £46,500
Qualification salary: £90,000 (including bonuses)

A&O attracts intellectually curious candidates with its bigwig banking

practice and prestigious global brand.

The Firm “most preferred” ) next to each seat on the list. “The good
“I wanted to work for the best possible firm and on the big- thing about this system is that you’ll be guaranteed at least
gest deals, which narrowed down my choice. Of course, the one of your priority seats,” we heard. “For example, if one
magic circle branding was important as it can open many trainee has placed a 10 next to tax and another placed a
doors.” Indeed, who needs ‘alohomora’ when you have a 9, the one with the 10 would get the seat. If the system is
firm like Allen & Overy on your CV? However, getting in faced with a tie breaker, they would look at your previous
in the first instance isn’t as easy as waving a wand: A&O’s seat and decide from there.” Trainees preferred the new
ranks are filled to the brim with overachievers, albeit ap- system as it makes the process “transparent and fairer.”
proachable ones. To distinguish it from its magic circle Trainees do compulsory seats in two of the firm’s three
peers, interviewees said: “We’re known as the friendly core practice areas: banking, corporate, and international
magic circle firm! People here are very ambitious and like capital markets (ICM). Trainees can apply for client and
to work hard but it’s a fun environment to work hard in – it international secondments for their fourth seat.
pushes you further.”

“A&O felt like home from the first The Seats

interaction and I haven’t regretted my The firm’s standout banking department is separated into
seven different areas: corporate lending and real estate
choice at all.”
finance (B1), structured and asset finance (B2), leveraged
A&O bags more top-tier Chambers UK rankings than we finance (B3), restructuring (B4), projects, energy and in-
can list here, and the firm’s achievements are even less frastructure (B5), regulatory (B6), and funds and asset
concise in Chambers Global, in which the firm is identified management (B7). Cross-border work is commonplace in
as a worldwide leader in banking and finance, projects all these seats, as are matters with enormous value at-
and energy, capital markets and dispute resolution. Addi- tached: the team recently advised the mandated lead ar-
The True Picture

tional draws for trainees included the large trainee intake rangers on LVMH’s €15 billion loan financing of the public
“ensuring an all-rounder training contract,” the salary (what bid for Tiffany & Co. We heard “banking departments are
a surprise) and its international network with a whopping a great first seat if you can get one. They’re great for build-
44 offices. “A&O felt like home from the first interaction ing core – if not strictly legal – skills like managing a condi-
and I haven’t regretted my choice at all,” confirmed one tions precedent checklist, signing and dating hundreds of
junior. In 2020, the firm reported a 5% increase in revenue documents, bibles, originals and even occasional drafting of
with figures rising to £1.62 billion, weathering the initial ancillary docs.” At the time of our calls, a majority of those
storm of the Covid-19 pandemic. we spoke with had done a stint in one of the banking de-
partments in their first seat.
The seat allocation process is now done through a
points-based system, via a seat planning app which asks Seat options: banking; corporate; international capital
trainees to allocate a point from 1 to 10 (with 10 being the markets; litigation; real estate; employee & benefits; tax

191
 A Allen & Overy LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Chambers UK rankings “you have to think more rather than always whipping out a
Administrative & Public Law Infrastructure
precedent.” The department handles complex M&A deals
Asset Finance Insurance
with a heavy finance component. The team continues to
Banking & Finance Intellectual Property
advise Greensill Capital, a provider of capital finance,
Banking Litigation International Arbitration
on its $800 million investment from the SoftBank Vision
Capital Markets Investment Funds
Fund, valuing Greensill at $3.5 billion. The team also ad-
Commodities Life Sciences
vised Marks & Spencer on its 50/50 joint venture with
Competition/European Law Litigation
Ocado Group; and advised Asahi on its $11 billion acquisi-
Construction Outsourcing
tion of Carlton & United Breweries. Sources in private and
Corporate/M&A Pensions
public M&A stated they “cannot sing the praises of this
Data Protection Private Equity
group enough. We’re led by A&O’s most senior female part-
Employee Share Schemes & Projects
ner and we can see a lot of interesting deals.” In these kinds
Incentives Public International Law
of matters, trainee responsibilities weren’t quite as inter-
Employment Real Estate
esting, with due diligence and managing CP checklists
Energy & Natural Real Estate Finance
regularly on the cards. Corporate commercial (C2) is split
Resources Real Estate Litigation
into “half advisory and half transactional elements.” The
Environment Restructuring/Insolvency
team advises on commercial issues such as outsourcing
Financial Crime Social Housing
contracts, software licensing, IP, marketing, online Ts&Cs,
Financial Services Tax
and joint venture agreements. “We handle bespoke con-
Fraud Telecommunications
tracts relating to a bunch of sectors such as aerospace or
Information Technology Transport
agriculture,” said one trainee.The group also advises on
non-contractual issues like data protection, freedom of
information, and document retention policies.

“Banking departments are a great first A&O’s ICM practice houses securitisation, debt and equi-
seat if you can get one.” ty capital markets, general securities, and derivatives and
structured finance. Some trainees had also sat with the
Project finance (B5) was a particularly popular banking “smallest team in ICM” – the corporate trustee and agency
choice. It splits between “those working on the project fi- team. The securitisation team recently advised NatWest
nance side, then around a quarter of the team deals strictly Bank and NatWest Markets on a synthetic securitisation
with the project development. Trainees can work on a mix of £1.1 billion in loans to the sustainable energy market
of matters.” The team advised the Office of the Quartet, in the UK. Another matter saw the team advise J.P. Mor-
UN, on the structuring of the Gas for Gaza project – a gas gan, Banca IMI and others on a €1.7 billion issue of four
pipeline constructed from Israel to Gaza to serve as a so- series of project bonds. “There’s definitely a better deal
lution to the ongoing energy and humanitarian crisis in flow in ICM,” a source said. “I’ve worked on around 15 to 20
Gaza. “The project contract and development side is a lot deals compared to when I was in projects (B5) where I only
more technical and so as a trainee you’re there to support worked on three big deals.” Another trainee praised the
the team with day-to-day research and drafting documents “good level of responsibility in the seat. Trainees can get a
they need help with.” Trainees on the finance side of the first stab at drafting, work on prospectuses, agency agree-
team would carry out “a lot of deal management. We’d man- ments, and the signing and closing agenda. It’s a great seat
age the conditions precedent checklist, communicate with to build up your confidence in drafting as each transaction
agents and borrowers, liaise with the local counsel and han- consists of around five to six documents.”
dle the drafting and re-drafting of various security docs.”
Over in structured and asset finance (B2), “around 70% of “We get in on the juicy and fun details.”
work is surrounding aeroplanes and the other 30% is ship-
The True Picture

ping.” The team advised the Vroon Group, an international Over in litigation, options include banking and finance
shipping company, on its €1.5 billion restructuring of its investigations, corporate and commercial litigation, em-
22 bilateral financing agreements. “It’s very similar to cor- ployment, IP and international arbitration. On the arbitra-
porate lending and real estate finance when it comes to the tion side, one trainee pointed out how the team “handles
tasks. There’s a lot of conditions precedent checklists and the advocacy itself since the partners are QCs, so we get in
drafting documents,” one trainee reflected. on the juicy and fun details.” In a recent investor-state arbi-
tration, the team represented the Kingdom of Morocco in
Corporate follows a similar subgroup structure to the a settlement of investment dispute (ICSID) claim brought
banking team – we spoke with trainees who sat in com- by an Italian construction company, Impresa Pizzarotti &
mercial corporate (C2), private and public M&A (C4) and CSpA, regarding the construction of a motorway tunnel
energy & infrastructure corporate (C8). There’s a greater under the old town of Rabat. A general litigation matter
“variation of deals” than in banking, and sources reckoned saw the team acting for Rangers Football Club in mer-

192
chambersstudent.co.uk Allen & Overy LLP A

chandise manufacturing and sale disputes surfacing out Another area where experiences differed was supervi-
of its commercial relationship with SDI Retail Services (a sors. Most juniors were full of praises – “all of the associ-
part of Sports Direct). “There’s a lot of legal research to do, ates and seniors that you work for are incredibly switched
which is pretty much the main role. There is some drafting on, so you are expected to be at the top of your game and you
but it’s more restricted in contentious seats,” one trainee are always pushed intellectually.” On the other hand, some
explained. IP litigation is “split into hard IP patent work sources suggested the firm could do more to standardise
and soft IP” consisting of brand designing, copyright and the level of supervision across seats: “Supervisors whose
trade marks. Some work was more repetitive in nature trainees leave [their seat] after an unsatisfactory experi-
like “drafting another report on a type of screw,” but source ence are just given trainees again in the next round, which I
also flagged “nuggets of interesting work to get involved cannot understand.” The firm assures us that high-quality
in. Since we’re part of the litigation team, we get to sit with training and supervision is of paramount importance: su-
the barristers and help build strategy.” The firm encourag- pervisors all attend various training programmes (which
es trainees to write articles on current issues and present incorporate trainee feedback), and new supervisors in
case law updates to the rest of the department. “We also particular are given training at the start of a seat rotation.
get involved in the business development side since A&O’s Our interviewees found that during the 2020 lockdown
IP team, although ranked, is less well known.” period they were able to build strong connections with
their supervisors, most of whom would “schedule a quick
call every morning to make sure everything is okay and go
Trainee Life through the agenda for the day.”
Trainees don’t necessarily have to do a full seat in liti-
gation – they can also gain their contentious experience “Even in the two years I’ve worked here,
through 40 hours of pro bono. Sources homed in on the I’ve seen marked improvements on all
pro bono efforts taking place in light of the current af-
fronts.”
fairs at the time of our calls: “We’ve been handling a lot of
Covid-related matters with NGOs and some criminal justice On the diversity front, trainees felt “the firm could be bet-
work. We’ve also been working with Allen & Overy’s US of- ter in terms of ethnic minorities, but it is addressing that
fices in light of the Black Lives Matter movement, to pro- – it’s not going to happen overnight.” As if the firm read
vide legal advice to protestors.” Another regular pro bono this trainee’s mind, A&O recently announced a new set
haunt saw trainees give advice at legal clinics such as of ethnicity targets for 2025. The firm is aiming for 35%
Battersea. Most sources picked up pro bono work regard- ethnic minority representation for its trainees, 25% for
less because the 40 hours are a requirement before go- its lawyers and staff, and 15% for partnership. “Even in
ing on secondment in the fourth seat. Common second- the two years I’ve worked here, I’ve seen marked improve-
ment destinations include Tokyo, Singapore, Amsterdam, ments on all fronts,” an insider concluded. “It is clear to me
Frankfurt, Milan and New York. these are all strategic priorities for the firm in the months
and years ahead.”
We heard “there’s no generic line when it comes to the
hours – you’re there for as long as the work needs to be Come qualification,trainees bid for the department of
done.” For kinder seats, trainees would be looking at their choice around “two months into the final seat. You
regular 9am starts and 7–7.30pm finishes. Other seats can rank as many seats as you like.” Sources suggested
weren’t quite as consistent; the transactional teams “have keeping an open dialogue with the partners and associ-
the reputation for the worst hours.” Others noticed that ates of your preferred team – “have chats with them, go
“banking is more sustained busyness, whereas corporate out for coffee and just make them aware of your intentions.
seems to have highs and lows. You can leave at 6pm for a It’s pretty transparent so the end result doesn’t come as a
couple of weeks and then be leaving at 6am the week after.” shock.” Although initial retention rates tend to be steady,
One source admitted “the sacrifices that you need to make one interviewee reckoned that further down the line “the
The True Picture

in your personal life in order to maximise your opportuni- hours aren’t sustainable. Not everyone sticks it out for more
ties can be obscene,” but this may be a reflection of the than a couple of years post-qualification.” In 2020, 68 of 78
high expectations trainees have of themselves as much qualifiers were kept on.
as external pressures.

Look after the pennies…

In an attempt to curb the impact of Covid-19, A&O has cut
its NQ salary to £90,000, pressing pause on the pay war
of the past few years along with most of its magic circle
counterparts.
193
 A Arnold & Porter chambersstudent.co.uk

Arnold & Porter

The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Location: London How to get hired at Arnold & Porter
Overseas offices: 14
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 17/21/5
Seats: 4x6 months
First-year salary: £46,000
Qualification salary: £90,000

Hailing from Washington DC’s regulatory sphere, A&P offers its select
group of London trainees a highly regarded hub for life sciences and
much more.

The Firm Sources also highlighted that the academic makeup of

Size, international prestige and a strong reputation for the firm is “very diverse,” and includes associates with
life sciences expertise were the three big draws for Ar- technical backgrounds and “specialist pharma partners
nold & Porter trainees in this year’s crop of interviews. for whom law is a second career.” However, our interview-
Our inside sources sought smaller dimensions in London ees were keen to stress that a background in life scienc-
and agreed that “being one of a hundred trainees in a year es “is absolutely not a prerequisite for trainees.” Indeed,
group wasn’t an attractive option.” One explained: “I wanted none of the firm’s trainees at the time of writing had such
somewhere where I could form personal connections with a background. Moreover, Chambers UK also bestows A&P
people in the firm – people who would be personally inter- with rankings in areas such as IP; financial crime; compe-
ested in my training and career progression.” With just two tition law; and commercial and corporate litigation which,
or three trainees recruited each year, sources felt this between them, also attract cases in sectors beyond the
was more of a possibility. Trainees also singled out A&P’s firm’s life sciences specialism.
“stellar reputation in the US and on the international stage.”
In London, sources highlighted that “we are one of the With such a small trainee cohort, the assignment pro-
smaller outfits in the City,” but made it clear that a more cess for seats is very informal, though it requires some
petite size did not translate into tiddly matters: “We are effort from trainees. Depending on business needs, train-
tackling the same quality of work as our larger competitors ees have a choice of seats they can express an interest
and we’re often sitting opposite magic circle firms.” in. They’re encouraged to be proactive and approach the
departments they’d like to join and secure the seat that
“The chance to work in a specialist sector, they want for upcoming rotations. “It’s not a difficult con-
rather than being a generalist, was an versation to have,” one source remarked. “It’s usually just
a case of sending an email requesting to move there and
exciting prospect to me.”
then popping down to the department for an informal chat.
The True Picture

An inspection of the firm’s Chambers UK rankings sup- There’s no real competition for seats, so nobody is ever
ports these assertions. Top rankings in the life sciences turned down.” The training principal is also on hand to as-
sector confirm A&P’s premier standing in the regulatory, sist with seat selection and overall, sources were pleased
product liability and defendant fields of law. “The chance “to have the autonomy to pursue what you’re interested in.”
to work in a specialist sector, rather than being a general-
ist, was an exciting prospect to me,” one source enthused,
adding that “working with leaders in the industry gives you
great exposure as a trainee.” Another told us: “I was inter-
ested in knowing about the laws and mechanisms behind
things like clinical trials and how drugs reach the market Seat options: corporate & securities; intellectual prop-
– the laws are all very interesting and complex!” erty; life sciences; competition; white collar crime; com-
plex litigation; antitrust

194
chambersstudent.co.uk Arnold & Porter A
Chambers UK rankings industries and clients, including tech companies and pri-
Competition/European Law Life Sciences
vate equity houses. We’ve also increased our activity in the
Financial Crime Litigation
cannabis sector too,” one source pointed out. Of late, the
Intellectual Property Product Liability
team has advised US client Omega Healthcare Investors
on its acquisition of a significant interest in a real estate
joint venture consisting of 67 care homes in the UK; they
also acted for VPN business Buffered during its sale to
The Seats Mudhook Marketing. “Updating company filings often falls
A&P’s life sciences know-how covers all regulatory and on trainees’ shoulders,” sources explained. However, we
litigious elements tied to medicinal products and medical also heard of more substantive responsibilities that in-
devices. The firm’s lawyers have handled many of the ma- cluded drafting letters and articles of association, as well
jor product liability actions that have been brought in the as “conducting research into areas such as directors’ obli-
UK. Recently, the firm advised one of the world’s largest gations and the liabilities they may face.”
cannabis companies on the regulatory, commercial and
advertising elements surrounding the proposed launch Like corporate, the IP and commercial team’s scope ex-
of a new CBD product in the UK; advised Bayer during tends beyond life sciences. “I was doing some copyright
an appeal at the judicial review stage, which challenged and trade mark infringement cases that weren’t in the life
a decision by several Clinical Commissioning Groups in sciences sector,” one source reported. On the commer-
Northern England to preferentially offer an ‘off label’ cial side of things, trainees cut their teeth by conduct-
eye condition medicine as opposed to a costlier licensed ing research, plus reviewing and drafting agreements.
product; and also advised the same client on a product li- The work can be highly technical, “but once you’ve read
ability matter concerning a public inquiry into the supply around the topic and got to grips with the terminology, it
of blood products between the 1970s and 1990s. tends to be fine,” this seasoned trainee assured us.

Qualified associates are more likely to go on client se-

condments, but these opportunities do occasionally Trainee Life
come up for trainees. Recently, two trainees spent about Trainees were keen to highlight “a real sense of com-
four months with a pharmaceutical company client. “It’s munity” at the firm. One elaborated: “Most people (if not
great to see how the in-house team takes advice from pri- everyone) have been very approachable. And when I say
vate practice,” one trainee explained, adding that they’d approachable, I don’t just mean they will speak with you;
done “a lot of reviewing internal agreements, conducting they are willing to go the extra mile to hear you out and
research into drug funding and conducting website reviews consider your opinion.” The interviewee concluded that
to ensure they comply with life sciences and data protec- this atmosphere made “life easier, as you don’t feel like
tion regulations.” you have to walk on eggshells or worry about your junior
status.” Some of our sources did feel that the office’s lay-
“Working on both the transactional and out (A&P is spread over four floors) may have inhibited
litigation side can be challenging but fun.” some cross-department socialising. However, they also
pointed to the office-wide Christmas and summer parties,
As a trainee put it, “competition is one of the firm’s more networking events and pro bono work as good opportuni-
prominent practice areas and it covers contentious and ties to interact with lawyers across departments. “All fee
non-contentious matters. I was worried that I would be ex- earners are encouraged to get involved in pro bono,” one
clusively churning out merger review cases but that hasn’t trainee told us. “It has allowed me to develop my skill set as
been my experience at all.” The team recently obtained a lawyer. For example, representing children on immigration
clearance from the European Commission on behalf of cases has required me to be much more personable, giving
Monsanto (a global agrochemical company) to allow its my training contract a different dynamic.”
The True Picture

merger with life sciences giant Bayer. Other clients in-

clude Novartis, Philip Morris International and Bloomb- “You might have to work a weekend here
erg.” Working on both the transactional and litigation side and there, but it doesn’t feel like anyone’s
can be challenging but fun,” one source told us, who was
forcing you to work long hours.”
kept busy on everything from “gathering merger control
analysis” and research to conducting doc review and Pro bono tends to be more of a fixture of US law firms, so
drafting client reports. we wondered what other US qualities came to the fore
with A&P’s training contract. Long hours are a US firm
Mid-market M&A, private equity and corporate govern- stereotype, but our interviewees agreed that there wasn’t
ance work is all on offer in A&P’s corporate seat. The an “aggressive approach” to clocking all hours under the
department also houses a single employment partner sun (and moon). “In a busy season I would be expected to
who offers work to trainees too. “We work with a mix of work longer, and you might have to work a weekend here

195
 A Arnold & Porter chambersstudent.co.uk

and there, but it doesn’t feel like anyone’s forcing you to Come qualification time, departments make an an-
work long hours.” Indeed, most felt the average day ran nouncement if they’re looking to take on NQ associates
from 9.30am to 7pm, with busier periods cropping up in and interested trainees make their applications. From
any given month. On the more severe side, one source here, the process is led by departments. Candidates
explained that “there was a busy week before Christmas might be asked to sit down for an interview or assess-
where I was finishing between midnight and 2am before ment, but they might be able to go without this final for-
getting in again for 9am. But that only lasted for four days mality if they’ve done a seat in the department they’re
over a six-month period.” applying to. In 2020, the firm kept on all four of its quali-
fying trainees.

And finally...
The office may have “amazing views” but trainees were
pained to point out that “we don’t have a Nespresso machine
and the biscuits aren’t great either.” But if that’s the worst
that can be said about a firm, you know you’re going to get a
pretty good deal overall.
The True Picture

196
 www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
chambersstudent.co.uk Arnold & Porter A

Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer (UK) LLP

Tower 42, 25 Old Broad Street, London, EC2N 1HQ
Tel: 020 7786 6100 Twitter: @arnoldporter Partners: 24
Email: [email protected] LinkedIn: apks-llp Assistant solicitors: 26
Website: www.arnoldporter.com Facebook: Arnold Porter Kaye Scholer LLP Total trainees: 3
UK offices: London
Overseas offices: 15

Firm profile Contacts

Arnold & Porter is a US headquartered firm with a deserved reputation for its quality of service Graduate recruiter:
and expertise in handling the most complex legal and business problems, which require innovative Graduate Recruitment Team
and practical solutions. 020 7786 6100
london.graduate.recruitment@
arnoldporter.com
Main areas of work Training partner: Tom Fox,
Arnold & Porter’s London lawyers advise on a full range of regulatory, transactional and litigation [email protected]
matters, with a particular focus on pharmaceuticals and medical device regulation and litigation,
Application criteria
intellectual property and technology transactions and litigation, telecommunications, internet and
Training contracts pa: 2
media and technology, employment, competition and trade regulation, international arbitration,
Applications pa: 700
white collar crime UK enforcement and dispute resolution, corporate and securities, bankruptcy,
Minimum required degree
finance, investment management and product liability advice and commercial litigation. Providing
grade: 2:1
clients with an excellent service is Arnold & Porter’s number one priority, and the firm’s lawyers Minimum A levels: AAB
need to be commercially minded, approachable and able to work with clients as part of a team on Vacation scheme places pa: 10
complex and often high-profile legal issues.
Dates and deadlines
Training opportunities Training contract applications
open: October 2020
The firm looks for talented law and non-law graduates from all backgrounds who share the firm’s
Training contract deadline, 2023
commitment to excellence, and want to be part of the continued growth of its London office.
start: August 2021
Candidates need to demonstrate a consistently high academic background; the firm looks for
Vacation scheme applications
well-rounded individuals who can demonstrate their participation in a range of extra-curricular
open: October 2020
activities and achievements. Four six-month seats: life sciences and healthcare regulatory, IP,
Vacation scheme 2021 deadline:
corporate and securities, finance, competition, international arbitration or white collar crime. March 2021
The firm encourages individuals to work across specialisms and emphasises teamwork, so trainees
Salary and benefits
may find that whilst they are working in one group, they undertake work in a variety of different
First-year salary: £46,000
areas throughout the firm. Trainees will be expected to work on several matters at once, and
Holiday entitlement: 25 days
assume responsibility at an early stage.
For more information please go to the Careers section on the website and select London Trainees. Sponsorship
Arnold & Porter will typically fund
An important aspect of the firm’s culture is its commitment to pro bono. Trainees and all lawyers postgraduate legal education
at the firm are encouraged to take part in our pro bono programme and devote 15% of their time course fees and provide an
to it, helping young lawyers develop client management skills from an early stage. additional maintenance grant.
LPC fees: Yes

Vacation schemes GDL fees: Yes

The firm takes around ten summer vacation students each recruiting year. Whether you are a law Maintenance grant pa: £8,000

or non-law student, the firm will introduce you to life in a busy City law firm. You will spend two International and regional
weeks working on a variety of projects and workshops with partners and associates throughout the
The True Picture

Client secondments:
London office. Apply via the firm’s website by 8th March 2021. On an as-needed basis

Other benefits
Healthy incentive bonus, Christmas bonus, private health insurance, private dental insurance, life
assurance, season ticket loan.

University law careers fairs 2020

Oxford, Cambridge, UCL, City, University of London, Manchester.

Org ID: 3811 2 Out Authorised by: ......................................................................

197
Date: ............................
 A Ashfords LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Ashfords LLP
The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Locations: Bristol, Exeter, London, Plymouth, Taunton, Get hired by Ashfords
Tiverton
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 71/129/13 More on the firm’s social housing
Seats: 4x6 months work
First-year salary: Exeter £28,000; Bristol £29,000 The Exeter Young Business Club
Qualification salary: Exeter £42,000; Bristol £47,000

Ashfords has built a regional empire in the South West and now has its
sights set on a more rounded national profile –an enticing prospect for
trainees who want high-quality work and more balance in their lives.

The Firm property litigation, while other highlights include banking

“I was looking for a firm that was focused on the South West & finance, corporate/M&A, employment and IP.
but not a firm where I would have to compromise on quality
of work. In that respect, Ashfords was the perfect choice,” Trainees choose between a South West contract or a
one satisfied source told us when recalling their reasons Bristol contract. Bristolians tend to stay put for all four
for picking this firm. While most of Ashfords’ six offices seats, while South West trainees primarily reside in the
are indeed in the South West, it does have a small Lon- Exeter HQ but can also spend timein Plymouth, Taunton
don base and markets itself as a national outfit. Training and Tiverton. The firm doesn’t recruit trainees into the
principal Kerry Morgan-Gould tells us that pre-Covid-19, London office directly but might offer up a seat there if
Ashfords was looking to launch a new office somewhere there is a business need for it. When it comes to seat al-
along the M4 corridor to boost this national image: “We location, the process starts off quite informally: “We find
do a lot of national work and would like to branch out to join our own opportunities by talking to department heads – it’s
up our South West bases and our London office. It’d signifi- down to you to make that happen.” Department heads then
cantly alter the perception of the firm, so it’s a key part of feed these preferences back to HR, who put together an
our overall strategy.” (These plans, understandably, have available seat list for trainees to confirm their choice. The
been paused in light of Covid-19.) On that topic of expan- final result was a mixed bag for our sources with some
sion, one insider observed that “it’s common for firms that getting their first choice and some ending up a tad disap-
are on the cusp of being national to emphasise how corpo- pointed: “HR doesn’t always align with the conversations
rate they are while maintaining a good work/life balance. that you’ve had with partners.” The firm told us that it lis-
But Ashfords genuinely does have a good balance. It’s not tens to all parties in the allocation process and assigns
The True Picture

just a marketing ploy.” seats with both business need and the career develop-
ment of trainees in mind.
Work-wise, Ashfords splits its services into business and
personal areas, making it an ideal destination for those
who want to work for corporates and/or individuals. The The Seats
firm picks up Chambers UK rankings for its local govern- Real estate is the firm’s biggest department and many
ment, venture capital investment, personal insolvency trainees end up sitting here. The department covers de-
and (if you’re looking for something niche) equestrian
work. Homing in on the South West, Ashfords’ know-how Seat options: real estate; property litigation; planning;
is mostly rewarded with high-level rankings in several construction & infrastructure; restructuring & insolven-
areas: real estate is a real strength, with nods going to cy; corporate; commercial; commercial litigation; em-
various related strands like planning, social housing and ployment; trusts & estates; family

198
chambersstudent.co.uk Ashfords LLP A
Chambers UK rankings but we were told that responsibility soon comes knocking
Agriculture & Rural Affairs Local Government
once trainees find their feet: “I had an important call from
Banking & Finance Planning
a client with ten minutes’ notice. From that point, I ended up
Construction Private Equity
managing my own files.”
Corporate/M&A Professional Negligence
Crime Real Estate
Restructuring and insolvency is a small department
Employment Real Estate Litigation
that’s spread across the London, Bristol and Exeter of-
Family/Matrimonial Restructuring/Insolvency
fices. Matters here span debt recoveries, appointments
Information Technology Social Housing
of administrators and liquidators, and “investigations
Intellectual Property Sports Law
into letters of claim against previous company directors.”
Litigation Tax
As there “aren’t masses of firms covering this work in the
South West, we get high-value and interesting matters,” an
insider reported gladly. On its list of recent assignments,
velopment, social housing, residential, landlord and ten- lawyers here represented CVR Global, which acted as the
ant, and commercial property work. The Exeter office liquidators of Implement Consulting in a matter worth
has a niche in energy sector work, which covers projects £3.3 million. On the personal legal services side, high net
such as solar and wind farms, as well as recycling plants. worth individuals also call upon the group for its bank-
Bristol has a penchant for franchise work – one of their ruptcy expertise. This is a “niche area for us and there’s
main clients, Subway, can “keep trainees occupied for lots to learn,” enthused one source. Among the common
their whole seat!” Commercial work can involve helping tasks for trainees are writing letters, drafting agreements
property developers “on the whole process from land ac- and running timelines.
quisition to the sale of individual plots.” The team recently
helped construction company Unitbuild as it purchased a
site in Plymouth to build a new business park. Read about Trainee Life
the firm’s social housing work online. “I am basically my supervisor’s shadow,” joked one source.
Trainees were huge fans of their supervisors, who have
The size of the real estate team “gives property litiga- reportedly mastered that “perfect balance of being hands-
tion the scope to generate work off of those clients if they on while giving you independence. They’ll give you some-
run into disputes.” This team works with local authorities thing and say, ‘Have ten minutes, then we’ll come back
on landlord and tenant matters such as evictions; it also and talk about it.’” Partners were also described as being
works with property investors, portfolios and chains, as good at placating trainees’ worries: “They say that there’s
well as “the regular ‘Joe Bloggs’ who’s had a residential no such thing as a stupid question and they’re always will-
bust-up with their neighbour.” Of late, the group repre- ing to talk to you about any ideas you’ve had.”
sented CDS (Superstores International) during a dispute
with its landlord over asbestos found on its commercial This approach was felt to foster a culture of kindness,
premises in the North West. Trainees here liked that with this trainee flagging that “we’re told to help people
they’re “not just dealing with the same thing again and any way and at any time we can! It really makes us feel like
again. It’s constantly fresh and different.” Typical tasks in- a big team.” The Exeter HQ was highlighted as having “a
cluded drafting break notices and writing letters prompt- great family environment” aided by its open-plan layout.
ing a response from the other side or different parties. The office also has a canteen and a gym, where the firm
“Most of the time, it never escalates to court,” said sources, hosted a rowing challenge for Sports Relief (“it was fun
but when it does, trainees can find themselves taking to go and watch people get sweaty!” chortled one amused
notes, preparing bundles and keeping in contact with the trainee). Bristolians, meanwhile, wanted to make it clear
barrister on the case. that “we’re known as the cool office. We’re quite laid back
and pretty open. We do lots of socials and stuff – it’s chill.”
The True Picture

“It’s constantly fresh and different.” Firmwide, we heard of departmental days out and week-
ends away. For example, “the real estate team took eve-
The corporate department works on M&A deals but also ryone to a hotel in Cornwall where we enjoyed free drinks,
handles corporate advisory matters across the country. In beach yoga and a spa – it was so fun!”
Bristol, there’s a growing expertise in the fintech space.
Showcasing some of the firm’s cross-border capabilities “We enjoyed free drinks, beach yoga and a
(boosted by its membership of the ADVOC network of in- spa – it was so fun!”
ternational firms), Ashfords’ corporate lawyers recently
advised beauty product maker Swallowfield on the sale Trainees were also fans of Ashfords’ “really healthy and
of its manufacturing business to a Canadian develop- up-to-date attitude” towards diversity and inclusion, with
ment group for £35 million. “In terms of the work that I this source detailing how the firm “puts on regular train-
was doing at first, it was baby steps,” noted one source, ing and sends out little tests to make sure you’re up to date

199
 A Ashfords LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

throughout the year.” At the same time, insiders acknowl- The qualification process is a bit like the one for seat al-
edged that the firm has some way to go to diversify its location, where trainees make their preference known to
ranks and commented that “it’d be nice to see more fe- partners and heads of department. A formal NQ jobs list
male partners.” At the time of publication, we were told is released after HR liaises with heads of departments to
that Ashfords has recently appointed a new female CEO, confirm space for roles. Qualifiers do apply, but only face
which has strengthened the representation of women at an interview in the event that two people go for the same
the senior level of the firm.Returning to the subject of job. In 2020, seven of nine qualifiers stayed with the firm.
work/life balance, trainees told us that the average day
lasts between 9am and 6pm, with a late finish considered
to be 7pm. These consistent hours were put down to team
mentality: “Rather than one person staying until 11pm, we
all stay until 7pm. It makes it more fun to be in late and we
get it done better as a group.”

cAshfords...
Ashfords’ revenue has risen 69% in the last
five years. Nice work!
The True Picture

200
chambersstudent.co.uk
www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-ZAof
shfords LLP
Law Firms A

Ashfords LLP
Grenadier Road, Exeter EX1 3LH
Tel: 01392 337 000 Twitter: @AshfordsTrainee Partners: 73
Email: [email protected] @Ashfords_Law UK fee-earners: 222
Website: www.ashfords.co.uk Linkedin: ashfords Total trainees: 19
UK offices: Exeter, Bristol,
London, Plymouth, Taunton,
Tiverton
Firm profile
Ashfords is a national provider of legal, professional and regulatory services. We combine legal exper- Contacts
tise, commercial experience and our wider network to help our clients achieve their goals, providing Graduate recruiter:
Graduate Recruitment Team,
value for time and value for money Our commitment to excellence is reflected by the quality of our em-
traineerecruitment@ashfords.
ployees and partners, our client testimonials and industry awards. We are also delighted to have been co.uk
voted a Guardian UK 300 employer by students and graduates in the UK for the seventh year running. 01392 337 000
We’re proud that our priorities go beyond business; our employee-led corporate social responsibility Training partner:
(CSR) programme is committed to making a positive social and environmental impact. Kerry Morgan-Gould,
[email protected]

Main areas of work Application criteria

We have a clear understanding of our markets with an absolute focus on our clients. As a full service Training contracts pa: 10
firm we cover a wide range of practice areas, including corporate, real estate, dispute resolution, con- Applications pa: 500
struction and infrastructure, employment, intellectual property, trusts and estates, residential property, Minimum required degree grade:
family and equity release. We advise clients across a number of industries with a focus on technology, 2:1 or other
energy and waste, retail and the public sector. We service clients internationally through our ADVOC Vacation scheme places pa: 24
network of independent law firms, and work on a number of cross border transactions.
Dates and deadlines
Training contract applications
Training opportunities open: 1st November 2020
You will experience different areas of law during your 24 month training contract, spending six Training contract deadline, 2023
months in four different departments. You have a choice of either a Bristol or South West based start: 30th April 2021
training contract; our South West trainees have the opportunity to work across our Exeter, Taunton, Vacation scheme applications
Tiverton and Plymouth offices. Your career with us is very important, we have a clear career model with open: 1st November 2020
structured development to support you at each stage. We are transparent about promotion criteria and Vacation scheme 2021 deadline:
you will have access to development on an individual, firm-wide and departmental level to help you to 30th April 2021
achieve your career ambitions. We are proud to work with talented people who are happy to share their
Salary and benefits
experience — you will be encouraged to do likewise. Our trainees have the opportunity of hands-on
First-year salary: South West -
experience, early responsibility and client involvement throughout their training contract. Our trainees £28,000, Bristol - £29,000
also play an integral role in CSR and business development initiatives which provide exposure to our Second-year salary: South West
diverse client base. - £29,000, Bristol - £30,000
Post-qualification salary:
Vacation scheme South West - £42,000,
Bristol - £47,000
We hold three summer schemes over the summer months (June/July) in both our Exeter and Bristol
Holiday entitlement: 23 days
offices. To take part in a vacation scheme, students will need to have reached their penultimate
year of their undergraduate law degree (or final year for non-law students) and be ready to start a Sponsorship
training contract in two years’ time. There is no specific route to take to secure a training contract, LPC fees: Yes
we are just as likely to recruit you from a summer scheme as we would from an assessment centre!
The True Picture

GDL fees: No
Maintenance grant pa: No
Other benefits
International and regional
Annual benefits include: 23 days’ paid leave, birthday day off, additional Ashfords Christmas day off,
Offices with training contracts:
holiday purchase scheme, free in-house gym (Exeter office) and national gym discounts, pension, South West (Exeter, Taunton,
health cash plan, membership of The Junior Lawyers Division, cycle scheme, annual discretionary bo- Tiverton, Plymouth) and Bristol
nus scheme.

University law careers fairs 2020

Exeter, Bristol, UoL Bristol, Cardiff.

201
Org ID: 93611 2 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................
 A Ashurst chambersstudent.co.uk

Ashurst
The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Location: London, Glasgow Get hired at Ashurst
Overseas offices: 26
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 120/350/80
Seats: 4x6 months; overseas seats; client secondments
First-year salary: £46,000
Qualification salary: £84,000

For its commercial offering, international reach and “open culture,”

trainees give Ashurst an A* –but even the firm says grades aren’t
everything.

The Firm America. They also liked their chances of getting an in-
During the Great Grades Debacle of 2020, Ashurst was ternational secondment. Pre-pandemic, trainees were
one of the first firms to announce it was dropping A-level jet-setting to destinations like Luxembourg, Brussels,
requirements in its training contract applications. The Madrid, Frankfurt, Singapore, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Hong
news probably didn’t come as a surprise to the firm’s cur- Kong and Tokyo. To make the deal extra sweet, a fair few
rent trainees, who praised its efforts in promoting social secondments also come with a living bonus, paid accom-
mobility. In the last few years they launched Ahead with modation and free flights. To apply for a spot, trainees
Ashurst, a week-long programme for first-year or sec- send off their CV and an application form with a snippet
ond-year law students. “I like the fact that my colleagues of writing explaining why they’d be a good fit. Client se-
come from a variety of backgrounds,” one of our trainee condments are also sprinkled into the training contract.
interviewees told us, “be it from other countries, places “It gave me a lot of exposure on how to do business with a
within the UK, or a range of universities.” At the time of our variety of clients,” said one former secondee. “I got more
calls, Ashurst’s trainees had come from up and down the independence and confidence.”
country, including graduates of Exeter, Newcastle, Car-
diff, Manchester, Bournemouth, Edinburgh, Bristol, Ox-
ford and Cambridge. The Seats
Ahead of each seat rotation, trainees may submit as
“High-calibre work and clients coupled many preferences as they please. There are just two
with an open culture.” rules: everyone has to do a finance seat in either banking,
global markets or restructuring, as well as a transactional
For these trainees, “Ashurst’s offer of high-calibre work seat in either real estate, corporate transactions or pro-
and clients coupled with an open culture and inclusiveness” jects. But trainees suggested there’s wiggle room within
was a winning combination. Ashurst is a prestigious, full- those rules – split seats and repeat seats are not unheard
The True Picture

service commercial outfit renowned for its energy and of, for example.
projects work in particular. It nabs top national rankings
in Chambers UK for oil and gas, infrastructure, projects, “I worked on a lot of social infrastructure,
and transport. It also gets high praise for its AIM capital defence deals, and transport deals.”
markets and renewables practices. In London specifi-
cally, the firm excels in mid-market banking and finance, In the projects seat, lawyers work on projects (duh)
and gets high rankings for competition law, real estate across the energy, natural resources and infrastructure
finance and big-ticket real estate. sectors. The team handles both project development and
project finance deals for sponsors, lenders and govern-
Another big pull for our interviewees was the firm’s in- ment bodies. Ashurst is especially well known for its
ternational reach of a 27-office network spanning the expertise in public-private partnerships (whereby the
UK, Asia, Australia, Europe, the Middle East and North government contracts a private company to manage a

202
chambersstudent.co.uk Ashurst A
Chambers UK rankings As part of the ‘seat initiation’ in real estate, newbies can
Banking & Finance Investment Funds
enjoy a complimentary tour around London courtesy of a
Banking Litigation Litigation
couple of partners, where “they show you all the buildings
Capital Markets Outsourcing
Ashurst has worked on.” Much of the work in this depart-
Commercial Contracts Planning
ment concerns acquisitions and divestments, develop-
Competition/European Law Professional Negligence
ment schemes, construction and urban regeneration pro-
Construction Projects
jects... the list goes on. To any shopaholic’s delight, the
Corporate/M&A Real Estate
group recently advised Westfield on a multibillion-pound
Energy & Natural Real Estate Finance
project to redevelop two of Croydon’s shopping centres.
Resources Real Estate Litigation
There are sub-groups to be found here too, like construc-
Financial Services Restructuring/Insolvency
tion, but from a trainee’s point of view, work is pretty fluid
Information Technology Tax
throughout the seat. With such variety, they said, “you’re
Infrastructure Telecommunications
always kept on your toes.” One told us: “I did a lot of draft-
Insurance Transport
ing,” and others said: “There is plenty of due diligence to
International Arbitration go around!” Other jobs include running licences, drafting
wayleaves (annual agreements that can be renewed or
terminated by either party), organising payment, and set-
ting up conference calls and meetings.
project). For example, the firm recently advised TfL as the
procuring authority on the £2.5 billion Silvertown Tunnel Ashurst’s tax lawyers advise on both direct and indirect
project in East London. The group has also advised the tax, ranging from corporation tax to VAT and stamp duty
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (De- land tax. “Often as a trainee, you are pulled into matters
fra) since 2015 on the £4.2 billion Thames Tideway Tun- from all over the firm,” including supporting on deals in the
nel project. “There are lots of different sub-teams” in this corporate, real estate and projects departments. Trainees
enormous group, so trainees’ experiences could vary. “I said there’s also some tax litigation in this seat, which
worked on a lot of social infrastructure, defence deals and involves more standalone cases. Trainees in this seat
transport deals,” one noted. Another told us about their were responsible for drafting applications, tax structur-
day-to-day work: “I draft a lot of legal opinions and ancil- ing papers and tax feeds, and doing “lots of research into
lary documents. I also review comments and engagement different pieces of tax legislation.” The clientele includes
letters.” private equity house Inflexion as well as property compa-
nies Oxford Properties and Lendlease. Alongside the real
Trainees may do a seat in global loans, i.e. the firm’s estate and finance teams, the tax group recently advised
banking and finance team. You’ll find three main sub- on the €400 million acquisition of three Amazon logistics
teams here: fund finance, leveraged finance and real es- warehouses in the UK, Barcelona and Paris by investment
tate finance. The trainees we spoke to primarily worked bank Korean Investment & Securities.
on the fund finance side of the seat, which meant a lot
of loans and investment funds work. The firm does some Over in Ashurst’s funds practice, the team works with
borrower-side deals but mostly works with lenders such private equity funds, real estate funds, infrastructure
as HSBC, NatWest and investment management com- funds, debt and credit funds and more. Clients include
pany BlackRock. Ashurst recently advised J.P. Morgan on Credit Suisse, fund manager Equitix, and investment firm
a $2.5 billion debt funding package for the Woodsmith Sprints Capital. Interviewees told us that a lot of their
Mine project in North Yorkshire. “Because of the regular work revolved around carrier schemes. The team recently
turnover of deals it’s a good first seat,” a source noted. At advised private equity house Inflexion on the simultane-
the very start of the seat, newbies worked on conditions ous closings of two private equity funds valued at £1 bil-
precedent checklists, and by the end of the seat we heard lion. An interviewee was pleased with the responsibility
The True Picture

they were responsible for “running security agreements they got in the seat, telling us: “I was able to manage a
and amendment agreements.” Other common trainee tasks junior trainee on the transaction.” Trainees were also kept
include checking board minutes, drafting fee letters and
liaising with local counsel overseas. Sources signposted
global loans as quite a heavy seat in terms of workload. Seat options: banking & finance; capital markets; com-
“I felt like I was thrown in the deep end,” one noted, “but I mercial property/real estate; company and commercial;
received great legal training and a lot of client contact. By competition and EU law; construction and engineering;
the end, I felt equipped to handle NQ-level work.” corporate finance/mergers and acquisitions; corporate
tax; dispute resolution; employment, pensions and in-
“They show you all the buildings Ashurst centives; energy and natural resources; property; Islam-
has worked on.” ic finance; projects/project finance; shipping and trade;
and technology, media and communications.

203
 A Ashurst chambersstudent.co.uk

busy “drafting transfer agreements and focusing on docu- full self to work.” The firm has ‘diversity strands’ focused
ment management skills.” on disability, gender, multiculturalism and LGBTQ+. The
firm’s D&I events were a big talking point, from a drag
show organised under the LGBTQ+ strand, to a celebra-
Trainee Life tion marking 100 years of women being able to practise
When pondering the firm’s culture, one millennial en- law. The firm also recently held a ‘hijab day’ to share the
thused: “We have an open convo culture.” Trainees thought experiences of women who wear the hijab. “The first hi-
this open ‘convo’ could be down to the firm’s open-door jab-wearing model came in to talk about her experiences in
policy, or perhaps the level of supervision and support the fashion industry,” trainees said.
they got from senior colleagues. Interviewees noted
weekly chit-chats to discuss workload and career devel- A couple of trainees did suggest “there’s not always the
opment. “People are receptive to progression,” they told necessary understanding from some senior staff” on D&I
us, with one pointing out that “some teams shine due to topics, but we heard “mental health is taken seriously
the invested and compassionate leadership of the partners firmwide.” The firm supports the Mindful Business Char-
– other teams can be a lot harder.” ter (a collaboration to promote wellbeing at work). What’s
more, “puppies sometimes come into the office” for a bit of
“The whole European practice travels to cuddle therapy. “It’s so cute!”
one city for a weekend of networking.”
“Jekyll and Hyde.”
It’s safe to say the firm’s recent office relocation to Spi-
talfields has only had positive cultural repercussions for And some days may well call for a bit of mental TLC.
its inhabitants, with a new canteen, fitness facilities and a When asked for the downside of the training contract,
rooftop terrace to enjoy. Each department has its own so- trainees brought up some long hours. One described
cial committee and there are social events at every seat their workload as “Jekyll and Hyde” depending on which
rotation to keep trainees merry, such as a trainee ball, a seat they were in: “I would not trade my experience with
summer party, quizzes, dinners, mini-golf and drinks (we some teams for the world, but other teams have taken a
heard the firm often hires out a whole bar!) And trainees lot out of me.” Seats on the Hyde sideincluded projects,
were quick to mention much anticipated annual away global loans and global markets, with 12-hour days a fa-
days, when “the whole European practice travels to one miliar story. “I worked really long hours, mostly without any
city for a weekend of networking and activities.” junior associates,” one grumbled. “My practical skills vastly
improved but it was not enjoyable.” Real estate and tax
Interviewees said pro bono work is a big focus at Ashurst – fell into the Jekyll category, with good days running from
it’s even a seat option for trainees. Trainees reported pro- 9am to 7pm. Fortunately, these trainees didn’t go into the
viding legal assistance in matters related to the climate training blind. “I knew before I started how busy working in
crisis, death row and the criminal justice system, LGBTQ+ a commercial law firm can be,” said one. Consider yourself
issues, and modern slavery. “The firm has a genuine desire warned.
to give back through pro bono,” one said. “I feel supported
whenever I take it on.” One trainee told us about their ex- Interviewees were satisfied with their salary at trainee
perience helping on an LGBTQ+ matter: “I researched the level, which rises to £84,000 or NQ associates. When
London Boroughs to see what policies they have in place qualification time rolls around, trainees submit their
for LGBTQ+ rights and wrote up on how they can improve.” preferences to HR along with their CV. In our survey, the
firm didn’t score particularly highly for its transparency
The firm received a lot of praise from interviewees when in the qualification process, but most were still hopeful
it came to diversity and inclusion. “You get the sense that they’d be kept on, and retention rates tend to be strong. In
Ashurst is genuinely interested in your individuality,” one 2020, the firm retained 18 of its 20 qualifiers.
The True Picture

felt. “It’s important that people feel that they can bring their

Computer Says Yes:

Ashurst’s Glasgow office houses technology schemes to
assist lawyers with work like doc review and auto contract
generation.

204
www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
chambersstudent.co.uk Ashurst A

Ashurst LLP
London Fruit & Wool Exchange, 1 Duval Square, E1 6PW
Tel: 020 7638 1111 Fax: 020 7638 1112 Partners: 400+
Email: [email protected] Facebook: AshurstTrainees Total trainees: 80
Website: www.ashurst.com/en/careers Twitter: @ashurst UK offices: London, Glasgow
Overseas offices: 25
Firm profile including two associated offices
Clients are at the heart of our thinking, our ambition is to be our clients’ most incisive partner. We are and one support office.
able to reach this aim by remaining at the forefront of legal technology innovation with initiatives such
as Ashurst Advance and Ashurst Digital Ventures. You will see we have a prestigious client base, with Contacts
Graduate recruiter:
whom we build strong partnerships working closely together on large and complex multi-jurisdictional
Nicola Stafford,
transactions to deliver insightful commercial solutions. Our global reach provides opportunities for our HR Consultant, Early Careers,
people to work in numerous jurisdictions with leading international organisations across the world. [email protected]
At Ashurst you will work as part of a team of high calibre individuals operating in a high performance
Application criteria
environment. We are creative, innovative and agile thinkers always looking for new and better ways
Training contracts pa: 40
of doing things. Working this way we will achieve our goals to be the best advisor and an exceptional Applications pa: 1,500
place to work. Minimum required degree grade:
2:1 or other
Main areas of work Minimum UCAS points or A levels:
Ashurst advance; banking and finance; capital markets; competition and antitrust; corporate and 340 or equivalent
M&A; digital economy; dispute resolution; employment; financial regulation; insurance and re- Vacation scheme places pa:
insurance; intellectual property; investigations; investment funds; pro bono; projects; real estate; 65-75
restructuring, insolvency and special situations; tax.
Dates and deadlines
Training opportunities Vacation schemes and Ahead with
Ashurt applications open:
Ultimately, we want to help you become a thought leader with a reputation for clear, perceptive and 1st September 2020
influential advice — a professional in whom governments and leading businesses the world over can Winter vacation scheme deadline:
place their trust. This isn’t an easy route to take. You’ll need to become a shrewd negotiator, have an 4th November 2020
ability to read both balance sheets and behaviours, and become a commercial strategist with a deep un- Summer vacation scheme
derstanding of specific industries. Our training contract will start you on that road. We will plan closely deadline: 5th January 2021
with you four seats of six months each, that will broaden your world view and hone your talents. At least Ahead with Ashurst deadline:
5th January 2021
one seat will be in a finance practice and another within a transactional department. You will also have
Training contract applications
the opportunity to apply for an overseas or client secondment.
open, 2023 start:
We will be accepting training contract applications to start in September 2023/March 2024 from 1st 1st September 2020
September 2020. The deadline for this is 5th January 2021. We may then re-open applications in Sum- Training contract deadlines,
mer 2021. 2023 start:
5th January 2021
Vacation scheme
Winter Vacation Scheme: A one-week scheme designed for final-year students and graduates from Salary and benefits
any degree discipline. Applications open on 1st September 2020 and close on 3rd November 2020. First-year salary: £46,000
Second-year salary: £50,000
Summer Vacation Scheme: A three-week scheme designed for final years and graduates of all degree Post-qualification salary: £84,000
disciplines as well as penultimate-year law students. Applications open on 1st September 2020 and close Holiday entitlement: 25 days
on 5th January 2021.
Sponsorship
First year opportunities: Ahead with Ashurst LPC fees: Yes
We also offer a first year law work experience programme called ‘Ahead with Ashurst’ which will be GDL fees: Yes
The True Picture

held April 2021. Apply online between 1st September 2020 and 5th January 2021. Maintenance grant pa: £8,000

Other benefits International and regional

Future trainee loan, £500 language bursary, £500 first class degree prize, private medical insurance, Overseas seats: Abu Dhabi,
Brussels, Dubai, Frankfurt, Hong
life assurance and income protection are provided by Ashurst. Pension (including contribution from
Kong, Luxembourg, Singapore,
Ashurst), season ticket loan (interest free), dental insurance, ISA savings account, technology purchase Tokyo
plan, holiday purchase, travel insurance, reduced rate gym membership, childcare vouchers, cycle to
work scheme, give as you earn, onsite services including doctor, physiotherapist and masseuse. 25 days
holiday (plus bank holidays), staff restaurant, daily fruit breakfast.

University law careers fairs 2020

Bristol, Cambridge, Durham, Exeter, KCL, Leicester, LSE, Manchester, Nottingham, Oxford, Warwick,
UCL and York.

Org ID: 15 4 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................205

 B Baker McKenzie chambersstudent.co.uk

Baker McKenzie
The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Location: London Get hired by Baker McKenzie
Overseas offices: 77
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 133/397/71
Seats: 4x6 months; overseas seats; client secondments
First-year salary: £48,000
Qualification salary: £87,500

London is a key part of this US-founded firm’s global enterprise, which

offers trainees a mighty array of corporate and banking options alongside
much more.

The Firm geographic placement and time zone), “we’re not the be
There’s international, and then there’s international. all and end all;” Baker’s US origins are influential, but we
There’s having a scattering of overseas bases, and then would emphasise that this doesn’t feel like a stereotypi-
there’s having 78 offices in over 46 countries. Put simply, cal US firm. Baker has continued to invest in the capital
Chicago-founded Baker McKenzie is a truly global out- with 11 high-profile lateral partner hires made in 2019,
fit. “There are few firms out there that from their inception alongside its appointment of three new global practice
sought to bring in clients that were international and cross- heads in the London office.
border,” declared one source. “The whole point of Bakers is
to assist household names across multiple countries and ju-
risdictions.” Our sources unanimously circled back to this: The Seats
to be drawn to Bakers is to be drawn to practising law on There’s been a “real shift to become and position our-
a global level. “Few firms can offer the advice we can on selves as a transactional heavyweight for applicants,” one
the scale we can,” another interviewee enthused. clued-up interviewee shared. As such, trainees are now
encouraged to complete at least two transactional seats
“The whole point of Bakers is to assist as opposed to just one previously (due to the firm’s cur-
household names across multiple rent work streams). Before each seat rotation trainees are
required to submit their preferences. Allaying any fears
countries and jurisdictions.”
over transparency, Bakers now “explains how many places
Let’s look at that scale in more depth: Baker McKenzie is there are in each department and how many first preferenc-
ranked in a not-so-shabby 56 regions across the globe es there are each time.” Each rookie also selects a ‘priority
in various Chambers & Partners guides. On the global seat’ for their training contract, which “you’re pretty much
stage, Bakers rules when it comes commercial contracts, guaranteed to get.”
data protection, employment, employee benefits, IP, tax
The True Picture

and TMT (technology, media and telecoms) work, among That emphasis on being a ‘transactional heavyweight’ is
many other highly regarded areas. For the work con- reflected in the size and structure of Bakers’ corporate
ducted from Bakers’ London base, Chambers UK bestows department: it’s split into seven different seats! These
top-notch praise on many of the practices listed above, as consist of corporate reorganisations; M&A; private equi-
well as areas such as construction-related international ty and funds; tax; corporate finance; energy, mining, and
arbitration, IT, product liability, banking & finance, and ad- infrastructure; and environmental markets. “You tend to
ministrative & public law.

Rankings aside, London is in fact home to Bakers’ largest Seat options: corporate; banking & finance; structured
office and “frequently comes up as a lead office on any- capital markets; disputes; tax; employment; pensions;
thing multi-jurisdictional.” While considered “a hub office” IP/tech; real estate; EU competition and trade; pro
due to its coordinating capabilities (aided by London’s bono.

206
chambersstudent.co.uk Baker McKenzie B
Chambers UK rankings Capital on its $1.9 billion bid for the European distribution
Administrative & Public Law Immigration
platform of building materials company CRH. Crossover
Banking & Finance Information Technology
support with other corporate groups is reportedly com-
Banking Litigation Intellectual Property
mon. “There’s lots of responsibility,” said one source. “You
Capital Markets International Arbitration
see the vast majority of documents and do all the trainee
Commercial Contracts Life Sciences
tasks on those deals, like proofreading, drafting, and note-
Competition/European Law Litigation
taking on calls.” Beyond those usual ‘trainee tasks,’ one
Construction Media & Entertainment
interviewee raved about their role on a matter: “I was
Corporate/M&A Outsourcing
given the local counsel details of clients in Africa looking to
Data Protection Pensions
acquire businesses and was just told to run with it!”
Employee Share Schemes Private Equity
& Incentives Product Liability
There’s plenty of crossover with the energy, mining, and
Employment Projects
infrastructure (EMI) team. “Broadly speaking, the big-
Energy & Natural Real Estate
gest stream of work here is a mix of M&A and projects,” a
Resources trainee revealed. The group also offers a “fair chunk of
Tax
Environment advisory work, with lots of regulatory specialists present on
Telecommunications
Fraud the team.” Internationalism again comes to the fore when
working with mining majors like Rio Tinto and oil and gas
maestros like Shell. The firm has recently been called
work with one team at a time, but we do move resources upon by Saudi mining company Ma’aden to advise on the
around when there’s capacity,” one source noted. development of the Mansourah-Massarah Gold Project in
the Kingdom. “On bigger matters, I did both buy and seller
Both public and private M&A deals are handled by Bak- side M&A,” noted one source, citing business develop-
ers, which does indeed represent various household- ment, ancillary document prep and proofreading as typi-
name clients including Unilever, McDonald’s, Hitachi, and cal tasks for trainees. “But on discrete matters, the smaller
more. Of note, the firm recently advised Saudi Arabia’s teams shine” for giving trainees more responsibility. “For
Alawwal Bank on its merger with the Saudi British Bank, example, if you’re working to purchase a couple of fields or
which created the Kingdom’s third largest bank (with as- handling the advisory components on commission liability,
sets under management valued at around $70 billion). you get more substantial legal work.”
Bakers also acted on Japanese conglomerate Hitachi’s
$11 billion carve-out and acquisition of automated tech “While I don’t draft the meatier documents,
company ABB, as well as pharma outfit GSK’s joint ven- I’m keeping the project going. And on
ture with Pfizer, which created the world’s largest over-
something of this scale, that’s recognised
the-counter healthcare business (valued at $50 billion).
Interviewees enthused about their work on these “indus- to be incredibly key.”
try-changing deals.” One trainee told us about their expe-
rience working on a large carve-out, which involved “try- Bakers’ banking and finance group covers structured
ing to manage the opening of multiple corporate entities capital markets (SCM), financial regulatory services,
around the world” and pulling off seamless coordination and restructuring and insolvency work. The depart-
with local counsel in various jurisdictions. ment’s grown in recent years due to lateral hiring from a
range of fellow US firms with offices in London. A range
“I was given the local counsel details of derivative products – such as rate swaps, FX products,
of clients in Africa looking to acquire and equity derivatives – are handled within SCM, and the
team recently assisted luxury products group LVMH on
businesses and was just told to run with it!”
its $3.2 billion acquisition of 45 luxury hotels (and oth-
The True Picture

Trainees in private equity and funds see premier inves- er assets) by conducting a due diligence review of the
tor clients – such as Bain Capital, Macquarie, KKR, CVC, seller’s existing financing arrangements. The SCM team
and more – flock through the doors. There’s an emphasis similarly acts for well-known banks and financial institu-
here on the tech, construction and infrastructure fields. tions such as AIG, Bank of China, Citibank, and UBS; the
Trainees had worked on deals that they described as work for names like these is further split between struc-
“small market, with sellers usually pitched at £100 million.” tured debt securities, securitisations and derivatives. A
Doesn’t sound so small to us! However, in the context of mix of contentious and non-contentious work colours life
some of the firm’s mega deals, we guess that is rather in financial regulatory services. Of note, the firm acted
small. A case in point: Bakers recently acted for US mul- for several senior managers under investigation by the
tinational Equinix on its $1 billion+ joint venture with GIC FCA (Financial Conduct Authority) and PRA (Prudential
(Singapore’s global wealth fund) to develop ‘hyperscale’ Regulation Authority) at Metro Bank. The restructuring
data centres. The team also advised major PE firm Bain team, meanwhile, recently acted for Global Loan Agency

207
 B Baker McKenzie chambersstudent.co.uk

Services in connection with the contentious restructuring Sydney. “I’ll be pushing to do the secondment again,” joked
of a Belgo-Dutch biotech company, Galapagos. one source. “It’s been really good for my personal brand.”

Our interviewees had sat in all the above practices. “It’s just so positive here,” one interviewee concluded on
Across the groups, a “high-pressured” air prevails, with the topic of culture. “It’s not competitive between trainees
late nights and tight deadlines part of the mix. Acclima- either. The quickest way to lose an offer is to climb all over
tising quickly is part of the deal here, as “it’s a technical other people.” This humble approach also extends to the
area of law, which can be quite difficult to get to grips with.” senior ranks. “It’s one of the least hierarchical places I’ve
Yet with their feet found, responsibility ensues for train- been in,” another trainee commented. When asked about
ees in the form of drafting legal opinions, offering memo- stress – a common accompaniment to legal work in the
randums and fee letters; amending documents; handling City – sources found that while levels were team-depend-
company filings; and notetaking on client calls. We heard ent, it was important to keep everything in perspective.
of many a complex matter here, which saw trainees put- “It’s important to learn that you’ll get things wrong,” one
ting together large sets of loans for railway infrastruc- sage source reflected. “There are very high expectations
ture abroad; completing discrete anti-money laundering for trainees, but I’ve generally felt well supported.”
research assignments; contributing to insurance regula-
tory work for art houses and auctions; and assisting in- Much of the social life at Bakers is also team-dependent.
ternational banks that were seeking to set up in the UK. “Some departments are known for socialising, while others
These are just some of the highlights documented from are smaller and the social vibe is less prevalent.” Overall,
across the seats. sources had few complaints about the activities on offer,
with cocktail-making classes, karaoke nights, darts ex-
“I actually didn’t do any bundling in this cursions, and firm-wide seasonal parties all celebrated.
seat!” The ‘Baker Mingle’ committee also organises events with
a budget from the firm. Organic frivolity is also key, and
Dispute resolution (and contentious financial services “every Friday, trainees will go for a drink in the pub. It’s
matters more generally) has been marked as an area of kind of a given we’ll be there.” Pro bono opportunities can
growth for the firm. The recent addition of a banking and take on a social slant as well. There’s reportedly a “huge
finance litigation partner from Allen & Overy has helped amount of stuff” trainees have access to, alongside a ded-
to enhance an offering already stacked with globally fa- icated pro bono associate who sends out regular emails
miliar names, like FedEx, Barclays, L’Oréal, and more. The to advertise opportunities. “We do a lot of work with chari-
firm successfully acted for Prandicle (a company owned ties to help improve the chance of BAME individuals enter-
by Ukraine’s former deputy prime minister) during $1 bil- ing the City, and not just within the legal profession, but
lion commercial court proceedings following the alleged the City in general,” one source informed us. Sources also
wrongful sale of a large steel plant in Ukraine. Bakers has championed the firm for not capping the number of pro
also continued to advise natural gas exporter Gazprom bono hours that they could do. As we went to press, the
in High Court litigation concerning a dispute with various firm told us that it has just launched a dedicated pro bono
Bulgarian companies over the dilution of shares in a joint seat for two trainees per rotation.
venture. Trainees celebrated the “really broad remit” of
cases available and had worked on large-scale investiga- On this corporate social responsibility (CSR)note, Bakers
tions, product liability matters, arbitration hearings, and has links with several local schools where it offers talks
large commercial litigation matters. “I actually didn’t do and workshops for children from disadvantaged back-
any bundling in this seat!” one source enthused. Instead, grounds. Wider discussions around diversity at the firm
interviewees had made submissions to court and drafted arose in our interviews, with this source saying: “When
a mix of witness statements, claim forms and paragraphs it comes to action, they’re working on bolstering non-male
of client advice. partnership ranks and BAME outreach.” In 2019, the firm
The True Picture

committed to a global partner and leadership target of

40% women, 40% men, and 20% flexible representation
Trainee Life (women, men, or non-binary persons). But what about the
Client and overseas secondments are also a Bakers lived experience of diversity at Bakers? “Diversity is not
mainstay. Presentations are given before each rotation on seen as a tick box exercise here,” one trainee assured us.
secondment availability, with trainees’ experience often “It’s engrained in the people at Bakers.” Interviewees listed
dictating assigned destinations. Client secondment op- a whole host of diversity groups and initiatives for people
tions are confidential, but we can tell you that trainees to get involved in. “There’s so much going on, you can’t get
can potentially go to any Bakers office in the global net- involved with everything!” one regretful source declared.
work if there is a business need. Popular destinations for
overseas seats included Brussels, Hong Kong, Dubai and And the hours? “It depends on the team,” one trainee re-
sponded, unsurprisingly. “There’s a general expectation

208
chambersstudent.co.uk Baker McKenzie B

that for at least half of a corporate or banking seat, you Informal mid-seat chats with supervisorsare followed by
should expect to be in until at least 7pm.” Another source detailed end of seat reviews. The latter come complete
highlighted the “red zones” for long hours – corporate is with development points and formalised scoring for fac-
“notoriously bad on that front, as is SCM. Banking and dis- tors such as quality of work, business development ef-
putes are notable for their long hours too.” Trainees gener- forts and pro bono endeavours. “Because the trainee eval-
ally considered 11pm and beyond a late night, with finish- uation process is strictly followed,” one trainee revealed,
ing times between 6pm and 7.30pm regarded as “normal.” “you’re given indications throughout the process on how
The firm also provides dinners and taxis home for late fin- to improve.” This led to good reviews of the qualification
ishers. We heard that evenings and weekends are mostly process, which involves submitting first and second pref-
respected, as is the emphasis on the lack of strict face erences to graduate recruitment after receiving a list of
time requirements. “People are really good at making sure available NQ positions. “You submit around 250 words to a
that when you’re off, you’re off,” one relieved trainee found. page explaining why you want to join those teams and that’s
it. There are no interviews and it’s very much based on feed-
back from the departments.”

Baked to perfection...
Retention rates have been historically strong at
Bakers. In 2020, the firm continued that trend and
retained 28 of 34 qualifiers.

The True Picture

209
 www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
B Baker McKenzie chambersstudent.co.uk

Baker McKenzie LLP

100 New Bridge Street, London EC4V 6JA
Tel: 020 7919 1000 Fax: 020 7919 1999 Partners: 126
Email: [email protected] Assistant solicitors: 276
Website: www.bakermckenzie.com/londongraduates Total trainees: 66
UK offices: London
Overseas offices: 76
Firm profile
Contacts
With 77 offices in 47 countries, and a presence in all leading financial centres, Baker McKenzie is the
The Graduate Recruitment
world’s premier global law firm. Our strategy is to provide the best combination of local legal and Team: 020 7919 1000
commercial knowledge, international expertise and resources. Trainee solicitors are a vital part of that Training partner:
strategy, exposed to the international scope of the firm from the moment they start. There is also the Arron Slocombe
possibility of an overseas secondment, recent secondees have spent time in Hong Kong, Singapore, and
Application criteria
Tokyo. Training contracts pa: 33
Minimum required degree grade:
Main areas of work 2:1 or equivalent
London is home to the firm’s largest office where Baker McKenzie has been well established since its Minimum UCAS points: 340
opening in 1961. With more than 400 lawyers, we have a substantial presence in the legal and busi- UCAS points or equivalent
ness community. Providing a full service offering, we deliver high-quality local solutions across a broad Vacation scheme places pa: 45
range of practices and offer global advice in conjunction with our international offices. Our client base
Dates and deadlines
consists primarily of venture capital funds, investment banks, technology powerhouses and household Training contract applications
name brands. As a firm with a very strong international client base, we have considerable expertise in open, 2022 start: 1st February 2021
acting on, and coordinating, complex cross-border transactions and disputes. Training contract deadline, 2022
start: 1st April 2021
Training opportunities First Year Insight Scheme appli-
The two-year training contract comprises four six-month seats which include a corporate and a cations open: 1st October 2020
First Year Insight Scheme
contentious seat, usually within our highly regarded dispute resolution department. We also offer the
deadline: 1st February 2021
possibility of a secondment abroad or with a client. During each seat you will have formal and informal Spring vacation scheme applica-
reviews to discuss your progress and regular meetings to explore subsequent seat preferences. Your tions open: 1st October 2020
training contract commences with a highly interactive and practical induction programme which Spring vacation scheme
focuses on key skills including practical problem solving, presenting and the application of information deadline: 1st December 2020
technology. The firm’s training programmes include important components of management and other Summer vacation schemes appli-
cations open: 1st October 2020
business skills, as well as seminars and workshops on key legal topics for each practice area. There is a
Summer vacation schemes
Trainee Solicitor Liaison Committee which acts as a forum for any new ideas or concerns which may deadline: 1st January 2021
occur during the training contract.
Salary and benefits
Vacation scheme First-year salary: £48,000
Our vacation schemes offer the ideal opportunity to experience what it’s like to work for a city-based, Second-year salary: £48,000
Post-qualification salary: £90,000
global law firm. Each vacation scheme gives you the chance to experience two of our key practice areas.
Holiday entitlement: 25 days
Training is provided throughout to familiarise you with some of our typical transactions and to help
you develop key skills. We place great emphasis on involving you in ‘live’ work. Sponsorship
• Spring Vacation Scheme: 12th April - 23rd April 2021 LPC tuition fees: Yes
• Summer Vacation Schemes: 21st
June - 9th July 2021 GDL tuition fees: Yes
Maintenance grant pa:
Other benefits GDL: £6,000, LPC: £8,000
Bonus scheme, gym membership/subsidy, life assurance, pension scheme with company contributions, International and regional
private healthcare/dental, season ticket loan, subsidised restaurant, cycle to work scheme, childcare
The True Picture

Offices with training contracts:

vouchers. London
Overseas seats: Hong Kong,
Open days and first-year opportunities Brussels, San Francisco, Sin-
Open Days: We have tailored our Open Days to you by focusing on the different things that matter to gapore, Tokyo and Washington
DC. Changes each rotation.
you. We are holding four Open Days where you can hear about Baker McKenzie more generally. But
Client secondments: Yes,
we also have Open Days for black future lawyers and allies, Open Days for LGBT+ and allies, Open confidential
Days focusing on women in law, plus many others that will give you a taste of our culture as well as our
diverse community.
First Year Insight Schemes: We offer ten places to spend two days in the firm on 7th and 8th April 2021.
There will be a number of skills sessions and each student will spend a day in a department of their
choice. Applications open in October.

Org ID: 2692

210 4 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................
chambersstudent.co.uk Bates Wells B

Bates Wells
The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Location: London How to get into Bates Wells
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 38/79/12
BW’s employment and disputes
Seats: 2x6 months + 3x4 months
First-year salary: £36,000 seats
Qualification salary: £62,000

Looking for a City firm whose “primary objective is to enhance social

responsibility”?You’d do well to check out Bates Wells.

The Firm The Seats

Bates Wells has had a bit of a rebrand lately, ditching The seat system is quite different at BW: trainees com-
‘Braithwaite’ from its name and changing its slogan from plete two six-month seats in their first year and three
‘City firm with a conscience’ to ‘positive people, posi- four-month seats in second year. Rookies submit prefer-
tive impact.’ These slight tweaks refine BW’s messaging ences for seats one and two in the run-up to doing each
about its ethos: this is a modern firm that wants to do one; come second-year however, they set out their pref-
good things for communities and the environment. Its cli- erences for their remaining three seats all at once by
ent-base is heavily skewed towards organisations in the ranking up to five choices. “It helps the firm to plan bet-
charities sector and it was the first UK law firm to achieve ter,” said one source, “otherwise we’d be doing the same
B-Corp status. B-Corps, like sustainable-clothing com- process every couple of months.” Interviewees thought the
pany Patagonia and high street beauty staple The Body system had improved on BW’s previous ‘flight path’ pro-
Shop, are for-profit business that (as the B-Corp website cess, where newbies had to choose all their seats shortly
states) “meet the highest standards of verified social and after joining. We heard it’s common to repeat a seat, usu-
environmental performance, public transparency, and legal ally in the firm’s biggest group, charity and social enter-
accountability to balance profit and purpose.” prise, which is fondly known as ChaSE.

These principles very much attracted the current crop Given it’s the biggest department, trainees in ChaSE “work
of trainees, with one telling us: “BW’s primary objective is with a lot of a people across a wide range of matters.” How-
to enhance social responsibility, which made it by far my ever, drafting clients’ applications to achieve charity sta-
number-one firm to join.” Our interviewees were looking tus is the “bread and butter” work for trainees: “We get to
for something quite different from the usual string of take the lead on those. They’re over 80 pages long, so it’s
corporate and finance legal work on offer in the City and a lengthy process, but it means we get high levels of client
were drawn by the fact that a large proportion of BW’s contact.” The transactional side involves advising chari-
clients are charities or social enterprises. “There are just ties and social enterprises on mergers, spin-outs and the
so many clients that I’m impressed to work with,” one insid- setting up of subsidiaries “so it’s like the corporate seat. I
The True Picture

er relayed. The kind of names you will find on the books helped draft due diligence reports and assisted with the
include some of the most well-known charities such as lead-up to completions.” It’s a heavily regulated sector, so
Barnardo’s, Children in Need and the Samaritans. there’s a fair amount of liaising with the Charity Commis-
sion, too. BW recently advised a consortium of charities,
All of this good work has not gone unnoticed by Cham- including the RSPB, on its application for judgment on a
bers UK. BW has raked in those rankings from its one new charity law concerning responsible investment, which
office in the City: unsurprisingly, its charities work is
top-rated on a UK-wide basis, while its immigration and
real estate know-how also comes out on top. Other high- Seat options: charity and social enterprise (ChaSE);
performing practices include education, electoral law, dispute resolution (DR); corporate & commercial
professional discipline, administrative & public law, and (CoCo); employment; real estate; public and regulatory;
media & entertainment. and immigration

211
 B Bates Wells chambersstudent.co.uk

Chambers UK rankings lege London, the National Landlords Association and soft-
Administrative & Public Law Media & Entertainment
ware developer Elecosoft. Sources pointed out that “we’re
Charities Parliamentary & Public
exposed to a wide range of work from each area, which helps
Data Protection Affairs with assessing what we want to do in the future: the more
Education Professional Discipline you see, the more beneficial it is.”
Employment Real Estate

Immigration
Trainee Life
“The big thing here is personality,” noted one source. “It’s
could see charities being asked to divest in companies that a firm that really values individuality and cares about what
contribute to climate change. you can bring as a whole person. They don’t want you to
be just another fish in the bowl.” That’s a relief. Alongside
“Trainees often work with one fee-earner, individuality, it sounds as if BW also prides itself on hav-
so we get to build relationships with ing a social environment too. “The people here are very
genuine and down to earth at all levels,” commented one
clients.”
source. “The partners aren’t detached from the more junior
BW’s immigration department handles a mix of business employees, and the open-plan office probably helps with
and personal matters. On the business side, the team re- that.” Others explained that each department has its own
cently helped a London-based examination board with area, with a hot-desk system in place, so sources felt
visa requirements for sending employees overseas to comfortable “walking up to a partner with a question or
examine international students – this matter involved the chatting with them at the tea station.”
jurisdictions of Malaysia, China, Hong Kong, Botswana
and Namibia. This commercial arm sees trainees filling Insiders praised the firm for its “heavy emphasis on mental
out online applications and drafting letters to clients: wellbeing and having a good work/life balance.” This train-
“Trainees often work with one fee-earner, so we get to ee went on to explain that “compared to other City firms
build relationships with clients.” On the personal side, act- we have it really good. There are certainly times when we’re
ing on declaration of citizenship matters proved to be a pushed at BW, but there’s no expectation to work crazy
real highlight for trainees, with one describing how they hours or during your weekends.” Another added that they’d
“drafted the witness statements, which was really enjoy- “occasionally had to work late: a deadline is a deadline so
able. The team is lovely!” sometimes you do stay late, but that’s not the norm.” The
style of supervision in each seat can vary, said interview-
Corporate/commercial, aka CoCo,is loosely split into four ees, with some supervisors more hands-on than others.
groups: corporate, commercial, banking and competition. While partners were generally deemed approachable, it
The corporate side deals with typical transactional work, was noted how their full-on schedules can mean that as
like M&A deals. Commercial “isn’t very transactional, it’s supervisors they are “less available.” The good news is
more about chunky drafting work,” like amending and ne- that BW has just introduced a dual-supervision system,
gotiating commercial contracts and drafting loan agree- so trainees get primary and secondary supervisors in
ments (which we were told could be 70 pages long!). The each seat: “Now there’s always one or the other available.”
team recently advised a Christian TV channel, TBN UK, on
its broadcasting contracts with the BBC. The other two Qualification was “a sticking point” for some, who told us
arms of the department are slightly smaller groups: bank- how BW has been trying to formalise a process as its train-
ing covers (among other things) social finance and lending ee cohort has grown. “It’s still in its early teething stages
transactions within the charity sector, while competition and it’s even more difficult this year because of Covid-19.”
deals with – you guessed it – competition in the market- Others did feel that BW “is trying to be as fair and transpar-
place. On the banking and finance side, BW advised con- ent as possible.” Trainees praised the firm for eschewing
The True Picture

struction materials business SigmaRoc on its placing of pay cuts and reduced hours measures: “They’ve protected
79.9 million new shares, which raised £32.8 million. Other us as much as possible.” In the end, five of seven qualifiers
clients under the corporate umbrella include Trinity Col- were retained in 2020, with two on fixed-term contracts.

All’s wells that’s recycled wells...

“Everything the firm does is driven by its B-Corp status. One
of the first things I was told about the firm was that nothing is
sent to a landfill. There’s a big drive on sustainability and we
officially recognise the climate crisis.”

212
www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
chambersstudent.co.uk Bates Wells B

Bates Wells
10 Queen Street Place, London, EC4R 1BE
Tel: 020 7551 7777 Twitter: @BatesWellsTweet Partners: 38
Email: [email protected] Linkedin: bates-wells-linkedin Associates: 82 (including PSLs,
Website: www.bateswells.co.uk/careers/trainees consultants, Trademark Attorney)
Total trainees: 12
UK office: London

Firm profile Contacts

We’re Bates Wells, a City firm with a difference. Graduate recruiters:
Francesca Evans
We believe in making a positive impact, whether that’s achieving legislative and regulatory change Email: [email protected]
around sustainability, or working on a landmark case with wide-ranging implications. We’re not Tel: 02075517939
afraid to challenge the status quo. Training partner: Paul Seath
Our clients are diverse — from global household names, to public bodies, to start-ups. We’re also Email: [email protected]

the firm of choice for thousands of charities and social enterprises. Application criteria
As a values-driven firm we show commitment to our clients, our people, the environment and Training contracts pa: 6
society. We’re the first UK law firm with a B Corp certification. Applications pa: please only
submit 1 live application per
recruitment round
Main areas of work Minimum required degree grade:
Bates Wells is best-known for our expertise in advising charities, we have the largest dedicated 2:1 or other
charity and social enterprise team in the UK. However, we also have a focus on corporate and Minimum UCAS points or A level:
employment law, as well as real estate, arts and media, immigration, litigation and public and ABB or above (or equivalent)
regulatory law. Vacation scheme places pa: 12

Dates and deadlines

Training opportunities Training contract applications
When you join us, you’ll be ready and willing to bring your ideas and the best of yourself, but in open: 1st October 2020
the cockpit rather than as a passenger. Training contract deadline, 2023
Over the two years of the training, you’ll do two six-month seats in the first year, followed by three start: 1st June 2021
four-month seats in the second year. Vacation scheme applications
open: 1st October 2020
All trainees do seats in charity and social enterprise, and we’ll help you to choose the seats that will
Vacation scheme 2021 deadline:
best prepare you for your preferred career path. 31st January 2021
You’ll have a dedicated supervisor in each seat, who’ll make sure your work is relevant and varied,
Salary and benefits
with training where necessary.
First-year salary: £36,000
Second-year salary: £38,000
Vacation scheme Post-qualification salary: £62,000
Our summer placements are a great way to make your mark — and could lead to a training Holiday entitlement: 25 days
contract. By applying for a vacation scheme, you’re guaranteed to be considered for a training
contract. You don’t need to apply for both the vacation scheme and the training contract — you Sponsorship
only need to choose one. LPC fees: Yes
GDL fees: Yes
We accept applications for Law and Non-Law university students, but please make sure you are
Maintenance grant pa: £7,000
eligible to begin a training contract in 2023 when applying. Applications close January 2021 so be if studying in London; £6,000 if
sure to apply before the deadline. studying outside of London
Summer vacation scheme 1: Tuesday 1 — Friday 11 June 2021
The True Picture

International and regional

Summer vacation scheme 2: Monday 14 — Friday 25 June 2021 Offices with training contracts:
n/a
Other benefits Overseas seats: n/a
Life insurance, private healthcare, cycle to work scheme, gym, employee assistant programme, Client secondments: ad hoc
secondment opportunities
pension, profit sharing scheme, recognition scheme, season ticket loan, wellbeing weeks, access to
complementary therapies, volunteering days, agile working, extra day of annual leave (usually in
December) as well as many more.

University law careers fairs 2020

• Bright Networks
• TBD

Org ID: 20 3 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................213

 B BDB Pitmans LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

BDB Pitmans LLP

The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Locations: Cambridge, London, Reading, Southampton How to get into BDB Pitmans
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 72/230/22
Seats: 4x6 months; client secondments
First-year salary: £36,500 (London); £30,000 (Reading)
Qualification salary: £57,000 (London); £45,000 (Reading)

With more than 300 years of heritage to draw from, the newly merged
BDB Pitmans now looks to a bright future.

The Firm greater experience and responsibility.” Alongside wanting

2018 really wasn’t that long ago, but you’d be forgiven to boost firm revenue, BDB’s original motivation for the
for thinking it was ancient history. Theresa May was still merger was expanding geographical and practice area
prime minister; almost nobody knew the name ‘Joe Ex- diversity. In terms of lawyer diversity, trainees were im-
otic’; and some of us were still hopeful about the ending pressed with the firm’s hiring practices but wanted to see
of Game of Thrones. December 2018 saw the formation more diverse staffing of teams, according to our survey.
of BDB Pitmans from a merger between Bircham Dyson
Bell (centred in Cambridge and London) and Pitmans Law Following the merger, incoming trainees receive their first
(based in Thames Valley with an HQ in Reading) and much seat at random. “We can express future preferences at our
like the rest of the world, BDB’s already come a long way. mid-seat reviews for the remaining three seats,” trainees
The firm moved to shiny new Cambridge premises in 2019 from each location told us. “There’s also some flexibility
and grew that office with lateral hires into the family and to move between offices. If I’m sat in Reading I can go to
matrimonial department. the London office for knowledge-sharing evenings or spend
a day there working,” one revealed. A handful of trainees
Trainees found themselves “attracted to the firm’s com- had done seats in both offices.
bined specialist practice area offering.” BDB Pitmans’ prac-
tice balances private client, corporate and commercial
expertise. Chambers UKranks the firm highly nationwide The Seats
for charities, Parliamentary law, rail planning and authori- The planning, infrastructure and public law (PIP) depart-
sation; and top in Thames Valley for litigation, pensions, ment centres on a sizeable ten-partner team and handles
planning and restructuring. As for private clients, Cham- major infrastructure projects as well as advising on plan-
bers High Net Worth ranks the firm highest for private ning systems, Parliamentary matters, implementation of
wealth law in Reading, but also for high-value real estate orders and public affairs. “Projects are big and last for
nationwide and both non-contentious private wealth and months up to a year, if not longer. As a trainee you’ll prob-
disputes in London. ably see around one or two big deals and be handling the
The True Picture

small research tasks on the side,” sources explained. BDB

“…attracted to the firm’s combined recently helped Transport for London secure a Transport
specialist practice area offering.” and Works Act Order to authorise a £3 billion extension.
Other clients include National Rail, Highways England
BDP Pitmans recruits up to eight trainees a year into its and London Luton Airport, whom the firm advised on a
City office, and a further seven a year in Reading; the proposed expansion of the airport to double passenger
Cambridge base will also be recruiting as of 2021.Our
sources described the appealing “smaller intake” and Seat options: commercial; corporate; employment; real
“personable atmosphere” as key factors in deciding to join estate; pensions; employment; litigation; pensions; pri-
the firm. “The culture seemed very friendly and support- vate wealth; white collar crime (London only); charities
ive,” one said. “Their departments are well ranked for a firm (London only); family (Reading only); insolvency (Read-
of this size and I thought the smaller intake would give me ing only)

214
chambersstudent.co.uk BDB Pitmans LLP B
Chambers UK rankings clude Veritas Tech, Symantec and Thames Water as well
Administrative & Public Law Parliamentary & Public
as individuals; AMT Coffee recently came under fire for
Agriculture & Rural Affairs Affairs alleged unfair prejudice, with minority shareholders rep-
Charities Pensions resented by BDB bringing £5 million proceedings. You’re
Corporate/M&A Planning more likely to find financial services disputes in the Lon-
Employment Real Estate don office, which recently brought multimillion-pound
Family/Matrimonial Restructuring/Insolvency claims against former auditors of Goals Soccer Centres
Litigation Transport after the discovery of historical accounting errors. On
matters in this seat, trainee roles include drafting case
statements and letters before action; attending court
hearings; and in some cases advocating in County Court,
handling capacity. Daily trainee tasks include “writing up “which is brilliant experience.”
development consent order hearings, taking notes on ac-
tion points, creating bundles, court runs and just generally “You’ll come in as a general litigation
managing the planning process,” trainees explained. Our trainee and have the opportunity to stretch
sources found their work interesting and left their PIP
your professional muscles across multiple
seat with good practice area knowledge, but suggested
client contact was hard to come by. areas of interest.”

“Projects are big and last for months up to We’d be amiss not to highlight the firm’s private wealth
a year, if not longer.” disputes practice as well. Trusts litigation is a key com-
ponent here, with clients including Great Ormond Street
Legacy firm Pitmans Law brought much of the firm’s real Hospital Children’s Charity and Barts Health NHS Trust
estate offering to the merger equation. Expertise varies on the books. Wills, estates and probate disputes make
by office: Reading excels for residential developments up the rest of the caseload. Sources in litigious practic-
and Southampton shines in agricultural and coastal real es revealed that “doing the firm’s debt recovery is a key
estate, while the London team earns praise for invest- trainee task,” but were largely happy with their role as a
ment transactions, development schemes and corpo- whole. “There’s a great amount of responsibility involved
rate support. On the development side, trainees manage overall,” one concluded. “We’re included in monthly public
the land registry documentation, write reports on title law business development meetings, and we’re encouraged
and “sit in on a load of phone calls and client meetings.” to mould our creative thinking and make suggestions.”
Those who got stuck into commercial real estate helped
with refinancings, sales and acquisitions, drafting new The growing corporate department handles private M&A,
leases and managing construction agreements. National joint ventures, public takeovers and a growing spread of
Grid and the Landmark Trust are clients here, and BDB private equity deals. “I know the firm has been trying to
Pitmans acts on deals beyond its own footprint, recently grow the restructuring side and heighten its presence in
advising the Healthcare Management Trust on purchase, the London Stock Exchange main market,” one interviewee
development and finance for a £25 million hospital in revealed. Clients range from start-ups and entrepreneurs
Swansea. Residential developers make up the primary to large businesses and listed companies: BDB advised
client base in Reading: Vanderbilt Homes called on the Ten Group Entertainment on the acquisition of a 50%
firm’s advice during its acquisition of South Coast house- interest in Houdini’s Escape Rooms Entertainment; and
builder Crayfern. The Covid-19 pandemic only increased UK-based decontamination and infection control manu-
the workflow into this department, and trainees assisted facturer Bioquell on the £140.5 million public takeover of
on “frequent rent break cases on behalf of both tenants a subsidiary of American water, hygiene and energy tech
and landlords.” There’s been “more of a pause in sales and firm Ecolab. “There’s a lot of project management on the
The True Picture

acquisition work,” which should pick up as the property trainee side as we need to keep track of all the documents
market gets back on track. on a deal,” trainees said. “Some of these documents come
with lists of around 300 actions, so we need to be on it.”
Over in litigation, the BDB merger strengthened Pit-
mans’ existing dispute resolution team with growth into BDB Pitmans also runs client secondments for trainees.
areas such as charities, public law and judicial review. “There seems to be an unwritten rule that there’ll be one
Typical cases here include shareholder disputes and second-year trainee undertaking a client secondment at all
contract termination cases, especially for clients in the times,” we heard. Six months at oil and gas company Esso
IT and technology industries. “You’ll come in as a general is a “very popular” option: “That’s an amazing experience.”
litigation trainee and have the opportunity to stretch your
professional muscles across multiple areas of interest,” in-
terviewees told us. The firm’s Thames Valley clients in-

215
 B BDB Pitmans LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Trainee Life also no need to skip breakfast as “there’s no culture of

There were some concerns about supervision across the getting into the office early. I aim to get in for 9 to 9.30am
training contract – trainees suggested that “not enough of but I’ve been late plenty of times and that wouldn’t fly so
the staff put in the time to invest in us as trainees.” One well at other firms.” Peak periods can require later nights
of our more critical sources felt “some departments don’t that are “easy enough to predict” in advance.
have an enjoyable atmosphere, with partners creating a
poor working environment and some practices simply see- Some noticed a cultureshift as the firm’s departments
ing you as an extension of the admin team.” Others noted a “became accustomed to the different working styles and
“disparity between the type of work, volume, client contact got used to the additional practice areas in our offering.”
and responsibility depending on which legacy firm the seat It’s no surprise that BDB’s planning, charities and private
originates from.” Pitmans veterans were more likely to be client operations would function differently to legacy
disappointed with their lot overall. Trainees proposed a Pitmans’ pensions, corporate and commercial teams. In-
push for “standardised supervision and feedback training siders revealed that aside from “a lot of IT overhaul and
for the firm’s partners.” We should point out that trainees lawyers moving into different office spaces,” there was
who joined BDB Pitmans’ legacy firms are likely to have very little upheaval or personality differences. “They all
different views to those joining post-merger, after the seem like lovely people,” one declared. “The London office
dust has settled. is definitely more fun… Reading is much quieter since there
aren’t as many people rushing around to go to court or cli-
Although there’s no formalised mentor system, many ap- ent meetings.” They were happy to go into more detail:
preciated the presence of an NQ or junior associate bud- “London’s the type of place where there will be 100 people
dy during their first seat. “I can ask them silly questions in the lobby grabbing croissants and coffee with handbag
and not look like a moron,” one trainee chuckled. Depart- and coat still in hand; there’s always something cool and fun
ment-specific training also scored rave reviews: litigation going on. The demographic in Reading is just more focused
has an “in-house trainer who provides weekly sessions on on picking up their kids from school.” It’s up to you which of
topics like ‘how to serve tenancy’ and new legal develop- those environments sounds more appealing.
ments.” Team corporate doesn’t miss out, with training
given on company accounts and the intricacies of sales “The London office is definitely more fun…
and acquisitions. Reading is much quieter.”
“I can ask them silly questions and not look Each BDB Pitmans office has its own social calendar, and
like a moron.” trainees praised the “good work/life balance despite the
‘City firm feel’” in London. “I’ve also been impressed by the
Salary was another point of post-merger contention. numbers of partners who were once trainees here, show-
“There’s a significant difference in salary for trainees de- ing clear progression routes.” When we asked about their
pending on legacy firm. This was not explained to everyone,” future plans, most of our sources hoped to continue up
one grumbled; another argued that “a pay gap between the BDB Pitmans ladder for some time to come. The first
trainees in London and Reading is inevitable.” Trainees step is qualification, for which trainees must submit a CV
speculated salaries “will be standardised once all trainees and cover letter. “Like at other firms, the major delays this
are recruited through the merged firm.” After reviewing year were due to Covid-19, but there was a particular lack
salaries, the firm tells us it is competitive in both markets. of communication with mixed-up timeframes and we didn’t
hear about the jobs list till late June,” sources said (this was
Reading trainees who completed a seat in London had about ten days later than usual according to the firm).
“all the train fares and expenses refunded. We definitely “Following on from this, it was a pretty quick turnaround to
feel well cared for by the firm, especially considering the submit everything and prepare for an informal interview via
hours they expect us to do.” Good news on that front, as Zoom. It’s fair to sum it up as a pretty stressful NQ process.”
The True Picture

hoursmay vary by seat (litigation and charities call for the Sources did however appreciate that everyone is told on
longest stints) but “longer hours means leaving at 6.30pm,” the same day via phone whether they’ve scored a job or
rather than early in the morning as at some firms. There’s not. BDB Pitmans retained seven of ten qualifiers in 2020.

SHINE bright like a diamond

We heard “trainees take a forefront role in diversity initiatives
throughout the firm,” including “assisting with the various
affinity groups such as SHINE [for minority ethnic lawyers] and
the LGBTQ+ group.”
216
www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
chambersstudent.co.uk BDB Pitmans LLP B

BDB Pitmans
50 Broadway, London SW1H 0BL
Tel: 020 7227 7000 Twitter: @bdblaw_grads Partners: 74
Email: [email protected] Associates: 115
Website: www.bdb-law.co.uk Total trainees: 22
UK offices: London, Cambridge,
Reading, Southampton

Firm profile Contacts

BDB Pitmans was established in 2018 following a merger between legacy firms Bircham Dyson Bell Graduate recruiter:
(BDB) and Pitmans Law, bringing together over 300 years of legal expertise across 4 locations – Cam- Chloe Mayall,
bridge, London Westminster, Reading and Southampton. Working at BDB Pitmans brings all the ben- [email protected]
efits of a top 60 firm including interesting work, varied clients and support for professional develop-
Application criteria
ment. While our clients are at the heart of everything we do, we recognise that life outside of work is
Training contracts pa: 13
important too and our approach to flexible working and target hours for fee earners reflect this. What
Minimum required degree
really sets us apart is our friendly, open and inclusive culture. People join and stay at BDB Pitmans as grade: 2:1
they get the benefits of challenging work in a supportive and professional atmosphere. Vacation scheme places pa: 10

Main areas of work Dates and deadlines

We have one of the largest private wealth teams in the UK offering a full service to longstanding and Training contract applications
new clients which includes wills, estates and trusts to international tax planning. Our government and open: 1st December 2020
infrastructure team work on some of the largest and most significant infrastructure and regeneration Training contract deadline, 2023
projects in the UK, specialising in planning, regulatory and public law. The corporate and commer- start: 31st May 2021
cial team advises businesses large and small, start-ups to household names, on all aspects including Vacation scheme applications
structural changes, mergers and acquisitions, IP and data protection. Our real estate team manage the open: 1st December 2020
property life cycle from planning and construction to land disputes, drafting commercial leases and sale Vacation scheme 2021 deadline:
31st January 2021
and purchase of property. The employment team provides expert advice on high profile and high value
employment matters and immigration. Our award winning charities and social enterprise team acts for Salary and benefits
both global and UK charities, working with colleagues across the firm to offer advice from initial char- First-year salary: £36,500
ity formation, set up and registration to tax planning and governance issues. Our litigation department Second-year salary: £38,000
deals with a range of contentious matters including commercial disputes, property litigation, family Post-qualification salary: £57,000
disputes, judicial review, trusts and estates, insolvency and IP. (in London)
Holiday entitlement: 25 days
Training opportunities
You will receive excellent legal training over four six month seats. We encourage you to express a prefer- Sponsorship
ence for your seats and our training principal is in contact with trainees before and during their training LPC fees: Yes
to understand each persons preferred seats. Opportunities for client secondments includes ExxonMobil GDL fees: Yes
for six months with other trainees seconded to clients when opportunities arise for part or all of a seat.
After a comprehensive induction programme our trainees receive extensive legal and interpersonal
skills training to ensure their expertise and career skills are constantly developing, including specific
technical training in each seat. Great emphasis is also placed on interpersonal skills such as networking
and client management so when you qualify you have the breadth of skills required to be an excellent
solicitor. Training with BDB will bring you real responsibility right from the start, combined with the
right level of support to ensure you never feel overwhelmed.

Vacation scheme
The True Picture

We offer a two week paid summer vacation scheme in June/July each year. This is open to those who
are eligible to start a training contract in two years’ time. During the placement you will gain valuable
experience with two of our legal departments and we aim to give you as much practical experience
as possible, plus the opportunity to experience first-hand how our solicitors and partners work. Ad-
ditionally, a range of organised activities including a networking event, trainee social and legal research
exercises will make your time with us enjoyable as well as insightful.

Other benefits
25 days holiday per year, private medical insurance, medical screenings, cycle to work scheme, payroll
giving, on-site gym, sports teams, yoga and pilates classes, interest free season ticket loans, matching
pension contributions up to 7%, life assurance, employee assistance programme, income protection
insurance, enhanced maternity and paternity pay.

Org ID: 34 0 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................217

 B Bevan Brittan chambersstudent.co.uk

Bevan Brittan
The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Locations: Bristol, London, Leeds, Birmingham Get hired by Bevan Brittan
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 79/175/19
Seats: 4x6 months
First-year salary: undisclosed
Qualification salary: undisclosed

As the NHS rises to meet unprecedented challenges, this public sector

and healthcare-powered firm plays an important role too.

The Firm HR centrally coordinates seat allocation for the whole

“I wanted to work in Bristol but didn’t want to be in a region- firm, which caused some headaches in other offices
al office that missed out on high-value clients,” a trainee as “they can be pretty slow to let us know what our next
told us. Enter Bevan Brittan, a UK top 100 law firm that seat will be.” According to the firm, this happened most
recruits ten trainees a year between its offices in London, recently because there were more seats available than
Leeds, Birmingham and HQ in Bristol. BB’s best known trainees to do them. Second-years rank three preferenc-
for advising public sector clients and “works closely with es for each rotation, before first-years make their picks.
many NHS trusts, having built an excellent reputation for That didn’t limit them too heavily: about half of surveyed
healthcare work. The firm is an industry leader in public trainees got what they wanted in their first two seats.
sector law.” Bevan Brittan is growing its private sector Many departments are larger in Bristol and London than
practice too, but if you’ve got no taste for public sector Birmingham or Leeds, and trainees can move offices to
work – especially healthcare, which makes up 50% of the do a particular seat if they’d like. “The firm is good for
firm’s docket– then look elsewhere in Chambers Student. that,” one regional trainee confirmed, “but they don’t want
people applying to one office, hoping to do multiple seats
If health and public law do tickle your pickle, then you’ll in another.”
struggle to find a better firm to train at: Chambers UK rates
the firm top nationwide in clinical negligence, healthcare
and local government, as well as in the North East, York- The Seats
shire and South West for social housing. “Trainees work Bevan Brittan is built on four main departments. Clinical
across offices on projects, which runs fairly smoothly,” in- risk breaks down into clinical negligence and healthcare
siders shared. For those situated outside of the HQ, “it’s and regulatory subgroups. Commercial and infrastruc-
very clear that Bristol is the head office. HR are all based ture (C&I) includes commercial, corporate, construction,
there, and if you’re not you’ll only deal with them over the commercial health and energy teams. In litigation and
phone” (although HR does visit each office at key times regulatory (LAR), trainees will find litigation, employment
like qualification).Some sources felt left out of Bristol- and procurement. Then there’s the property department,
The True Picture

centric internal communications, but Londoners gave two including transactional property and property litigation
thumbs up to a recent office renovation there: “We went teams. Though there are no compulsory seats, over 70%
from two floors, where we were at our own desks in sepa- of our trainee sources had sat in clinical negligence.
rate departments, to one floor all hot-desking. It’s been a
big change with much more mixing of teams.” Renovations
to the Bristol office were underway at the time of writing.

“…works closely with a number of NHS Seat options: commercial; corporate; construction;
trusts, having built an excellent reputation commercial health; energy; local government; litigation;
employment; procurement; clinical negligence; health-
for healthcare work.”
care & regulatory; property; property litigation; housing
management

218
chambersstudent.co.uk Bevan Brittan B
Chambers UK rankings public and private in employment, including some in-
Administrative & Public Law Planning
dependent healthcare providers. Bevan Brittan advises
Clinical Negligence Projects
the Professional Cricketers Association (PCA), Northern
Construction Public Procurement
Devon Healthcare, and local councils and NHS trusts on
Employment Real Estate
employment issues; the firm’s Bristol office outshines
Healthcare Real Estate Litigation
London in the Chambers UK rankings, but their practices
Local Government Social Housing
are fairly similar. Trainees found they had “quite a lot to
manage” in their employment seat. “I wasn’t just sitting
around and bundling – there was some of that, but I also got
to prepare advice notes and attend tribunals,” one shared.
Much of the firm’s clinical negligence practice is defence- “I had to figure out how to complete certain responsibilities
side for NHS trusts and foundations, as well as insurance by myself, which was quite exciting; there’s a nice variety of
providers. Examples of recent cases include a patient tasks.” Recent cases include defending three NHS trusts
who suffered a double amputation due to a rare vascular against race, religious and disability discrimination al-
condition, bringing a claim against their local NHS trust legations brought by a former work placement student;
for not considering a vascular case; and a claimant suing and the PCA on proposed limits to involvement of ‘Kolpak’
for damages and surrogacy costs after doctors failed to cricket players in the event of a no-deal Brexit.
detect signs of cervical cancer from multiple smear tests
and biopsies over several years. Trainees said their ex- The property team in Bristol is best known for health-
periences in the seat ranged “from attending case man- related work and comes to the aid of local government
agement conferences at the Royal Courts of Justice” to “or- and housing associations with property queries; borough
ganising high-value claims involving multiple experts and councils and NHS trusts make up most of the firm’s Lon-
witnesses.” Clinical negligence got mixed reviews overall don clients. “I was trusted with more substantial tasks here
– while all found their work on cases interesting, some than in other seats,” an insider remarked, which makes
trainees were left wanting for client and partner contact sense as matters aren’t as life-or-death as other areas
and felt they got “a lot less responsibility than in other of the firm’s practice. “It’s been a particularly helpful seat
seats. Everything is very closely checked – possibly too in terms of training and development.” BB has repeatedly
much.” That perhaps shouldn’t come as a surprise given advised the Canal & River Trust, including on the sale of
how high-stakes this practice area is, and others had an its wholly owned subsidiary British Waterways Marinas
“amazing experience,” with opportunities to draft based Limited to private equity investor LDC for an eight-figure
on expert advice. sum.

“In clinical negligence, your client is

actually the insurer. In HCR, you’re working Trainee Life
Sources revealed that while “everyone is really lovely” at
directly with the NHS.”
Bevan Brittan, “trainees don’t socialise much.” We didn’t
The firm’s healthcare and regulatory (HCR) team has a need to do much detective work to learn why – for one,
non-contentious practice, working with NHS and private the firm encourages having a life outside its walls. “If I
providers. “We do a lot of inquest investigations,” trainees was in the office beyond 7 or 7.30pm, my supervisor would
explained. Lawyers here also “protect vulnerable people” come in and ask if I was overloaded,” an insider suggested.
in Court of Protection cases; and provide regulatory and The lack of a social scene is also down to geography – the
consultancy advice to 59% of NHS providers and 33% firm recruits ten or fewer trainees a year across four of-
of UK clinical commissioning groups (CCGs).Sources ex- fices. “People come to this firm for the clients it works for,”
plained that “in clinical negligence, your client is actually sources concluded, happy to sacrifice regular nights out
the insurer. In HCR, you’re working directly with the NHS.” for quality work and the chance to eat dinner at home.
The True Picture

Bevan Brittan has helped NHS foundations and trusts up

and down the country, recently advising the West Lon- “Senior solicitors, as well as dedicated
don NHS Trust on a ten-year contract with a CCG to act support staff, have shown that they are
as the single provider of various community health and
there to support us.”
care services. Trainees told us they enjoyed “day-to-day
contact with NHS clients,” taking instructions and drafting Female sources declared they “don’t feel hindered by the
orders. They were unanimously pleased with the training firm’s structures or culture,” and a relatively relaxed ap-
and partner contact available, in meetings or telephone proach to flexible working was popular with all. There
conferences. was less of a consensus on ethnic diversity – some ar-
gued that “visibility-wise it’s quite diverse and the firm
While some departments work with almost entirely pub- clearly has good intentions,” though others felt that (like
lic sector clients, there’s more of a balance between many other law firms) Bevan Brittan is “largely white mid-

219
 B Bevan Brittan chambersstudent.co.uk

dle class,” with room to improve on the diversity front. were nervous about the upcoming qualification process:
Mental health initiatives scored good reviews from train- “We’d like some more information. Speaking to trainees in
ees who described the firm as “proactive. Senior solicitors, the year above, it sounded pretty stressful, not knowing
as well as dedicated support staff, have repeatedly shown where jobs were or if there would be interviews.” Bevan
that they are there to support us.” Brittan treats the process like a job application: trainees
submit a CV and cover letter, before two interviews with
“The unspoken message is that the firm wants to retain partners. The firm retained eightof tenqualifiers in 2020,
everyone,” interviewees agreed. “Qualification comes up with one fixed-term contract.
in everyday conversation.” At the time of our calls, some

Gonna take my trainees to the old town court

Trainees told us they got permission from the firm to attend
trials they weren’t staffed on, purely for the experience.
“They disregarded my targets for two weeks, so I could go,”
one said.
The True Picture

220
www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
chambersstudent.co.uk Bevan Brittan B

Bevan Brittan
Kings Orchard, 1 Queen St, Bristol BS2 0HQ
Tel: 0370 194 1000 Twitter: @BBCareers Partners: 75
Website: www.bevanbrittan.com Assistant solicitors: 192
Total trainees: 19
UK offices: Bristol, London,
Birmingham and Leeds

Firm profile Contacts

Bevan Brittan is a UK-Top 100 national law firm providing a comprehensive range of legal and ad- The Graduate Recruitment Team
visory services to over 300 private sector businesses as well as being a market-leading firm within startyourcareer@bevanbrittan.
com
health and social care, housing and local and central government.
Bevan Brittan is a UK-Top 100 national law firm providing a comprehensive range of legal and Application criteria
advisory services to over 800 businesses as well as being a market-leading firm within health and Training contracts pa: 10
social care, housing and local and central government. Applications pa: 500
Minimum required degree grade:
2:1 or three year’s relevant com-
Main areas of work mercial experience
Based in Birmingham, Bristol, Leeds and London, our award-winning teams provide commercial, Minimum UCAS points or A
corporate, property, regulatory, employment and litigation (commercial and clinical negligence) levels: ABB
legal advice. Vacation scheme places pa: 20

Dates and deadlines

Training opportunities
Training contract applications
The training contract is made up of four, six-month seats. During each seat, the core of your train-
open: 31st October 2020
ing will be practical work experience in conjunction with an educational programme. The training
Training contract deadline, 2022
is aimed at developing attitudes, skills, legal and commercial knowledge which is essential for your and 2023 deadline: 30th June
career success. You are encouraged to take on as much work and responsibility as you are able to 2021
handle, which will be reviewed on a regular basis with your supervisor. The firm is friendly and Vacation scheme applications:
supportive with an open-door policy along with a range of social, sporting and cultural activities. 31st October 2020
Vacation scheme 2021 deadline:
28th February 2021
Vacation scheme
Our award winning summer vacation scheme takes place in June each year with places available 2020 Salary and benefits
across the offices. The scheme is open to second-year law students, final-year non-law students First-year salary: Competitive
and graduates. During the placement you will spend a week in two different departments enabling Second-year salary: Competitive
you to gain first-hand experience of two different practice areas, getting a real taste of what life at Post-qualification salary:
Bevan Brittan is like. You’ll be given real work to do and formal feedback on how you’ve done by Competitive
each member of staff you work for. In addition to this there will be the opportunity to meet current Holiday entitlement: 25 days
trainees and network with people across the firm to find out more about the work and culture at
Sponsorship
Bevan Brittan.
LPC fees: Yes
GDL fees: Yes
Other benefits Maintenance grant pa: £5,000
You will receive 25 days annual paid holiday, the option to purchase up to one week additional
holiday, a pension with a 5% employee contribution, private medical insurance, permanent health International and regional
insurance/income protection, a range of voluntary benefits including season ticket loans, childcare Offices with training contracts:
vouchers, cycle to work scheme, and an on-site gym. Bristol, London, Birmingham
and Leeds
The True Picture

University law careers fairs 2020

• University of Law, London, Bristol and Birmingham BBP
• University of Bristol
• University of the West of England
• University of Exeter
• University of Birmingham

Org ID: 29 0 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................221

 B Bird & Bird chambersstudent.co.uk

Bird & Bird

The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Locations: London Interview with training principal Ian
Overseas offices: 29
Edwards
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 88/175/37
Seats: 4x6 months; client and overseas secondments
First-year salary: £40,000
Qualification salary: £71,000

Birds of a techy feather flock to Bird & Bird.

The Firm hires. Training principal Ian Edwards tells us: “There’s not
“When I got to Bird & Bird, I thought, ‘It’s like the Face- a cookie-cutter approach to what defines someone who
book of law!’” one enthusiastic trainee told us. “It’s so well works at Bird & Bird.” Many trainees did have work experi-
known for the quality of its IP work and its expertise is sec- ence prior to joining the firm. Out of a trainee intake of
ond to none.” Bird & Bird is a leader in tech and IP law, act- around 18 a year, one fresh-faced interviewee told us, “I’m
ing for companies as they adjust to technologies devel- one of just three who came straight from university.” Work
oping at meteoric speed. In 2020, that’s everyone, right? experience certainly isn’t a requirement for applicants
Bird & Bird’s client wingspan touches on the automotive, though, and Edwards continues: “I’m always surprised and
aviation, defence, energy, financial services, healthcare, fascinated at the end of the day by the variety of people we
media, entertainment, sport and retail sectors. To under- see in interviews.” Read our full interview with Edwards
stand how it flew to such heights, a little history might be online.
useful. Bird & Bird was one of the first firms to focus on
the emerging computer industry – former senior partner
Alan Woods co-founded the Society for Computers and The Seats
Law in 1973. From the mid-80s the firm built up its tel- The fledgling birds do four six-month seats. In the month
ecoms practice, acquiring mega clients in the space like leading up to starting the training contract, “every depart-
BT. At the end of the 90s, Bird & Bird had just three offices ment does a short pitch” to show trainees what they’re all
in London, Brussels and Hong Kong. From 2000 onwards about. Trainees then submit their preferred seats ranked
(i.e. the age of the internet) it expanded rapidly across Eu- one to sevento HR. We heard everyone gets their first
rope, China and Australia. Today the firm has 29 offices choice at least once. While none of the seats are compul-
in 20 countries. sory, “intellectual property is massive” – making it a likely
destination.
“It’s like the Facebook of law!”
Secondments “with cool clients” are on offer in every
Bird & Bird rules the roost in Chambers UK for IP, pat- rotation, including an IP secondment with a well-known
ent litigation, IT, data protection, franchising, life sci- bank. Trainees can let the firm know if they’re interested
The True Picture

ences, outsourcing, sport, and telecommunications law. in spending time in an overseas office, but a secondment
For most of our sources, the firm’s IP expertise was “an isn’t guaranteed: “With the exception of Brussels and some
important reason” for joining the firm, as was its culture. of the Asian offices, you have to speak the language beyond
Even with its impressive technological chops, trainees basic fluency to go” to a country where English is not the
say it’s one of those firms where “they’re smart, but not main language. Trainees have also previously been sec-
snobbish. It’s cool!” onded to Milan and Sydney.

Firms that have such a strong tech focus often recruit

trainees with science degrees. There were certainly a
few scientists in the nest here (around 50% of trainees Seat options: aviation; banking; commercial; corpo-
surveyed), but there were also enough humanities grads rate; dispute resolution; employment; intellectual prop-
to feel confident that B&B is open-minded about who it erty; real estate; tax

222
chambersstudent.co.uk Bird & Bird B
Chambers UK rankings department” was that “you’re able to pick your own work
Asset Finance Hotels & Leisure
to a certain extent.” The majority of trainees’ work comes
Aviation Information Technology
from their supervisors, “but you’re not boxed in – I’ve been
Banking & Finance Intellectual Property
able to say I want to do other work and do that.” Trainees
Capital Markets Life Sciences
got involved in everything from patent litigation and life
Commercial Contracts Media & Entertainment
sciences matters to copyright and trade mark issues. “If
Corporate/M&A Outsourcing
you’re working on a large matter,” like advising Vista Equity
Data Protection Private Equity
Partners on its $1.5 billion acquisition of tech company
Employment Public Procurement
Accelya, for example, “then you’ll do classic trainee work:
Energy & Natural Retail
bundling, filing, and admin tasks basically.”
Resources Sports Law
Franchising Telecommunications
Some trainees in the IP seat split it with a three-month IP
Gaming secondment to a client of the firm (a well-known bank).
One key strand of work on the secondment involves “a
large brand protection programme that Bird & Bird does for
the client.” Once secondees are “back at the nest, about
B&B’s commercial team is massive, occupying several half of your work is dealing with the clientfrom the firm’s
floors of the office. It’s broken down into sector-based side.” Sources enjoyed seeing both sides, but felt like
sub-groups which include energy, media/entertainment/ they “didn’t have a full crack at IP” and wanted more time
sport (MES), retail and consumer, defence, technology to get to know the team. “In terms of the short-term goal of
transactions, IT and infrastructure. Trainees technically qualifying into IP, it isn’t the best,” one felt. After trainees
sit in one sector but are encouraged to pick up work in had “pushed for a second chance,” the firm tells us that in
other areas. “If you’re doing a sports seat, for example, the exceptional circumstances they can sit in IP twice in the
work isn’t necessarily confined to that stream.” training contract.

“A UK client, a US lender and an “As soon as you find something interesting

Indonesian local counsel.” you can ask the partner to give you more –
and they do!”
The aviation team advises clients like airports, airlines,
aviation authorities and aerospace companies. It recently Unlike IP, the dispute resolution team “is relatively small”
advised Keflavik Airport in Reykjavík on its expansion pro- (about 16 lawyers) which meant “there’s a lot of opportunity
gramme of over $1 billion, and Air Arabia on its $14 billion to get stuck in” as a trainee. “When you hear that you’re go-
purchase of 120 Airbus A320s. There’s also contentious ing into litigation, you think you’re just going to be bundling
work, as the firm recently represented Fiji Airways in a for six months,” one reflected, “and I did do a bit of that, but
dispute with Abbotswood Shipping Corporation over al- you get a lot of responsibility too.” Alongside the necessary
leged breach of aircraft leases. As you can tell from these but unglamorous tasks like filing, sources highlighted the
examples, the work often has an international element to chance to see trials and mediations,drafting correspond-
it. On one matter, a trainee described dealing with “a UK ence, “maybe speaking to the client and definitely speaking
client, a US lender and an Indonesian local counsel.” Train- with counsel.” Some were also tasked with communicat-
ees typically worked on several “small-scale deals,” rather ing with the court, “which takes up a lot of time.” Trainees
than getting stuck into one big transaction. Because of also mentioned “interesting research tasks,” as well as
the team’s relatively smaller size, trainees said you “get “drafting memos, which would sometimes be sent directly
a lot of responsibility,” which included “liaising with local to the client.” Trainees liked the “cool clients” in this seat
counsel, taking calls directly with clients, and drafting pro- and got to see some “highly technical” matters. KFC’s very
gress reports.” public chicken shortage because of a supply chain prob-
The True Picture

lem dominated the headlines for a short while in 2018,

Like commercial, the IP department is “huge” at B&B, but Bird & Bird is still advising the company on the reper-
with over 90 lawyers. Among the team you’ll find lawyers cussions of the crisis, which amounted to financial losses
working on patents, trade marks (both contentious and of more than £20 million. The team also recently acted
brand management), design and copyright issues, and for Citibank in a £7 million dispute with a Dutch software
transactional IP matters for clients in sectors like com- company over a software licence agreement.
munications, life sciences and media and entertainment.
The team advises jewellery company Fabergé and the Trainees experienced “a lot of peaks and troughs” in the
Daily Mail on their global trade mark portfolios. In a re- corporate seat. “There would be times when I was in the
cent matter, the IP team acted for Rockstar Games and office until the late hours and then other times I was sitting
Take-Two against the developers of cheats for Grand around twiddling my thumbs,” one told us. As is the case
Theft Auto V. Trainees found “one of the advantages of a big in corporate departments, “it got pretty busy in the run-up

223
 B Bird & Bird chambersstudent.co.uk

to Christmas with deal closings and completions.” Trainees Sources described a “team-focused” atmosphere at B&B.
were kept busydoing mark-ups of articles of investment “The attitude is that no one should be left out,” one trainee
documents, share purchase agreements, board minutes said.Another member of this experienced cohort noticed
and post-completion filings. One highlighted getting “a that “in comparison to other places I’ve worked, you feel
good go at the first cut of the first documents” on a venture more valued as an asset to the team, rather than cannon
capital deal. The trainees who thrived in the “exciting” up fodder to business need.” A “non-hierarchical” vibe made
periods liked that “as soon as you find something inter- trainees feel like “you can always go and ask partners for
esting you can ask the partner to give you more – and they help.” We heard the Bird & Bird flock always “has your
do!” Insiders added that “it’s a really great seat if you’re training and development in mind.” Each department
interested in equity capital markets.” The team does a lot provides “a structured training programme” covering top-
of mid-market M&A, and has advised Just Eat on several ics like drafting, or even “how to respond to certain docu-
transactions as part of its international expansion, includ- ments.” The firm also offers a formal mentoring scheme
ing the acquisition of software service Practi. to all lawyers. “People who do it say it’s fantastic,” trainees
told us.

Trainee Life Reviews of the firm’s diversity initiatives were a bit

Interviewees described Bird & Bird’s culture as “one of more mixed. For some, B&B “is doing a great job!” Others
the best things about the firm,” highlighting working with weren’t as convinced, with one telling us they found some
“highly intelligent people but without the ego.” And while attitudes “superficial.” A more balanced source said “the
“there are a couple of partners who’re harder to work with, firm is getting better, but I think they could do more.” The
overall everyone is friendly and approachable.” Another pro firm has a global women’s development programme that
is the firm “has a visibly good work/life balance for staff.” aims to improve retention of female associates, but train-
Our research indicated that spending eight to ten hours ees wanted to see more at the junior end. Despite “not
in the office each day was the norm at B&B. Trainees said: seeing the diversity that I want in senior leadership” for
“There’s an expectation to be in the office if you need to now, trainees scored the firm highly for inclusivity train-
work late, but there’s no point in sitting around looking ing and its efforts to recruit diverse talent.
pretty” during quieter stretches. Contractual hours are
9.30am to 5.30pm, which was close to what trainees de- Last year, we heard there were some angry birds when
scribed as “a quiet week.” When it’s busy, “I’m up at 6am.” it came to qualification time. “It was a bit of a car crash,”
one trainee confided. “There was very little clarity in terms
“Highly intelligent people but without the of numbers and managing expectations. This year there’s
ego.” much more clarity.” Phew! Trainees explained that grad re-
cruitment sets out the timetable around Christmas time.
Trainees often start their day at the firm at the office’s Trainees have a couple of meeting with the head of grad
popular complimentary coffee bar, complete with a baris- recruitment and the training principal to express their in-
ta. “First thing in the morning, people bump into each other terests and eventually confirm what they’re interested in
there and have a quick chat.” The firm also has “a great qualifying into.After this, trainees undergo an interview-
lunchtime culture,” thanks partly to the firm’s popular caf- which includes a short presentation – “only five to ten min-
eteria with free food and “panoramic views.” And after a utes.” In 2020, the firm retained 16 of 18 qualifiers.
hard week’s work, “everyone goes to the pub on Friday.”
The True Picture

Spread your wings:

“At Bird & Bird, scientists come in thinking they want to do IP
but end up doing something else!”

224
www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
chambersstudent.co.uk Bird & Bird B

Bird & Bird

12 New Fetter Lane, London EC4A 1JP
Tel: 020 7415 6000 Facebook: Bird & Bird Graduates UK Partners: 88
Email: [email protected] Twitter: @twobirdsgrads Associates: 150
Website: www.londongraduates.twobirds.com Instagram: @twobirdsgrads Total trainees: 37
UK offices: London
Linkedin: Bird & Bird LLP
Overseas offices: 29

Firm profile Contacts

Bird & Bird is an international law firm with a rare and invaluable grasp of strategic commercial Graduate recruiter: Lara
issues. We combine exceptional legal expertise with deep industry knowledge and refreshingly Machnicki, london.graduates@
twobirds.com
creative thinking to help clients achieve their commercial goals. We have over 1300 lawyers glob-
0207 415 6000
ally in 29 offices across Europe, North America, the Middle East and Asia, as well as close ties with
Training partner: Ian Edwards
firms in other parts of the world. We understand the trends that are shaping the markets, and the 0207 415 6000
technological and regulatory issues that are transforming industries.
Application criteria

Main areas of work Training contracts pa: up to 18

We're involved in a range of sectors, from Aviation and Defence through to Communications Applications pa: 2,000

and Technology, Energy and Utilities, Retail & Consumer, Financial Services, as well as IT, Life Minimum required degree grade:
2:1
Sciences, Media and Sport.
Vacation scheme places pa: up
to 40
Training opportunities
Trainees complete 4x6 month seats from the following, and there are opportunities to go on an Dates and deadlines

international or client secondment: Training contract applications

• Aviation • Employment open: 3rd September 2020

• Banking • Intellectual Property Training contract deadline 2023

start: 31st December 2020
• Commercial • Real Estate Vacation scheme applications
• Corporate • Tax open: 3rd September 2020
• Dispute Resolution Vacation scheme 2021 deadline:
Spring: 13th December 2020,
Vacation scheme Summer: 31st December 2020
We recruit the majority of our trainees from vacation schemes. Open day deadline: 30th October
2020
• Spring 2021: 12 April – 23 April 2021 • Summer 2021: 21 June – 2 July 2021
Law students should apply from their penultimate year onwards; non-law students should apply Salary and benefits
from their final year. Graduates can apply at any time. Each vacation scheme runs for two weeks First-year salary: £40,000
and we pay the London Living Wage. Post-qualification salary: £71,000
Holiday entitlement: 25 days
Other benefits
Sponsorship
Private healthcare, life assurance, pension scheme, computer loans, season ticket loan, cycle to
LPC fees: Yes
work scheme, gym membership, employee assistance programme, corporate discount, 2 days paid
GDL fees: Yes
volunteering opportunities.
Maintenance grant pa: Yes

Open days and first-year opportunities International and regional

Students not yet eligible to apply for a Training Contract or Vacation Scheme with us can apply Offices with training contracts:
Australia, Belgium, Czech Repub-
to attend our Early Bird Virtual Workshop which takes place on 13-14 January 2021. It is a virtual
The True Picture

lic, Hong Kong, Finland, France,

experience for students to gain an insight into Bird & Bird and develop their interest in law. Ap- Germany, Hungary, Italy, Poland,
plications close 15 November 2020. Spain, Sweden, The Netherlands,
UK.
We also run open days, with a separate day for STEM students. Applications close 30 October
Please apply directly to interna-
2020. tional offices. .

University law careers fairs 2020

We aren't attenting any university career fairs in 2020 but we will be attending a number of Legal
Cheek, AllAboutLaw and Aspiring Solicitors virtual law fairs. Please see our website and social
media for more details of our events programme.

Org ID: 35 3 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... 225

Date: ............................
 B Birketts LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Birketts LLP
The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Locations: Cambridge, Chelmsford, Ipswich, London, How to get into Birketts
Norwich
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 70/294/34
Seats: 4x6 months
First-year salary: £25,500-£28,000
Qualification salary: £40,000-£58,000

Like Delia Smith’s favourite football team, Birketts is a leader on the East
Anglia circuit.

The Firm trainees, with Norwich, Chelmsford and Cambridge draw-

“Everyone knows Birketts,” declared one confident insider. ing in six or seven newbies each.
For the unfamiliar, here’s the lowdown: the firm set up
shop in East Anglia 150 years ago and now has offices
in Cambridge, Ipswich, Chelmsford, Norwich and London. The Seats
Despite its regional roots, the firm still does work for cli- Rookies are assigned their first seat according to busi-
ents elsewhere in the UK and overseas. ness need, but get to put down preferences for the rest
following an “informal” discussion with HR. It’s worth not-
Several trainees were sold by its “really good reputation ing that former paralegals can shorten the training con-
across East Anglia: I was attracted by the mix of London- tract by six months, so long as they’ve satisfied SRA re-
quality work but a better work/life balance.” The firm picks quirements. Given they’re closer to qualification, second
up the majority of its Chambers UK rankings in the East years get priority, but “they try to give everyone the seats
Anglia category, and its skill set is broad – Norfolk broad, they want, and more often than not people get their first or
you might say (not at interview though). The firm is top- second choice.” If there’s no room at the inn, you’ll likely
ranked for (deep breath) construction, corporate, em- be able to do the seat you want in another office: “It’s a
ployment, environment, litigation, planning, real estate really good way to get to know more people across the firm,
litigation, restructuring/insolvency, and social housing. so I can see why they encourage us to do at least one seat
It’s also top-ranked for its crime and agriculture prowess elsewhere.” This makes up for the fact there usually aren’t
in Essex, Ipswich and Norwich, plus its family group in any secondment opportunities, though they may arise
Ipswich. Wowza! from time to time. Those who hadn’t sat in another office
lamented: “There’s a sense of disparity, especially as the
“You’re not just a cog in a rather large offices are far apart. I guess it’s geography, what are you
wheel.” going to do?” HR do organise quarterly firm-wide training
sessions “which are always followed by dinner and drinks,
All these rankings are generated by a relatively small so they’re good at bringing us together in that respect.”
The True Picture

firm, with just over 350 lawyers spread across five of-
fices: “It’s big enough to have all the key practice areas “I pretty much ran a £10 million transaction
but small enough that it’s a really tight-knit, relaxed group. from start to finish!”
You’re not just a cog in a rather large wheel.” When apply-
ing for training contracts, some sources “thought Lon-
don’s bright lights were calling, but after speaking to my Seat options: agriculture; banking and finance; com-
friends in London I realised I didn’t want to be doing the mercial litigation; commercial property; commercial
double D [due diligence] for months.” Trainees who came property SIPPs; commercial property utilities; construc-
into law without any legal background “liked that fact tion; corporate; employment; family; new build, plan-
Birketts has so many practice areas, so you have as varied ning; private client advisory; property litigation; public
a choice as possible when choosing seats.” At the time of sector; regulatory and corporate defence; residential
research, the Ipswich HQ was home to just under 40% of development; shipping

226
chambersstudent.co.uk Birketts LLP B
Chambers UK rankings tion. For example, Birketts recently defended the Honour-
Agriculture & Rural Affairs Litigation
able Charles Balfour against allegations of engaging in
Banking & Finance Planning
a fraudulent property scheme, with claims reaching over
Construction Professional Negligence
£30 million.
Corporate/M&A Real Estate
Crime Real Estate Litigation
Newbies also got involved in more traditional profession-
Employment Restructuring/Insolvency
al negligence, insolvency and shareholder dispute mat-
Environment Shipping
ters, “but loads of different types of law pop up –you can be
Family/Matrimonial Social Housing
handed a case where the nature of the matter is completely
Immigration Transport
new, which is really exciting.” Birketts recently provided
Information Technology
UK legal advice to McCormick Global Ingredients in a $16
million breach of contract dispute between its Mauritius
office and a French supplier of vanilla pods. Day-to-day
Folks spending time in another location get a £200 trainee tasks vary from drafting settlement agreements
monthly allowance to cover travel costs “but it’s taxed so and liaising with counsel on the other side to visiting cli-
it doesn’t come anywhere near to covering a season ticket, ents’ offices to gather evidence: “You’re exposed to a re-
so you’re out of pocket.” This was brought up by every ally broad spectrum of matters, so you definitely learn fast.”
trainee we spoke with who had sat in a different office, Some sources were so keen on this seat they want to
with one pointing out: “They’ve paid the same allowance qualify into it: “It’s so analytical; you learn the ins and outs
for ages, but of course ticket prices inflate every year.” of the subject matter, plus there’s the strategic element of
how to play the litigation.”
Interviewees pointed out: “What’s unique to regional
firms is that it’s common to run smaller matters on your “The fee earners would probably have
own from start to finish,” like handling land registrations preferred to go home but the other side
in the commercial property seat. There is “inevitably” a
wanted to play beggars.”
lot of post-completion work, which is “bread and butter”
for the team, “but there are also really good opportunities Some were disappointed that “there’s not much opportu-
for drafting contracts and leases, plus transaction manage- nity for advocacy or court attendance,” but one interviewee
ment,” like running data rooms “which I quite enjoyed once did attend a mediation, “which was very good experience.”
I got to know the system!” Other trainees had focused on We’d hope so, as this mediation lasted a whopping 21
the residential development side “which was completely hours: “We had a break for dinner but otherwise we just
different to what I imagined –most commercial property blasted through. The fee earners would probably have pre-
seats deal with a lot of leases, but our clients are mainly ferred to go home but the other side wanted to play beg-
housing associations so they come with an additional set of gars.”
regulations which is niche.” Such regulatory issues include
government quotas for social housing, “so I spent a lot of Corporate newbies also got to explore more nuanced ar-
time on the Land Registry website looking at various plans eas of practices by working with the corporate tax sub-
and deeds.” This team recently negotiated the develop- group: “Those two teams work side by side” (both literally
ment and land agreements in a national housebuilder’s and metaphorically). Tax work is “mainly research-based”
acquisition of 68 affordable housing units in Essex. This and largely involves “helping out colleagues in other
seat isn’t known for having much face-to-face client con- groups with internal clients’ queries,” like stamp duty and
tact “because we have quite big clients, but we do get to land tax matters. Trainees are thrown straight into the ac-
send emails to them.” tion: “On my first day a partner grabbed me and said: ‘I want
you to be involved, here are loads of ancillary documents for
By default, the private client group is “one the most you to draft.’” Trainees had also been involved in the bank
The True Picture

client-facing seats,” so although trainees “started on the finance subgroup: “I ran a few matters independently and
less complicated stuff” like taking attendance notes in cli- helped in the background with bigger transactions.” These
ent meetings, sources pointed out that the opportunity folks “act for a lot of sellers so I generally did straightfor-
to “go to client meetings is fab, so it’s a really good seat if ward M&A, plus a little bit of private equity.” This team re-
that’s something trainees are suited to.” Work here involves cently advised the Little Norwich Shoe Company on its
“sending a fair number of emails to clients on the adminis- acquisition of Northampton-based shoe manufacturer
tration of their estate” and “a lot of drafting wills, trusts and and retailer T. Groocock & Co.
powers of attorney.” There’s also “lots of technical research
on particular points of law, which is interesting, but it could Although due diligence is a typical trainee task, “I equal-
be hard to find the answer!” Insiders explained that if a ly did a lot of drafting like shareholder agreements.” This
probate or wills dispute arises, the commercial litigation interviewee’s highlight was “pretty much running a £10
shoot-off team in Norwich is on hand to handle media- million transaction from start to finish!” The bank finance

227
 B Birketts LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

subgroup has grown in recent years, so trainees can now mous helpline so it feels like there’s a good support net-
do pure banking seats if they fancy. This seat’s known for work,” though others felt these initiatives are being rolled
offering “a lot of client exposure, especially if the transac- out “just as a box-ticking exercise.”
tion is local or lower in value. I got to meet clients one to
one.” Sources did note that “things got a bit sparse when “I don’t feel like I’m alone in this.”
Covid-19 started to close down deals.” Although corporate
seats typically have shocking hours, “even in our HQ, late While some departments, like corporate, have anonymous
finishes are 8pm, unlike the City.” A highlight of this seat suggestion boxes, the commercial litigation team have
is going to big completion dinners in London, so “there’s a also taken the initiative and now assign each fee earner
really good sense of fun in the team – I didn’t have a single a buddy: “It’s an excuse to go out for lunch and catch up
bad day.” Interviewees were keen to point out: “The part- in a more informal setting.” Speaking of lunch, we heard
ners are really approachable – they’re not the scary people there’s a canteen on the top floor of the Chelmsford of-
you’d think they’d be. There’s just a great atmosphere.” A fice: “The partners sit with the trainees and we chat and
special shout out went to a tax partner who “always point- get to know each other, regardless of what level you are,
ed me in the right direction if I was ever confused.” so there’s a nice community atmosphere.” In the Norwich
and Cambridge offices too, “everyone, including partners
“The partners aren’t the scary people you’d and secretaries, will chat in the kitchen. There aren’t any
think they’d be.” cliques.” One particularly enamoured trainee declared:
“Everyone is so approachable that it feels like we’re a fam-
Trainee Life ily. I don’t feel like I’m alone in this.”
Trainees can check in with HR as often as they like and
have a dedicated HR contact, while there are also in- The firm recently launched its Good to Great initiative,
formal mid-seat and end-of-seat reviews to see how “which is designed to help us improve our client care, effi-
trainees are getting on. That said, “getting feedback var- ciency and cohesiveness between offices. Everyone, includ-
ies hugely within teams,” which is “especially prevalent in ing back-office staff, had training on it, which really helps
large teams like commercial property because you get work with the one-office mindset.” There were concerns that
from various fee earners.” For example, “some people look this collegial culture may be threatened by Birketts’ cur-
over everything you do and always make a small change, rent expansion “from an East Anglia-based firm to some-
but others trust that you’ve done the work correctly.” Oth- thing else entirely,” while others explained: “We’re already
ers had a more positive experience: “My supervisors have a large regional firm which is growing rapidly and what hap-
taken a lot of time out of their day explaining deals in a pens next is up in the air.” The firm told us its goal is to
wider context.” Even in the wake of Covid-19, mentors had maintain the OneBirketts shared culture even throughout
done video calls with their mentees: “The firm’s been re- change. In May 2020, Birketts merged with London-based
ally good in carrying on with business as usual.” Some felt insurance boutique EC3 Legal, adding a further seven
the open-plan office layout means “it’s never terrifying to lawyers to its insurance practice. Some were excited by
go up to a partner.” the expansion: “It feels like we’ve got a lot of momentum as
a business and that we’re going places.”
Across the firm, trainees participated in twice-weekly
Webex meetings “where we all talk about how we’re do- The NQ process is a pretty informal affair: “It gets men-
ing. We’ve had some teething issues with tech but I’ve been tioned during conversations but if partners ask where you
pretty impressed.” The firm put on video training during want to go you can be as non-committal as you like.” Once
lockdown: “Each session someone will talk about their the job lists come out, trainees submit a couple of para-
team and introduce trainees to practice areas they might graphs about why they want to join a certain group, fol-
not have thought about. We even had training on the firm’s lowed by an interview. If only one trainee wants to join a
professional indemnity insurance.” Others were pleased certain group, they don’t have to go through an interview
The True Picture

to receive resilience and wellbeing training over video. process. Birketts retained 12 of 14 qualifiers in 2020, with
Birketts has been “big on mental health over the past year two on fixed-term contracts.
and making sure resources are available, like the anony-

Werk-etts
Insiders explained Birketts “keeps on more or less every
trainee – there’d have to be a very good reason for them not
to” and “this is definitely a place with a meritocratic element,
so if you throw your oar in you’ll get very good work.”

228
www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
chambersstudent.co.uk Birketts LLP B

Birketts LLP
141-145 Princes Street, Ipswich, IP1 1QJ
Tel: 01473 232300
Partners: 64
Email: [email protected] Twitter: @BirkettsLLP Associates: 222
Website: www.birketts.co.uk/graduates Total trainees: 25
UK offices Cambridge, Norwich,
Ipswich, Chelmsford

Firm profile Contacts

Birketts is a full service, top 100 UK law firm, with offices in Cambridge, Chelmsford, Ipswich and Graduate recruiter:
Norwich. With a rich heritage, we have built an enviable track record advising businesses, institu- Suzannah Rogers,
[email protected]
tions and individuals in the UK and internationally. 01473 406232
We are large enough to provide specialist expertise at a standard that is frequently compared with Training partner:
major city firms, but not at the expense of maintaining a personal and tailored service. We are flex- Matthew Newnham,
matthew-newnham@birketts.
ible about everything except our reputation for maintaining the highest professional and ethical
co.uk
standards.
Application criteria

Main areas of work Training contracts pa: 15

Each office provides legal advice to both corporate, commercial and private clients, we also have Applications pa: 450

niche practices in corporate criminal defence and shipping. Minimum required degree grade:
2:1
Minimum UCAS points or A levels:
Training opportunities BBB/120 points
Our training contract comprises four ‘seats’, each lasting six months. While trainees are allocated Vacation scheme places pa: 24
to a particular office there is the opportunity and expectation that you will spend at least one seat
in another office. Dates and deadlines
Training contract applications
You are likely to spend time in corporate, commercial property and private client teams as well as open: 1st February 2021
the firm’s specialist practice areas such as employment, litigation, shipping and agriculture. From Training contract deadline 2023
the beginning of your training programme, you will have direct contact with our clients. You’ll feel start: 30th June 2021
valued and involved, and will see first-hand the importance of going the extra mile. Vacation scheme applications
Our trainees have regular meetings and a more formal mid and end of seat review ensuring that open: 1st November 2020

they receive regular, constructive feedback on their progress. Vacation scheme 2021 deadline:
31st January 2021

Vacation scheme Salary and Benefits

This is a chance to get a taste of life at a ‘Top 100’ law firm. We offer the scheme once per year (two Current first-year salary: £25,000
weeks in June) across all four offices. The majority of our training contracts are offered following Current second-year salary:
participation in the scheme. £26,000
Post-qualification salary:
We welcome anyone to the scheme who fits our academic criteria and is available to start a training £39,000 – £40,000
contract in two years’ time, i.e. penultimate and final year law students, final year non-law students Holiday entitlement: 25 days +
and graduates. bank holidays

All applications for training contracts should be made using our online application system. Sponsorship
What will the interview be like? LPC fees: Yes
We interview between 35-40 potential summer placement students . You will be interviewed at the GDL fees: No
office to which you have applied by two partners and the interview will last 45 minutes. You will be Maintenance grant pa: No
The True Picture

asked to present for ten minutes on a topic of your choice.

Other benefits
• Staff profit share • Discounted legal services
• Life assurance • Subsidised gym membership
• Contributory pension scheme • Cycle to work scheme
• Private medical insurance • Childcare vouchers
• Permanent health insurance • Social events
• Interest free season ticket loan • Agile Working Policy
University law careers fairs 2020
UEA, University of Essex and Anglia Ruskin.

Org ID: 6136 0 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................229

 B Blaser Mills Law chambersstudent.co.uk

Blaser Mills Law

The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Locations: High Wycombe, Amersham, London, Silver- Get hired by Blaser Mills
stone
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 23/33/9
Seats: 4x6 months
First-year salary: undisclosed
Qualification salary: undisclosed

This firm has been blasing a commercial trail over the past few years, but
it’s still a great destination for those interested in personal legal services
too.

The Firm in areas such as family/matrimonial, personal injury and

Blaser Mills is very clear about what it would like to do in crime, while on the more commercial side its real estate
the near future: to continue growing its commercial ca- and litigation practices are gaining traction.
pabilities. This isn’t a new move for this South East outfit,
which has transformed itself over the past decade from, Alongside its High Wycombe HQ, Blaser Mills also has
as this trainee put it, “a traditional high street firm to a offices in Amersham, London and Silverstone. Trainees
more corporate offering. It’s an exciting thing to be a part of tend to be based in High Wycombe and Amersham, but
and we are definitely winning bigger clients.” New laterals are also likely to spend their time in Silverstone and Lon-
are adding something to this corporate makeover too: a don, with a fair amount of flexibility. Trainees were drawn
regulator for the London Stock Exchange with expertise to the more “tailored” approach to the training contract
in the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) hopped on and told us that Blaser Mills is all about flexibility when
board, as did the former head of corporate and commer- it comes to mapping out individual training programmes.
cial at regional firm Tollers and a senior trade mark attor- “Your first seat will be allocated at random, based on busi-
ney (who will support commercial clients’ brands). All this ness needs,” explained one source, “but moving forward,
commercial activity hasn’t gone unnoticed by trainees, a lot of people do more specific, focused contracts.” This
with one noting that the “corporate and commercial team means, for example, that if you’d like to qualify as a fam-
is taking up most of the work in the office!” ily lawyer, you can specify this with the training principal
and potentially steer away from spending time in unre-
“It’s an exciting thing to be a part of and we lated seats.
are definitely winning bigger clients.”
Acting for businesses is just one half of the Blaser Mills The Seats
mission: it also has a robust personal services offering “We’ve been targeting more City clients by expanding the
The True Picture

from its more ‘high street’ days, which has been bol- London office,” a trainee said of the corporate and com-
stered by the firm’s corporate drive of late. “There’s a lot mercial department. According to one, “around 50% of
more focus on protecting business assets,” explained one the work now stems from London-based clients.” The de-
junior. A tactical move to create (as reported in the legal partment has four main focuses covering the technology
press) a ‘regional hub’ for its private clients saw Blaser sector, owner-managed businesses (especially SMEs),
Mills merge its lawyers and specialist services previous- the private equity sector (Blaser Mills has been busy ad-
ly based in Rickmansworth with those in Amersham. In vising target companies on their options for attracting
Chambers High Net Worth, Blaser Mills is ranked for its
private wealth expertise, especially with regards to its es- Seat options: corporate and commercial; real estate
tate and tax planning know-how, as well as for its Court and development; commercial litigation and dispute
of Protection work. In Chambers UK, meanwhile, Blaser resolution; family law; residential property; wills; trust
Mills picks up more nods for its personal services work, and probate; commercial property

230
chambersstudent.co.uk Blaser Mills Law B
Chambers UK rankings Trainee Life
Crime Personal Injury
Insiders described the culture of the firm as “relaxed,
Family/Matrimonial Real Estate
friendly and without drama.” One went on to explain that
“people are hearing the firm’s name more and more now –
we have more of an entrepreneurial side to us now.” Sup-
investment), and the motorsport industry (an area mostly porting this savvier angle was the trend to “work more
serviced from the firm’s Silverstone office). To get the flexibly, which has changed people’s attitudes towards the
mood right, one trainee revealed that the head of the de- firm; when you give people that freedom, they’re more in-
partment had added “office chairs in the shape of racing vested in growing their departments. No one dreads going
car seats!” Two trainees can sit here per rotation and sam- in to work.” Despite the shift from a high street perspec-
ple both corporate and commercial matters. The result? tive to a more corporate/commercial mentality, Blaser
Daily responsibilities range from “drafting share purchase Mills lawyers still get “together in the kitchen in the morn-
agreements for M&A transactions; drafting commercial ing to have a coffee.”
contracts; reviewing terms and conditions; and reviewing
racing driver contracts.” The firm’s tight-knit culture shines through the training
and support that’s available for trainees. “We have really
“...office chairs in the shape of racing car good working relationships with our supervisors and the
seats!” training principal,” said one source. “They sit down and
take the time to explain particular details if we’re struggling
Blaser’s dispute resolution department handles work for with a piece of work; they are seriously patient.” Alongside
commercial clients and individuals on both the claimant these support avenues, trainees are also allocated a
and defendant sides. Sector specialisms include con- lunch budget to meet up with their mentor as frequently
struction and ‘consumables’, which cover the likes of as they would like during the training contract: “Our men-
alcoholic beverages, pet foods and sterile products. A tor is usually an NQ who we would feel comfortable with
recent case saw the team act for animal feed supplier discussing any issues that we encounter - the kind of things
AB Agri as it looked to recover payment from a customer, that we wouldn’t necessarily talk to a senior member about.
while another involved pursuing the enforcement of an For example, the other day I felt unmotivated while working
adjudicator’s decision in the Technology and Construc- remotely and I gave my mentor a call and it was nice to hear
tion Court on behalf of the liquidated company, Meadow- they felt the same way and we supported each other.”
side Building Developments. Trainees felt that they were
able to get in on “all the procedural steps, like going to the “...when you give people that freedom,
court with barristers,” as well as “drafting everything from they’re more invested in growing their
letters to clients, claim forms, instructions to counsel and
departments.”
witness statements.”
On the subject of time spent working, trainees told us
Amersham and High Wycombe are the places to be for that “it’s never going to be a nine till five job, but Blaser has
the private clientdepartment, which covers wills, trusts no ‘sit at your desk’ culture, so when you’re done, you won’t
and probatematters. One source gave an overwhelm- be encouraged to stay late for the sake of it.” Good hours, a
ing thumbs up to the seat and felt that it had helped to tight-knit culture and a sense of entrepreneurial growth
build up their “confidence and knowledge with impeccable were all understandable reasons for wanting to stay at
supervision and autonomy.” This rave review partly came Blaser Mills. The qualification process occurs at two dif-
from being able to deal with clients early on: “We’d always ferent points during the year due to the firm’s March and
attend the client meetings from day one and then act as a September trainee start dates (it’s September for the ma-
point of contact via phone and email to answer client que- jority). Sources told us that the process has become more
ries and provide updates.” standardised recently, but flagged that trainees do have
The True Picture

conversations with departments to flag their preferences

before the qualification period occurs. In 2020, Blaser
Mills retained three of four qualifiers.

And finally...
Sources liked the different feel of the offices: “High
Wycombe has a bit more of a City vibe to it, while Amersham
is more relaxed. The London office is in a great location with
fun people – and there are always doughnuts!”

231
 www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
B Blaser Mills Law chambersstudent.co.uk

Blaser Mills Law

40 Oxford Road, High Wycombe, Bucks HP11 2EE
Tel: 020 3814 2020 Twitter: @blasermillslaw Partners: 23
Email: [email protected] Facebook: BlaserMillsLaw Assistant solicitors: 50
Website: www.blasermills.co.uk Total trainees: 8
UK offices: High Wycombe,
Amersham, Silverstone, London

Firm profile Contacts

Blaser Mills Law is a leading law firm based in the South East with over 50 lawyers. We are a full- Graduate recruiter:
service firm, offering a comprehensive range of legal services to businesses and private individuals. Apply4Law - our online
application form
Our highly regarded firm has a strong business services offering, including corporate and commer- Training partner: Dave Matthews
cial, employment, commercial property and dispute resolution. We also have experienced private [email protected]
client and family lawyers, as well as specialist lawyers in personal injury, child care, residential 01494 478608
property and criminal defence.
Application criteria
We offer a fresh approach to law, with a focus on not only building relationships with clients, but Training contracts pa: 4-5
also building employee relationships. The success of our business, and the high-quality service we Applications pa: 100
provide for our clients comes from nurturing the skills and promoting the talent and diversity of Minimum required degree: 2:1
our staff. Minimum A levels: ABB

Types of Work Dates and deadlines

• Corporate, Commercial Property, Employment & Dispute Resolution: 37% Training contract applications

• Residential Property & Development: 22% open: 1st March 2021

• Wills, Trusts & Probate: 16% Training contract deadline, 2023

start: 14th June 2021
• Personal & Serious Injury: 10%
• Family & Divorce (including child care): 11% Salary and benefits
• Criminal Defence: 4% First-year salary: £27,000
Holiday entitlement: 22 days
Training opportunities
From the moment that our future trainees receive their official offer, they become a valued mem- Sponsorship
ber of the team. The firm organises a number of events throughout the two year gap to give them LPC fees: No

an opportunity to get to know the firm before they officially start their training contract. GDL fees: No
Maintenance grant pa: No
Training starts in September with a full induction day. Trainees will have varied (four six-month)
seats in both non-contentious and contentious practice areas, giving them the opportunity to gain International and regional
experience across a broad range of legal disciplines in a variety of locations. From day one, trainees Offices with training contracts:
are given plenty of responsibility and hands-on experience, with the ongoing support from experi- High Wycombe, Amersham
enced training supervisors. In addition, we operate a mentor scheme that gives trainees confiden-
tial access to recently qualified lawyers who can offer first-hand experience and advice. Part of the
mentor scheme includes getting the trainees together three times a year for social events.
Throughout the training contract, trainees will develop their technical skills, department knowl-
edge and client care. Business Development is a further skill that we look to develop in our train-
ees, so when it comes to qualifying, they are confident to approach prospective clients and build
their own client list. Trainees will have access to multiple business development opportunities,
whether that be through article writing, presenting at seminars or attending networking events.
The True Picture

Other benefits
Trainees are enrolled into our pension scheme and are given life cover from day one.

University law careers fairs 2020

Royal Holloway Mini Law Fair and Networking Evening

232
Org ID: 6014 2 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................
chambersstudent.co.uk BLM B

BLM
The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Locations: Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, London, Get Hired at BLM
Southampton, Bristol, Cardiff, Leeds, Scotland, Northern
Ireland
Overseas offices: Dublin
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 146/133/37
Seats: 4x6 months; client secondments
First-year salary: £21,000 (£31,000 London)
Qualification salary: £31,000 (£45,000 London)

When there’s a dispute about a claim, there’s a BLM.

The Firm The Seats

If you want to get a snapshot of what BLM does (after “When applying to an office, check its specific seat op-
reading our True Picture, naturally), kick your feet up, tions,” trainees advised. “If you don’t have ties to a particu-
switch your box on and tune into BBC One’s Claimed and lar area, consider which office would best fit your career.”
Shamed. The documentary investigates insurance fraud The London and Manchester offices offer a colourful ar-
and busts bogus claims, and the lawyers at BLM often ray of seat options, while Birmingham, Southampton and
make cameo appearances as experts on the subject. Liverpool don’t have quite so many options. Second-year
But fraud is just one piece of the puzzle at this bumper trainees come first in line in the seat allocation process,
insurance firm. Our trainee interviewees praised BLM’s but business need is “the driving force behind decisions.”
“strong contentious offering,” representing major insurers Some interviewees got all of their preferences while oth-
like Allianz, Aviva, and Zurich as well as companies that ers received none at all. “It is what it is,” one sighed. We
get embroiled in insurance disputes, such as Coca-Cola, heard healthcare and professional indemnity are unof-
Specsavers and Sainsbury’s. While most of the work is ficially reserved for second-years as they tend to be a
litigious, trainees said “there is much more scope for bit more popular. Trainees will most likely complete at
non-contentious work” as the firm continues to build on least one ‘injury’ seat, such as abuse, motor, catastrophic
its commercial advisory practice (which started in 2017 injury, occupational disease, public liability, and clinical
with the addition of a team of 30 from Slater & Gordon). negligence.
Another major focus of the firm over the last few years
has been global growth – it recently helped found a glob- “You read tons of reports by consultants.”
al network of insurance-focused firms. Chambers UKa-
wards BLM top marks on the national stage for personal The occupational disease team defends clients against
injury and professional discipline, plus high commenda- employee disease claims. Cases of noise-induced hear-
tions for insurance volume claims, police law, travel, and ing loss and asbestos-related disease are areas of par-
health and safety. ticular expertise. The team recently represented out-
The True Picture

sourcing company Capita and construction company

It wouldn’t be hard to scout out a BLM lawyer off the
small screen,with about 800 of them spread between Seat options: casualty; occupational disease; fraud;
13 offices across the UK and Ireland. Manchester is the motor; professional indemnity; public sector; housing
firm’s largest base and housed about 14 trainees at the litigation; property damage and recovery; abuse and
time of our calls, as did the London office. Birmingham neglect; catastrophic injury; clinical negligence; con-
had six, Liverpool and Southampton each had three and struction and engineering; commercial real estate; pro-
Bristol housed a solo trainee. Many of our interviewees fessional discipline regulatory; product liability and re-
had paralegal experience at BLM or other firms before call; insurance; reinsurance and coverage; commercial
they started as trainees. litigation and dispute resolution; family law; prison law;
inquests and regulatory; white collar crime; healthcare
(go online for breakdown by office)

233
 B BLM chambersstudent.co.uk

Chambers UK rankings £12,000 loss of earnings claim and a £100,000 road traffic
Clinical Negligence Product Liability
accident claim. Trainees got their teeth stuck into fast-
Health & Safety Professional Discipline
track claims ranging from £10,000 to £25,000 in value, as
Insurance Professional Negligence
well as more complex multi-track casualty claims of over
Personal Injury Social Housing
£25,000. On these cases the team deals with “assigning
Police Law Travel
the responsibility for compensation,” or in other words, fig-
uring out what caused an accident and whether anyone
is liable to cough up. This process entails “going through
disclosures and drawing up the relevant documents a client
Balfour Beatty in proceedings brought by the widow of a has to build the case and interviewing witnesses.” Complex
former employee who died of mesothelioma. “The work is multi-track claims often have multi-jurisdictional ele-
very much medical,” trainees explained, and as such they ments, where the subject of the claim “might have been
learned a lot about the world of medicine. “You read tons injured abroad.”
of reports by consultants.” The claims are often histori-
cal, given that the causes of some diseases can go back “… fires, floods, soil movement or unusual
decades – for example, exposure to asbestos may result runaway animals.”
in mesothelioma 20 years later. This meant trainees had
to play an investigative role, “gathering documents from Property damage is one of the more common non-injury
employers that don’t exist anymore.” One source got to seats trainees may do. The department represents cli-
work on an ‘aerotoxicity’ case involving “an individual that ents in property damage disputes and advises on policy
had inhaled airliner cabin air over a long period of time.” responses when properties are damaged by “fires, floods,
Although this is a fab seat for the curious, it probably soil movement or unusual runaway animals.” Goodness. The
isn’t the best choice for the squeamish. “At first it’s quite team recently represented Integro Insurance Brokers in a
disturbing,” one admitted. “You have to read detailed medi- $7 million fire damage claim brought by a large Brazilian
cal statements about people who’re bedridden.” If trainees retailer. Trainees were entrusted with their own caseload
don’t want to work on a particular case, they can opt out of low-value claims. Recovery claims were super com-
with no ill feelings (pardon the pun). mon: “This is usually where the insurance has had to pay
out to the insured for damages caused to their property, but
The clinical negligence department handles claims that we believe someone else is at fault,” a trainee explained.
involve medical malpractice, acting on the defendant side
for insurers, clinics, care homes and medical profession- The fraud team – the one that appears on Claimed and
als. Clients include the Royal College of Nursing, Axis Shamed – busts insurance fraudsters in all kinds of bogus
Capital and the Harley Medical Group. “Doctors may re- claims, whether of travel sickness, casualty, or property
ceive a notice from the General Medical Council saying that damage. The team does a lot of work with Allianz. On one
they are under investigation in relation to a specific inci- road traffic accident claim, the BLM team’s investigations
dent,” trainees explained. “They then may have to go to tri- into the claimant’s social media activities showed them
bunal.” BLM recently defended a GP in a £500,000 claim attending a heavy metal concert the night of their injury
relating to a delayed diagnosis of lung toxicity caused and later snowboarding down black runs. “You have to
by antibiotic treatment. Trainees gushed over some of question what is in front of you,” trainees told us, who en-
the experience they got: “I was working on a high-profile joyed the investigative nature of the work. Sources also
case involving a doctor while it was in the public eye.” Day- got to interview subjects for witness statements, practice
to-daytrainee tasks involved conducting research into their drafting skills and attend trials.
companies, doctors or press coverage of cases; meeting
doctors and dentists; and attending hearings before the Every three months BLM sends a trainee on client se-
Medical Practitioners Tribunals Service. condment to the Association of British Insurers. “Most of
The True Picture

the work is in-house legal work related to the policy aspect

Trainees in the motor seat may encounter a plethora of in the insurance world,” said one former secondee. The na-
matters, including hire car claims, motor trade claims, li- ture of the work might be heavy. One trainee for example
ability disputes, and cases of catastrophic injury. The in- got to grips with matters stemming from systematic child
juries in these claims can range from mild whiplash all abuse: “I assisted with preparing the witness statements
the way to cause of death by dangerous driving. This area and summarised transcripts from children who had been
is often referred to as ‘volume litigation’ and the moniker abused in places like care homes or hospitals.” To go on
is appropriate: BLM handles tens of thousands of motor secondment, trainees said “all you need to do is ask” – but
claims every year. With cases coming thick and fast, it’s a of courseplacements are still subject to the firm’s busi-
good place for trainees “to learn the litigation process” as ness needs.
they’ll often see files all the way from the pre-litigation
stage to the outcome. BLM recently defended Allianz in a

234
chambersstudent.co.uk BLM B

Trainee Life soon to become one in new premises at Two New Bailey
The working day generally runs from 9am to 6pm for BLM Square, a new business district in Salford. Trainees said:
trainees, with some getting out just in time for Pointless at “The move will bring everyone closer together.” We heard
5pm. Departmental differences occur, with the corporate the new office has a few fancy facilities and an outdoor
seat warranting slightly longer hours: “If you have press- terrace on each floor (don’t forget your factor 50). The
ing tasks you’re expected to stay and finish them, but it’s an Birminghamoffice is nestled by the Cathedral and has
expectation rather than the rule.” But typical ‘late’ nights recently undergone a jazzy refurbishment. “We have a
for trainees meant a 7.30pm finish, and the Manchester break-out area to socialise in,” trainees told us. “It’s open
office even locks its doors at 8pm. plan and much brighter. We also have a great view on the
top floor.” Trainees described the Leedsoffice as a much
With such an appealing picture of work/life balance, more quaint and “modest space,” but in 2020 the firm an-
what’s the catch? “I don’t think the salary is justified,” one nounced it would close its Leeds and Bristol offices, with
trainee told us, echoing many of their peers. BLM does staff moving to work remotely.
not have a fixed NQ salary but the starting point outside
of London is £31k. While some interviewees were dis- “If you’re having trouble digesting details
gruntled about salaries, others pointed out that the firm on a case you’re encouraged to go and
has reasonable client rates as an insurance risk and com-
speak to your supervisor.”
mercial law firm and “the work the firm does determines
salaries.” Due to the specialised nature of the work, trainees were
reliant on supervision and support at the firm. Right from
“Associates, partners and paralegals are the off at the trainee induction programmein Manches-
like a big family.” ter, trainees said it’s made clear that “if you’re having
trouble digesting details on a case you’re encouraged to go
Again and again, sources decorated the firm’s culture and speak to your supervisor.” Trainees also have monthly
with adjectives such as “approachable” and “friendly,” meetings with their supervisors to run through feedback
citing interactions between different levels of seniority. and questions. We heard some groans that HR “isn’t the
“When chatting with a partner you don’t feel a wall between best at keeping you in the loop,” with some trainees be-
the two of you,” said one.This kind of atmosphere could ing ghosted altogether: “Sometimes I’ve not received a
be down to the open plan offices or the business casual response at all to my queries about the training contract.”
dress code, but whatever it is, trainees felt “relaxed” at Sources figured this could be down to some recent
work. And, although the firm is large in scale, it’s done a changes in HR and the fact that the team is based solely
pretty good job at creating a cosy feel: “Associates, part- out of the Manchester office.
ners and paralegals are like a big family.”
Trainees are contacted as they approach qualification
Even so, we heard the firm “isn’t crazy social,” although time to run through their options and go over how the
each department gets a budget to plan the occasional process works. NQ positions are published six months
outing. Trainees highlighted activities like ping pong, before qualification and trainees can apply to as many
bowling, pizza and crazy golf. The London office had a departments as they wish with a CV application. If there
bit more going on: “We work close to Liverpool Street and is more than one applicant for a particular vacancy, train-
sometimes have dinner at PizzaExpress,” one told us. The ees then go through an interview process. Retention has
Manchester cohort has long been split between two historically been shaky, and in 2020 BLM held on to 11 of
offices, but those days are numbered as the two are 23 qualifiers.
The True Picture

Want cutting-edge tech?

Rest insured: the firm has a digital conferencing platform
called BLM Innovations Forum that offers video links for
anyone involved in a case and enables the sharing and
editing of online documents.

235
 www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
B BLM chambersstudent.co.uk

BLM
King’s House, 42 King Street West, Manchester, M3 2NU
Tel: 0161 236 2002 Linkedin: BLM Partners: 222
Email: [email protected] Instagram: @BLM_Grads Associates: 149
Website: www.blmlaw.com/join-us/graduates Twitter: @BLM_Grads Total trainees: 35
UK offices: Manchester,
Liverpool, Leeds, London,
Birmingham, Southampton,
Firm profile Bristol, Belfast, Cardiff, Derry,
BLM is an insurance risk and commercial law firm with both a domestic and international focus. Dublin, Edinburgh, Glasgow

We now work with an increasing number of clients, across more lines of business, in more loca-
Contact
tions throughout the UK and Ireland as well as across the world, than ever before. Our philosophy Graduate recruiter:
is to deliver positive outcomes for our clients and help them make their businesses more success- Chloe Lawrence
ful. Fundamentally we are helping them to reduce the time and money spent on managing risk Training partner:
and resolving disputes, whilst offering a practical, commercial and solutions driven approach to Michelle Penn
non-contentious business law.
Application criteria
Training contracts pa: 20
Main areas of work Applications pa: 2000
We operate in 12 key markets: brokers; care; construction & property; general insurance; health- Minimum required degree grade:
care; leisure & hospitality; Lloyds & London market; manufacturing; public sector; retail; TMT; We do not screen on academics
transportation & logistics. Vacation scheme places pa: 15
We have established a deep-rooted presence in the general insurance sector, the London Market
Dates and deadlines
and amongst brokers. We also have a significant presence among corporate businesses many of Training contract applications
whom are multi-national, the public sector and the health and care industry. open: TBC
Training contract deadline, 2022
Training opportunities start: TBC
Our two-year trainee solicitor programme has been designed to maximise your potential. You'll Vacation scheme applications
complete four six-month seats, giving you exposure to a variety of teams across the business. You'll open: TBC
also gain the experience and develop the skills required of a qualified solicitor within insurance Vacation scheme 2021 deadline:
TBC
law.
You may also have the opportunity to spend time on secondment. Throughout your programme Salary and benefits
you will work with our partners and associates on a variety of cases from low to complex, high- First-year salary: £31,000
value claims, from initial investigation through to trial. You will have all of the support that you (London), £22,000 (Regional)

need from your assigned supervisor and our in-house talent development team. Second-year salary: £32,000
(London), £23,000 (Regional)
Partners encourage early responsibility and expect trainees to manage workloads autonomously Post-qualification salary: £45,000
and as part of a team. We will provide a supportive and friendly working environment and you can (London), £31,000 (Regional)
expect clear opportunities for career progression and a broad scope of challenging and interesting Holiday entitlement: 25 days
work.
Sponsorship
LPC fees: Yes
Vacation placements GDL fees: No
BLM’s vacation scheme gives you the opportunity to spend two weeks in one of our offices. You’ll Maintenance grant pa: No
be paired up with one of our current trainees and will have the opportunity to really get to grips
with what we do ‘day to day’. You’ll work with our partners and associates too, contributing to live International and regional
cases and be given real responsibility. Offices with training contracts:
The True Picture

Edinburgh, Glasgow, Liverpool,

Manchester, Birmingham,
Other benefits Southampton, London
Pension, private medical insurance, discounted gym, childcare vouchers, life assurance, season Client secondments:
ticket loans, employee assistance programme. Various options

University law careers fairs 2020

TBD

Org ID: 501

236 1 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................
chambersstudent.co.uk Boodle Hatfield LLP B

Boodle Hatfield LLP

The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Locations: London, Oxford How to get into Boodle Hatfield
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 40/40/8
Seats: 4x6 months
First-year salary: £40,000
Qualification salary: £64,000

Trainees wear many hats at this increasingly international outfit: private

client advisers and property pros are just two examples.

The Firm keep saying it, but everyone is so damn friendly!” Every-
If you think you’ve seen enough change for one year, im- one spends six months in four seats and is “95% likely”
agine what you’d see in 300 years. Witness to (nearly) all to do seats in property and private client. That’s half the
300 of them is London’s Boodle Hatfield, a firm balancing training contract booked up, but juniors were happy: “HR
tradition and modernity. “It’s a firm with a lot of history but genuinely takes your seat interests on board. I’ve had the
lots of new, modern and entrepreneurial clients,” noted one perfect training contract.” While the firm has a dedicated
trainee-come-historian. “Boodle is focusing internationally private client team in Oxford and an office in Mayfair,
on the Middle East and America, and we’re really growing in trainees are all housed in Boodle’s swanky Blackfriars
that sense.” The firm’s core strengths are in private client base.
and property law, but its scope is growing to help fulfil its
global ambitions.
The Seats
Looking back at Britain and the firm’s Chambers UKrank- Speaking of nice buildings, Boodle’s propertyteam of-
ings, you’ll find accolades for real estate, family, and ag- fers “a wide scope” and “big variety” for trainees. The
riculture and rural affairs in London, plus art and cultural department covers commercial and residential property,
property nationwide and a top spot for agricultural law in as well as real estate financing; construction is a stan-
Oxford, where the firm also has a base. You’ll need Cham- dalone team. Our sources relished “doing title reports and
bers High Net Worthfor Boodle’s best bits: top rankings in analyses of Land Registry titles,” enfranchisement work,
private wealth disputes, private wealth law and high-value “negotiating leases all the way through to completion,”
residential real estate. Alluring indeed, but trainees reck- drafting development release agreements, providing le-
oned that “as with any place, it’s all about the people” when it gal support for clients “raising capital to develop property,
comes to nailing down Boodle’s appeal –an intake of just 12 looking at conditions precedents, and facility agreements.”
or so trainees a year means “everyone’s close and willing to The firm’s clients include Marriott International, Bedford
support one another and maintain a strong community base.” Estates and IBM UK’s pensions trust; Boodle recently ad-
vised financier ASK Partners on its debt facilities to prop-
The True Picture

“I keep saying it, but everyone’s so damn erty developer Groveworld, targeted for a 300,000-foot
friendly!” residential and commercial development. “Menial jobs
tend to be in the minority and I’ve been surprised by how
Each trainee shares an office with their supervisor, “so it’s meaty the tasks are,” interviewees in this seat concluded.
easy to turn around and ask a question.” A slimmed-down
headcount also means “you’re never doing admin jobs, In 2019 the firm released a report which found that more
you’re doing proper legal work,” interviewees suggested. than 200 new luxury hotels are currently being devel-
“The responsibility levels come from the size of the intake.” oped in London, including the £1 billion-valued former
Seat allocation comes down to informal chats with HR US Embassy and a five-star Nobu hotel in Marylebone.
and “everyone gets mostly what they want. That’s another
benefit of having fewer trainees.” Once they got settled Seat options: property; private client & tax London;
into seats, trainees reassured us “you never feel lost. I private client & tax Oxford; litigation; corporate; family

237
 B Boodle Hatfield LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Chambers UK rankings gation teams. The last of those advises “a real mix of big
Agriculture & Rural Affairs Family/Matrimonial
estates as well as a lot of Middle Eastern property owners
Art and Cultural Property Real Estate
in London.” Boodle recently advised Grosvenor Group
Law Real Estate Litigation
on a multimillion-pound enfranchisement claim for the
Aldford House block of flats on Park Lane. While the
commercial litigation team is generalist, there’s also “a
“We’ve got a sub-department doing lots of work in the hotel quite big art team” dealing with fraudulent purchasing,
space,” according to trainees keen to ride that wave. “It’s copyright infringement cases, and title and ownership
really interesting seeing how the asset classes operate.” In disputes. “It’s nice to get responsibility for small matters,”
another sign of growth even in the face of the Covid-19 interviewees said. “Debt recovery, taking care of pre-action
pandemic, the firm welcomed Navpreet Atwal (formerly steps, issuing proceedings and seeing it all the way through
at Morgan Blake) as a property partner in March 2020. to hearings… you get a full overview of the process over six
months in this seat.” Trainees in litigation also grappled
“I’ve been surprised by how meaty the with “lots of Section 21 notices,” research tasks, drafting
tasks are.” settlement agreements and viewing mediations: “They’re
really interesting to watch. It’s always great going to a court
The firm’s private client department is also faring well, hearing, especially watching the barristers in action!”
recording a 28% increase in turnover between 2018 and
2019. Bucking convention helps: “I had an image of what
private client lawyers were, and the seat really did open my Trainee Life
eyes, as in truth everyone’s very in touch with modernity Much like the Bar, Boodle Hatfield has a rich and very
and forward-thinking,” a source said. “It’s not as stale as I long history. Trainees assured us that the firm has kept
thought it might be.” Boodle’s team specialises in interna- up with the times: “I’m not necessarily aware of it being
tional wealth structures, supporting large family-owned around since 1722. It’s just a very pleasant place to work.”
businesses and landed estates; if you’re a creative type, Many were also keen to be part of the firm’s story for
the firm’s growing art practice might be picture perfect. years to come. “There are quite a few lifers here,” one
Trainees in the department are generally charged with said, “which shows how the cultural dynamics help foster
drafting wills, powers of attorney, declarations of trust longevity.” We got another trainee to explain what they
and more. “I thought it would just be wills and trusts but meant: “I was surprised by how common it was to ask a
I’ve done a lot more including very varied work for Mid- partner a question,” they recalled. “You might think you’re
dle Eastern clients,” a source shared. “I’ve recently been bothering them, but they really want to help.”
looking at facilitating different trust structures; there’s a
lot more thought and creativity required to find innovative “I’m not necessarily aware of Boodle being
options for clients.” When you’re working for people that around since 1722. It’s just a very good and
rich, expectations can be high.
nice place to work.”
Boodle Hatfield’s corporate practice focuses on lower mid- Our sources were also happy to spend some quality time
market M&A transactions for companies, high net worth with the rest of their cohort, through playing in weekly
individuals and entrepreneurs. Trainees reckoned the netball and football teams (“who’ve been doing danger-
smallish department “punches above its weight with high- ously well” ), a local schools reading group, wine clubs,
value deals which we can get involved with. Each partner has gin clubs, summer cricket teams or even Boodle’s Got Tal-
a different expertise.” Pooled together, their practices span ent. “It was good fun to see semi-decent to actual talent on
fashion clients, small companies fund-raising and start- display,” one said. “We definitely get a collaboration boost
ups. The firm has acted for property developers ASK and through social events.” All this implies that trainees have
Falco Capital, mattress maker Sleepeezee and trampo- ample time outside billing hours, and those we spoke to
The True Picture

line park operators GoJumpin. “You’re involved all the way agreed “there’s a pretty good work/life balance, and the
through deals,” according to our interviewees. Their roles hours are very civilised for the work we’re doing. It’s one of
included drafting board minutes and ancillary documents; the key advantages at Boodle that I can legitimately make
“you’re involved with the main documents of the deal to a plans on a weeknight.” Most put in shifts running from 9am
lesser extent.” Trainees found restructuring and financing to 6.30 or 7pm on average. “The latest I stayed was helping
elements of the seat “fascinating,” and were happy to go a colleague until 8.30pm,” one happy chap declared.
beyond bread and butter corporate/M&A; regular coopera-
tion with the private client and property teams (providing
financial assistance “for a property development owned by Field of dreams
a large company,” for example) also put smiles on faces. Qualification is “a very simple process” of voicing prefer-
ences to HR: “They then let you know if there’s space and
Other practices also feed into the litigation department, if you’ve got a job. Their aim is to keep everyone on.” Boodle
which is comprised of commercial, art and property liti- retained threeof four qualifiers in 2020.

238
www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
chambersstudent.co.uk Boodle Hatfield LLP B

Boodle Hatfield LLP

240 Blackfriars Road, London SE1 8NW
Tel: 020 7629 7411 Instagram: @BoodleHatfield Partners: 40
Email: [email protected] @art_law_and_more Associates: 40
Website: www.boodlehatfield.com @BHfashionlaw Total trainees: 8
Twitter: @BoodleHatfield @art_law_and_more Linkedin: boodle-hatfield-llp UK offices: London Bankside,
London Mayfair, Oxford
Facebook: Boodle-Hatfield
Firm profile Contacts
Boodle Hatfield is a highly successful law firm which has been providing bespoke legal services to Graduate recruiter:
leading families, businesses and entrepreneurs for nearly 300 years. They still act for some of their Jenny Sanghera,
[email protected]
very first clients and are proud to do so. The firm has grown into a substantial practice, serving the
020 7079 8282
full spectrum of commercial and private clients, both domestically and internationally from their
Training partner:
offices in London and Oxford. Graham Winkley,
[email protected]
Main areas of work
Application criteria
The ethos of facilitating private capital activity and private businesses underpins the work of the
Training contracts pa: 4
whole firm. The interplay of skills between five major areas — private wealth, property, corporate,
Applications pa: 350-525
litigation and family — makes Boodle Hatfield particularly well placed to serve these individuals
Minimum required degree grade:
and businesses. 2:1 or equivalent
Vacation scheme places pa: 6
Training opportunities
Dates and deadlines
Trainees spend six months in up to four of the firm’s main areas: Private Client and Tax, Property,
Training contract applications
Corporate, Litigation and Family. Boodle Hatfield is well known for the high quality of its training.
open: 1st November 2020
All trainees are involved in client work from the start and are encouraged to handle their own files Training contract deadline, 2022
personally as soon as they are able to do so, (with the appropriate supervision). The firm’s trainees start: 30th June 2021
therefore have a greater degree of client contact than in many firms with the result that they should Vacation scheme applications
be able to take on more responsibility at an early stage with the appropriate level of supervision. open: 1st November 2020
Vacation scheme 2021 deadline:
Trainees are assigned a supervisor in each seat and are given formal appraisals every three months
31st January 2021
which are designed as a two-way process and give trainees the chance to discuss their progress and
to indicate where more can be done to help in their ongoing training and development. Salary and benefits
First-year salary: £40,000
Vacation scheme Second-year salary: £42,000
Two week placement in July, for which six students are accepted each year. Post-qualification salary: £64,000
Holiday entitlement: 25 days
Applicants should apply via the application form on the website at www.boodlehatfeld.com
The form will be available from 1st November 2020. Sponsorship
LPC fees: Yes
Sponsorship GDL fees: Yes
GDL and LPC course fees are paid and trainees will also receive a maintenance grant whilst study- Maintenance grant pa: £6,000
ing for the GDL/LPC.

Other benefits
In addition the benefits we offer include private healthcare, life assurance, income protection,
season ticket loan, pension scheme, enhanced maternity pay, permanent health insurance,
The True Picture

employee assistance scheme, childcare vouchers, cycle to work scheme, give as you earn scheme,
conveyancing grant.

Org ID: 42 4 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................239

 B Brabners LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Brabners LLP
The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Locations: Manchester, Liverpool, Preston Get hired at Brabners
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 75/246/19
Seats: 4x6 months
First-year salary: £25,000
Qualification salary: £40,000

There’s nothing drab about Brabners, a people-pleasing powerhouse in

the North West.

The Firm firm, Brabners offers a secondment to Nicholls.” It was

Was it focus of investment in the local economy? The rep- a completely different and really interesting experience,”
utation for a more laid-back law firm culture? Or perhaps a former secondee said. “The work there is very hands-
they were just inspired by Kim and Kanye’s daughter? In on and it made me reassess which department I eventually
any case, the North West was calling for Brabners’ future wanted to qualify into.”
trainees: “I wanted a Northern firm,” one confirmed. “Brab-
ners seeks to be the leading independent law firm in the UK
and we don’t wish to expand to London.” With three bases The Seats
in the region and 200 years of local history, this is a firm All new trainees have their first seat allocated upon join-
that knows what it wants. ing the firm. Those we spoke to had no problems with the
system – “my first seat wasn’t my cup of tea” was the clos-
We should make it clear that Brabners welcomes folks est thing we heard to a complaint. Others found the lack
from all over and is by no means a ‘Northerners only’ club, of choice at the start a big plus: “The seat you’re allotted
even if a large chunk of the trainees we spoke to had local might not be something you would pick yourself, it keeps
links. One of them who didn’t confirmed: “There’s never you open-minded. I now want to qualify into the first de-
been an occasion where I’ve felt like I don’t fit in.” Inclu- partment I sat in.” Heading into each seat change, trainees
sivity is clearly a priority for the firm, which recently set email the training principal three preferred departments;
up the Together Action Group (TAG) to promote internal the principal and HR do their best to accommodate them.
diversity and inclusion. There are five main areas of fo-
cus – ethnic minorities, gender, LGBT+, mental health and There’s been growth in the employment department fol-
social mobility – and events to promote each. lowing the acquisition of recruitment specialists HRC
Law in July 2019, bringing 15 more lawyers into the fold.
“There’s never been an occasion where I’ve The team as a whole advises on contract issues, policies
felt like I don’t fit in.” and procedures, unfair dismissal and whistleblowing cas-
es. Trainees spent their days “redrafting staff handbooks,
Brabners’ status as a full-service outfit is reflected in its updating sickness and shared parental leave policies, re-
The True Picture

impressive collection of Chambers UK rankings. The firm viewing correspondence and drafting early case assess-
gets top marks in Liverpool for agriculture, crime and ments.” Much of the work here is contentious, offering
family; Manchester also leads the local pack in family chances to work on grievance appeal letters and witness
law. Across the North West, Brabners earns strong rank- statements as well as attending employment tribunals
ings for corporate, social housing, IP, IT and litigation. The and getting involved in negotiations. Household names
cherry on top is a nationwide ranking for sports law: the including Travelodge, Nando’s and Leicester City FC call
Brabners team represents top-flight clients including on Brabners’ advice; the firm recently assisted pub giant
British Swimming, Liverpool FC and the Rugby Players JD Wetherspoon in curating its policy for transgender and
Association. non-binary employees.

The Liverpool, Manchester and now Preston offices re- Seat options: corporate; commercial; real estate; em-
cruit trainees. To get additional experience beyond the ployment; charity; private client; litigation

240
chambersstudent.co.uk Brabners LLP B
Chambers UK rankings vealed, dedicating their time to “renewing leases, research,
Agriculture & Rural Affairs Intellectual Property
working on purchase and sales agreements and due dili-
Banking & Finance Litigation
gence.” Brabners’ flowering client list includes industry gi-
Construction Pensions
ants like Home Bargains, Primark and NatWest; the firm
Corporate/M&A Real Estate
advised Peel Land and Property on a road link into the £5.5
Crime Real Estate Litigation
billion Liverpool Waters development.
Employment Social Housing
Family/Matrimonial Sports Law
Information Technology Tax
Trainee Life
If you’re not yet sold on lawyering outside London, this
might do the trick – trainee hours at Brabners typically
The firm’s litigation team has two core focuses – general run from 9am to 6pm, with late nights an extreme rarity.
commercial, and property disputes. Trainees in the seat “I don’t think I have ever stayed in the office past 9pm,” an
were able to either zero in one side or split their time interviewee said. Predictable hours do wonders for the
across the whole department. One who’d focused on mental health of lawyers: “No late nights, no stress.” The
commercial litigation “got stuck into a lot of shareholder work will of course be demanding in its own right, but let-
disputes, general company disputes and debt claims. Train- ting trainees go home at a reasonable time is one of the
ees are given an awful lot of responsibility which works well easiest ways to keep them happy. “It’s part of the culture,
for me.” Brabners’ small trainee intake means there will we are just not encouraged to stay late,” we heard.
rarely be more than a handful in any department. Sports
disputes are a popular option here: “I was working on a “On nights out, the partners do let their
criminal investigation for a footballer involved in an assault hair down...”
accusation,” a trainee told us. “I met up with the client, took
notes, drafted witness statements and dealt with evidence Trainees were happy to brag about Brabners: “The culture
disclosed by the police.” here is second to none,” they suggested. Many were compli-
mentary of senior partners, and not just in a work sense…
“We represent high net worth individuals “We made a Christmas video dancing along to Mariah Carey’s
including celebrities, footballers and ‘All I Want for Christmas’ and yes, the people in management
all got involved.” We couldn’t find it on YouTube, but maybe
CEOs.”
you’ll have more luck. “On nights out, the partners do let
Sports clients play a role in the family department too, as their hair down. I can’t say any more,” a trainee teased.The
do other high-profile figures. “We represent high net worth social committee puts on themed events for staff to let
individuals including celebrities, footballers and CEOs,” a loose including pasta-making classes, museum trips and
trainee explained. These clients tend to prefer to keep the chillingly named Shiverpool Halloween party. Brabners
their affairs private, and some of the work can get juicy. also runs weekly drinks trips and “if you want to go for a
Trainees were involved with financial settlements, some- pint on a Wednesday, there will always be someone to go
times arising from divorce proceedings: “I’m working for with. Even after the tab runs out, people will stay out!”
a client with children who is going through a divorce,” one
revealed. “We are looking at the agreements, drafting let- Aside from the Big Idea scheme (a competition between
ters on housing and assessing arrangements for the child.” trainees firmwide to raise money for charity; think The
Such cases require a human touch as much as they do Apprentice with lawyers), there was no competitive spirit
legal know-how. between Brabners trainees. This carries through to quali-
fication – the firm releases its NQ jobs list in March, and
The real estate team works with clients in the food and candidates submit a cover letter outlining their interests.
drink, retail and student accommodation sectors among In 2020, five out of seven qualifiers were retained.
The True Picture

others. “I do a lot of landlord/tenant disputes,” a trainee re-

Reach out and Brab it

Brabners sponsors trainees’ memberships with the
SOLICITORS group, which offers Continuing Professional
Development training and hosts exhibition events. “I went to
a panel which discussed life after training,” one source said.
“It helps make you a well-rounded individual.”

241
 B www.chambersstudent.co.uk
B rabners LLP chambersstudent.co.uk
A-Z of Law Firms

Brabners LLP
Horton House, Exchange Flags, Liverpool L2 3YL
Tel: 0151 600 3000 Email: [email protected]
Partners: 68
55 King Street, Manchester M2 4LQ Website: www.brabners.com Senior associates: 20
Tel: 0161 836 8800 Twitter: @BrabnersLLP Associate: 21
7-8 Chapel Street, Preston PR1 8AN Linkedin: brabners Fee-earners: 228
Tel: 01772 823921 Total trainees: 13

Contacts
Firm profile
Graduate recruiter:
Brabners is one of the top North West commercial firms. Based in Liverpool, Manchester and
Liverpool office: Dr Tony Harvey
Preston, it has the experience, talent and prestige fitting a firm with a 200-year-plus history. Director of Risk and
Brabners is a dynamic, partner-led specialist in the provision of bespoke legal services to clients Compliance & Training Principal.
ranging from large plcs to private individuals. Training partners:
Rupert Gill, Helen Brown,
Nikki Whittle, Joanne Radcliffe
Main areas of work
We have more than 400 employees with nationally recognised experts in key practice areas such Application criteria
as corporate, commercial, property, employment and pensions, litigation, sports, social housing, Training contracts pa: 7
charity, family and private client law. We have a broad client base that includes plcs, public sec- Applications pa: 500+
tor bodies, banks, other commercial, corporate and professional businesses and high-net-worth Minimum required degree grade:
individuals. 2:1 or post-graduate degree

We carry out a wide range of specialist legal services in a number of core sectors including real Dates and deadlines
estate, business services, healthcare, media, technology, retail, sport and charity. Training contract applications
open: 10th January 2021
Training opportunities Training contract deadline, 2023
At Brabners we recognise our reputation rests on the excellence of our people, and we recruit with start: 30th June 2021
that in mind. We look for talented trainees who can demonstrate intelligence, intuition, humour,
Salary and benefits
approachability and commitment. First-year salary:
Trainees are given a high degree of responsibility and are an integral part of our culture. Each has No less than £25,000
partner-level supervision, and the training programme is overseen by the Training Principal Dr Holiday entitlement: 25 days
Tony Harvey. Our culture is supportive and friendly, plus we have an excellent social programme.
Sponsorship
We do not believe in presenteeism — there is no long-hour culture here, rather a focus on you
LPC fees: Yes
finding a work-life balance from the outset. Many of our partners undertook their training with
Maintenance grant pa: No
us, and a high proportion of our staff are long-standing.

Other benefits
25 days holiday, travel loan, fresh fruit delivered to the office, charity and social events, payroll
giving, colleague recognition, smart working practices, buy and sell holidays, pension scheme,
subsidised discounts in retail stores, cycle to work.

University law careers fairs 2020

Brabners attends law career fairs at the University of Manchester and the University of Liverpool.
The True Picture

242
Org ID: 45 3 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................
chambersstudent.co.uk Bristows LLP B

Bristows LLP
The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Location: London Get hired at Bristows
Overseas office: Brussels
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 43/100/20
Seats: mix of 3-month and 6-month seats, typically 5-6
seats in total; client secondments
First-year salary: £39,500
Qualification salary: £66,000

Tech, life sciences and brands are the focal points of Bristows, the firm
that’s been solving IP problems long before geek-chic was the in thing.

The Firm month seats with a mandatory stint in patent litigation,

One of the earliest pieces of work Bristows did was to and either real estate or corporate. The majority of train-
draw up patent agreements for the first ever electrical ees have the opportunity to go on a client secondment to
telegraph in the 1830s. This set the tone quite nicely for clients including Google and Capgemini.
the work it’s been doing ever since, from the agreements
behind the first transatlantic phone cable to the image Commercial IP and IT was a popular seat. The depart-
rights for the TARDIS (yes, Doctor Who’s ship), and from ment handles three strands of work: IP transactions, IT
the UK’s first ever biotechnology case to litigation over transactions, and data protection. “There’s a vast range of
the invention of the Y-front (yes, the underwear). Upon work across the department,” trainees told us. “It almost
this strong foundation, Bristows mixes with clients in the feels like three mini teams.” Clients include tech giants
tech, life sciences, pharma, science and media spaces, like Google, Amazon and Sony, and well-known names
including Google, Sony and the Financial Times. from other sectors such as McDonald’s and Louis Vuitton.
Trainees reported liaising with “a mix of IP, life sciences
“I looked for firms that were good in the IP sphere,” one in- and pharmaceutical companies.” On the IT side, the firm
terviewee shared, “and Bristows is basically number one.” advises on technology outsourcing projects, contracting,
Chambers UK nods in agreement: Bristows is one of just and a host of areas like FinTech, AdTech and HealthTech.
two firms to score an uppermost IP ranking in London, Data protection work involved matters like GDPR compli-
where the firm also bags top marks in IT and patent litiga- ance and cybersecurity issues. The firm recently advised
tion. Nationally, the firm is top-ranked in data protection Spotify on the collection of data in one of its employee
and life sciences. Trainees came from “all kinds of degree surveys. A trainee gave us a snippet of their work: “I
backgrounds.” Several held STEM degrees like chemistry, helped draft a non-disclosure agreement for an inventor
biology and biochemistry, but there were also trainees who’d created a medical device that improves sleep by in-
who’d studied history, business and law. Sources figured ducing a meditative state.”
The True Picture

this mix made for a diverse culture. “Bristows tries hard

to find quirkier people with a bit of personality,” one reck- “I was running laboratory tests and
oned. “They aren’t looking for someone who’ll fit a lawyer- sourcing lab equipment.”
shaped box.”
Patent disputes are the name of the game in patent liti-
gation. The firm recently represented Heineken in a case
The Seats involving counter-top beer kegs. It also acted for Philips
Owing to the intake size (up to ten a year) sources felt
“there’s more opportunity to get the seats you really want.” Seat options: patent litigation; brands, designs and
Trainees send graduate recruitment a list of their pref- copyright; competition; regulatory; corporate, tax and
erences and get placed from there. First seats are typi- employment; real estate; commercial IP/IT; commercial
cally six months long; trainees then do either six-or three- technology and copyright disputes

243
 B Bristows LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Chambers UK rankings ing” and “fast-paced” this seat was: “I was working on the
Competition/European Law Life Sciences
kind of cases you see on the news.”
Data Protection Media & Entertainment
Information Technology Outsourcing
Intellectual Property Telecommunications
Trainee Life
Much like the work, the Bristows culture was a big hit
with trainees: “I wasn’t looking for a big firm with long
hours and higher pay – I wanted a better work/life bal-
after a revocation action was launched against one of its ance.” Bristows trainees were happy with a first-year sal-
patents for a GPS athletic performance monitor. Trainees ary of £39,500, “given I can leave the office before 7pm.”
often spend the duration of this seat on one or two trials, Most interviewees finished at around 7pm, which isn’t
getting to grips with attending client meetings, drafting bad by City standards. Some pointed out the office isn’t
opening and closing submissions, and preparing bundles. designed for late nights anyway, bemoaning: “There’s no
Disputes often had an international element to them, with canteen – if you do end up staying late you have to organise
one trainee reflecting: “It was interesting to see how UK for food to be dropped off.” Sources said the only rule im-
litigation was used to help the client win in other jurisdic- posed on trainees is that “once your work is done, so is the
tions.” Others got stuck into multimillion-pound phar- working day – a partner once threatened to turn the lights
maceutical lawsuits. “It was hugely scientific work,” one off at 6pm on a Friday!”
reflected. “I was doing a large portion of the research.” In
another matter, “I was running laboratory tests and sourc- “A partner once gave me his socks when I
ing lab equipment.” came in from a rainstorm.”
A seat with the brands, designs and copyright team was The overall vibe of the firm was tagged with words like
another popular option – “it’s the sexy area of law where “approachable,” “friendly” and “relaxed.” An open-plan
you get to work with a lot of top brands!” Clients include layout means “everyone is physically very approachable.”
organisations like BAFTA, FatFace and Diageo. The firm Much to the delight of the trainees, Bristows “cemented
is currently advising Mondelez International (which owns its laid-back atmosphere” by changing to a ‘dress for your
Cadbury’s) in a long-running dispute over whether the day’ dress code. Sticking with the clothes theme, it might
shape of a Kit-Kat can be trademarked. The department be overstating it to say Bristows solicitors will give each
does tons of trademark work advising on the ‘life cycle’ other the shirts off their backs, but socks are another
of products, from brand creation and protection, to liti- question: “A partner once gave me his socks when I came in
gation before UK and EU courts and portfolio manage- from a rainstorm and mine were sodden.”
ment – Bristows manages the worldwide trademark port-
folios for both the Guardian and Financial Times. “One day The warm feel was attributed not just to partners’ dry
socks, but to the small intake. “A lot of the trainees did the
you’re working on a big litigation case,” said trainees; “the
next you’re doing a tiny bit of copyright advice.” LPC together,” one explained. “We’ve become true friends.”
Trainees acknowledged “it’s naive to say this is a firm of
Lawyers within competition work on mergers, cartel 300 angels,” with patent litigation described as “a bit more
investigations and something called FRAND licensing, serious.” For socials, trainees often enjoyed a casual drink
which stands for fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory – with one another, while sporty types can get a kickabout
it relates to the terms on which an IP rights owner grants in a charity five-aside. The firm’s diversitycommittee
a licence. The team recently handled several FRAND is- also organises monthly activities, such as events to mark
sues for IP licensing company IPCom against several Black History Month.
other companies including Vodafone and Lenovo. Other
recent work saw the firm defending Google against a The NQ process starts withan email to second-years
The True Picture

claim brought by an online price comparison site. Train- outlining which departments are hiring and the timeline
ees here usually do a mix of litigious, advisory and trans- for NQ offers. Trainees then have “a casual chat” with the
actional work. “It’s more maths-based than I thought,” one training principal and a partner to discuss their prefer-
said.Another enthused over how “intellectually stimulat- ences. In 2020, the firm retained all ten qualifiers.

Hey Bristow!
If trainees qualify into patent litigation or brands, the
firm automatically signs them up for an IP diploma at
Oxford University.

244
www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
chambersstudent.co.uk Bristows LLP B

Bristows LLP
100 Victoria Embankment, London EC4Y 0DH
Tel: 020 7400 8000 Twitter: @BristowsGrad Partners: 43
Email: [email protected] Instagram: @BristowsGrad Associates: 100
Website: http://training.bristows.com Linkedin: Bristows Law Firm Total trainees: 20
UK offices: London
Overseas offices: Brussels

Firm profile Contacts

We are Bristows, the world’s leading specialist law firm for clients that innovate. Graduate recruiter:
We are a European headquartered hub for litigation, transactions and advice throughout the world. We Charlotte Erskine, Graduate
help clients grow in life sciences, technology and other dynamic sectors. We provide advice on all their Resourcing and D&I Manager
legal matters and are proud to be different. Training Partner:
Miranda Cass
Main areas of work Application criteria
We focus on dynamic, IP-rich sectors and have the expertise to solve a broad range of litigation, Training contracts pa: Up to 10
transactional, and advisory challenges. We have a true cross-disciplinary practice encompassing our Applications pa: 1500
renowned IP, competition, regulatory, corporate and commercial, dispute resolution, IT and data pro- Minimumrequired degree grade:
tection teams. The strength of each individual practice complements the others to provide a fully inte- 2:1 (preferred)
grated and comprehensive service.
Dates and deadlines
Training opportunities Training contract applications
During the two-year period of training you will spend time in each of the firm’s core practice groups, open: 1st September 2020

including a guaranteed seat in Patent Litigation. You will also have the opportunity to explore other Training contract deadline,
2023 start:
areas of Intellectual Property law including Commercial IP and Brands, Designs and Copyright. Train-
10th January 2021
ees typically undertake five or six seats during the training contract with a mix of three- and six-month
Vacation scheme applications
seats. One of these seats may be a UK secondment to the in-house legal department of one of the firm’s open: 1st September 2020
leading multinational clients. Vacation scheme 2021 deadline:
1st November 2020 (winter and
Bristows trainees work alongside partners dealing directly with clients from the start of their training. STEM workshops), 28th February
2021 (1st years workshops)
There is plenty of responsibility and this is matched by an extremely supportive and friendly culture.
There are plenty of opportunities to get involved in life at the firm through charity fundraising events, Salary and benefits
sports teams, social events, community initiatives and a number of staff committees and networks. First-year salary: £39,500
Second-year salary: £42,500
Vacation scheme Post-qualification salary: £66,000
We offer intensive one-day IP workshops (instead of longer vacation schemes) to give students and Holiday entitlement: 25 days
graduates the opportunity to learn more about Intellectual Property law and the career opportunities
available at Bristows. The workshop offers learning opportunities, interactive case studies and network- Sponsorship
ing sessions. They are a great opportunity to assess whether law as a career, and Bristows as a firm, are LPC fees: Yes
for you. GDL fees: Yes
Maintenance grant pa: £8,000
Undergraduates in their second-, penultimate- and final-year of study and graduates of all degree disci-
International and regional
plines are eligible for the winter workshops on 18 and 26 November. All STEM students and graduates
Offices with training contracts:
are eligible for the 2 December workshop that is tailored to scientists and engineers. London
Client secondments: Yes
Other benefits
The True Picture

We offer a flexible benefits package including: life assurance; matched pension contributions; private
medical insurance; holiday 'buy and sell'; cycle to work scheme; gym membership; travel insurance;
dental insurance; an employee assistance programme; and season ticket loan.

Open days and first-year opportunities

We will hold a workshop for first-year students on 31 March 2021. Please apply online via our website.

Org ID: 49 2 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................245

 B Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP

The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Locations: London, Manchester How to get a BCLP training
Overseas offices: 29
contract
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 150/348/74
Seats: 4x6 months; client secondments; overseas seats
First-year salary: £44,000 (London), £27,000 (Manchester)
Qualification salary: £78,000 (London), £43,000 (Man-
chester)

When two become one –a Transatlantic love story that forged a legal
behemoth, soaring to new heights whilst caring for its domestic real
estate “golden child.”

Moving to diversify further, the London office has recent-

The Firm ly brought in lateral hires to bolster its M&A, corporate
BCLP is technically one of the youngest firms in our finance and aviation teams. Trainees no longer have to
guide, born from a 2018 merger between UK-based Ber- complete a real estate seat, but those we spoke to de-
win Leighton Paisner and Missourian Bryan Cave – two scribed it as “the golden child” of the firm: “If you’re apply-
high-performing firms in their own right coming together ing here you have to, at the very least, not hate real estate.”
to create an international superhit. “I was attracted to Trainees list five seat preferences before each rotation.
BCLP because they had a modern, fresh take on a law firm,” “Allocation can be hit and miss” according to one. “I got my
a trainee told us. “They’re more open-minded about things first choice in two seats, but I’ve also had one that wasn’t on
and seemed less hierarchical.” The glamorous modus viv- my list at all.” The vast majority of trainees are in London;
endi of working at an internationally recognised law firm Manchester recruits two or three a year.
with over 1,400 lawyers across 31 locations still “doesn’t
go to people’s heads – we’re all very down to earth. The firm
feels unpretentious despite its prestige.” The Seats
Five sub-teams make up the real estate department,
“The firm feels unpretentious despite its “an enormous enterprise within the firm.” These each
prestige.” break down into further divisions; some teams are “dis-
tinguished by their focus on transactional matters, asset
In its former Berwin Leighton Paisner incarnation, the management or otherwise, but others are rather broad.” As
firm’s UK practice was a titan in the real estate sector. a whole BCLP’s real estate practice handles site acquisi-
“It used to be the case that it was just real estate all over tions, lease renewals and purchases and sales of proper-
the place, but since the merger there’s been a huge diver-
The True Picture

sification,” we heard. Chambers UK continues to recog- Seat options: investment management; M&A and cor-
nise BCLP as a leader in construction, planning and real porate finance; technology and commercial; data priva-
estate, though the firm’s less prestigious rankings also cy; tax advice and controversy; private client; commer-
span banking and finance, energy, commercial contracts, cial construction and engineering; planning & zoning;
capital markets, contentious regulatory and hotels work core real estate; banking; structured finance; energy,
among others. American legacy firm Bryan Cave added environment and infrastructure; transport and asset fi-
17 US offices to the network – on the junior end, it seems nance; real estate finance; restructuring & insolvency;
“so far away” that it was very rarely even brought up by real estate disputes; investigations, financial regulation
our interviewees; but the merger’s brought cross-Atlantic & white collar crime; commercial disputes; CDR/anti-
fare into the firm’s workstream. BCLP picks up worldwide trust; antitrust and competition; international arbitration
Chambers Global rankings in agribusiness, construction, and construction disputes; commercial construction/
international private client and outsourcing. construction disputes; and labour and employment.

246
chambersstudent.co.uk Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP B
Chambers UK rankings to see both borrower and lender side deals: “it’s great to
Asset Finance Insurance
not get tied to one side of the market.” The firm recently
Banking & Finance International Arbitration
advised hotel group Globalgrange on its restructuring of
Banking Litigation Investment Funds
the £1.5 billion Grange Hotels portfolio; Barclays, Homes
Capital Markets Licensing
England and Allianz are also on the books. Trainees told
Commercial Contracts Litigation
us that around half of their work is managing conditions
Competition/European Law Local Government
precedent checklists of “50 or so items, chasing people
Construction Outsourcing
to get documents in on time, keeping track of their status
Corporate/M&A Planning
and sending them to the right place.” Higher-responsibility
Data Protection Projects
tasks include working through comments in negotiations
Employment Public Procurement
and drafting security packages and board minutes. Inter-
Energy & Natural Real Estate
viewees found it “exciting to be able to get stuck into docu-
Resources Real Estate Finance
ments, understand how they work and negotiate what you
Environment Real Estate Litigation
can and can’t accept.”
Financial Crime Restructuring/Insolvency
Financial Services Retail
International arbitration and construction disputes used
Fraud Sports Law
to be two separate seats, but now live under one IACD
Hotels & Leisure Tax
roof. “It does still feel there’s a distinction between them
Information Technology Transport
in many respects,” insiders felt. “They’re trying to make it
as cohesive as possible.” Trainees do indeed get staffed
on one side but can work in the other if they’d like – “the
firm is keen on enabling you to get involved with different
ties for businesses and investment groups. Trainees can types of work if you want to.” International arbitration is
have as many as 30 different matters on the go at once, fittingly enough “an international practice in ways that a
which some found gives a “surface knowledge of lots of lot of other departments at BCLP aren’t.” The firm handles
things – but I’d rather have got to know a few things well.” large disputes for Russian and Eastern European clients;
The firm recently advised real estate giant URW (owner has a presence in Singapore; and there’s been “a push for
of Westfield and its shopping centres) on the forma- more Abu Dhabi and Dubai work recently too.” Commercial
tion of a partnership with the Canadian public pension clients from the tech, energy, infrastructure and trans-
fund property group to fund a £670 million build-to-rent port worlds (as well as the odd sovereign entity) call on
scheme near its Stratford site. Other clients here include BCLP’s expertise. Trainees can get their hands on “meaty
Transport for London and Heathrow Airport. Asset man- tasks, including substantial drafting exercises and techni-
agement work took a dive during the Covid-19 crisis and cal research.” They also do plenty of disclosure, but typi-
“trainee workload dropped significantly in lockdown, so the cally dodge the dreaded bundling thanks to the growing
team drafted a fictional case study for us to work on, which trend of ‘e-bundles’ in arbitrations. Long live the internet.
kept training going.”
“… remarkably clever, you can just absorb
“An enormous enterprise within the firm.” wisdom off them.”
A seat in real estate was marmite for trainees – some said Over in construction disputes, “a lot of the work feeds off
your opinion could come down to “the team you’re in. Some real estate clients as you’d expect.” Examples include liti-
trainee tasks seem like they could be automated – there’s a gation avoidance and “disputes against contractors when
lot of chasing emails all day for 100 different things, with a building goes wrong or when, a few years down the line,
no real application of the law.” Others reported “getting they find faults with it.” Much like in arbitration, cases
lots of responsibility, independence and trust” to draft li- are kept confidential – think projects that reach the bil-
The True Picture

cences, leases and deeds. The culture of sub-teams var- lions, resulting in arbitrations all over the world. BCLP’s
ies too, with some reporting they “had no time to ever take practice also involves adjudications, “a shorter process of
a break or chat due to the stress and competition.” Overall, resolving a dispute – perhaps over how much a contractor
interviewees agreed that a spell in real estate “gets you a is owed.” The Covid-19 pandemic has triggered a land-
bird’s-eye view of the work the firm does.” slide of construction suspensions, leading to questions
of whether contractors are entitled to stop work. Con-
Though it’s “complementary to the RE team,” real estate struction is “quite a technical area of the law. Trainees do
finance is “completely its own machine” at BLCP. Wel- lots of research into specific niches – I now know lots about
coming six trainees at a time, the department deal with the chemical composition of concrete!” Our sources also
“higher value” real estate deals – we’re talking hundreds attended witness interviews, drafted documents like wit-
of millions. This team steps up “whenever there’s a fi- ness statements and letters, and helped partners form
nance or loan element to a real estate deal.” Trainees get arguments. Some said their role is “spreadsheet-heavy,

247
 B Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

using a lot of numbers, which can be frustrating!” They Some felt that BCLP “didn’t do as well as some other
were happier to say that senior colleagues are “remark- firms” in reaction to the worldwide lockdown. Initially “we
ably clever, you can just absorb wisdom off them.” weren’t given laptops, screens, desktops or chairs and have
to use our own equipment. It makes us less productive.”
With 30 offices, international secondments are practi- That said, trainees credited the firm as “really good at
cally a given – BCLP comes through here, with potential keeping everyone updated and in good spirits,” reflecting
destinations including New York, Hong Kong, Singapore, a more general “emphasis on mental health” and good-na-
Dubai, Brussels and Abu Dhabi. The firm also runs client tured firm culture. “Everyone’s so friendly – people couldn’t
secondments to the likes of Goldman Sachs and Heath- be nicer. There’s a general acknowledgement of your exist-
row Airport. Some spots are competitive (shout out NYC) ence outside the job.” Sources implied that while partners
“but if you want to go on a secondment, you can. Just be a in some seats are “old-fashioned and less approachable,”
bit proactive and let HR know early on.” Trainees apply dur- most are “happy to help you and take an interest in your
ing the standard seat allocation process, ranking up to development.” At the start of each seat, trainees complete
five secondment preferences with a pitch of why they’d “very comprehensive training. I always look back at my
suit the spot. In-demand seats require video interviews, notes for common issues and tips!”
though they’re “pretty informal and laidback.”
“A very early push to get you out talking to
juniors in clients’ departments.”
Trainee Life
BCLP’s London office was due to relocate when the We reported last year that BCLP trainees were disgrun-
2020 lockdown hit. “We’re really looking forward to go- tled about their salaries and lack of bonuses. Spirits rose
ing in,” trainees said. “It’ll be fully open plan and we have after increases at trainee and NQ level. The firm did ask
new desks, though they do look a bit crammed in from the anyone earning over £30,000 to consider taking a pay cut
artist impression… like an IT suite at school!” Some were during the Covid-19 pandemic (at first it was pitched at
disheartened to lose their “old view of the river, the heart 15% and then subsequently lowered to 7.5%). While not
of the City is such a soulless area.” It’s hard to beat for everyone was pleased with the firm’s request, others ar-
socials, though – trainees can get involved in sports, pub gued that it was “proactive. It’s better to do it early rath-
outings and various “shindigs.” The trainee social commit- er than wait until it’s too late and people get fired. Those
tee organises nights out for the whole cohort, “they go for moaning about the money are missing the point.” Though
simple things like loads of food and money behind a bar.” some declared they “could be doing the same hours for
more at a US firm,” most told us they are “invested in BCLP.
“There’s a general acknowledgement of I’ve seen the quality of associates they can produce and it’s
your existence outside the job.” a very good place to continue to develop and learn.” The
firm went on to confirm a new (lower) London NQ pay rate
Interviewees were very passionate about “genuine recog- of £78,000 in summer 2020.
nition of diversity and inclusion.” The firm runs webinars,
research projects and events, which have a large trainee Trainees meet with HR to discuss qualification prefer-
turnout as “it’s considered part of the trainee role to play an ences, then get a list of available jobs before submitting
active part in diversity at BCLP.” That doesn’t mean things applications. “Each team has a different approach to inter-
are perfect, but we heard the firm is “trying very hard to views, depending on how many people apply.” BCLP failed
bring in more black lawyers, for example, and concede it’s to disclose its 2019 retention figure, but it’s sometimes
not historically gone as well as they’d like.” Trainees also been low by City standards. This put off trainees who felt
dived into pro bono projects with the Financial Services they were “there to serve as a cheap resource for two years
Lawyers Association and Amicus, which represents peo- before needing to move on.” Covid-19 and a lateral hiring
ple on death row in the US. Other options are a weekly le- freeze added further uncertainty to the mix, but recent
The True Picture

gal advice clinic in Tower Hamlets, cases with LawWorks changes in the graduate recruitment team left many
and a new project that examines how prisons are dealing “hopeful – they’re being interactive with trainees and trying
with the Covid-19 crisis. to listen more.” In 2020, BCLP did not disclose its reten-
tion rate.
Cave dwellers
Though we heard of “odd late nights” or “regular 10.30pm
finishes,” trainees wrapped up work by 7pm on average.
Private client and IACD are known for friendlier hours,
whereas finance departments can call for “ridiculous hours,
squeezing every minute of the day for working.”
248
www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
chambersstudent.co.uk Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP B

Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner

Adelaide House, London Bridge, London EC4R 9HA
Tel: 020 3400 1000 Fax: 020 3400 1111 Twitter: @BCLP_Trainees @BCLP_Law Partners: 150 (547 Globally)
Website: www.trainee.bclplaw.com Facebook: BCLPTrainees Associates: 348
Linkedin: bryan-cave-leighton-paisner-llp Instagram: @bclp_trainees Total trainees: 74
UK offices: London, Manchester
Overseas offices: 28
Firm profile
Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner is a market leader formed by one of the biggest transatlantic mergers in Contacts
recent times, we now have over 1,400 lawyers in 30 offices around the globe. Join us as a trainee and Graduate recruitment:
[email protected]
you’ll be at the heart of it all, working with industry leading teams and award winning technology al-
020 3400 1000
lowing you to focus on more exciting work.
Application criteria
Main areas of work Training contracts pa: 35
The firm is structured into four large departments: real estate, corporate, finance, and litigation and Minimum required degree: 2:1
corporate risk. Trainees work on challenging projects from the outset and are given a high level of Vacation scheme places pa: 30
responsibility. A handful of our internationally renowned clients are names such as Deliveroo, Nike,
Goldman Sachs, Heathrow, EDF, BT, Deutsche Bank, Tesco and eBay to name a few. Dates and deadlines
Training contract deadline, 2022
Training opportunities start: 31st May 2020
The firm is structured into three large departments: Real Estate, Corporate and Financial Transactions Vacation scheme applications
and Litigation and Investigations. We deliver legal solutions to a wide range of major companies, fi- open: 1st September 2020

nancial institutions, prominent public sector bodies and private clients. As part of our team, you will Vacation scheme 2021 deadline:
31st January 2021
be exposed to how they work, the problems they face and the opportunities they have to grow. As their
adviser, they will rely on your guidance, skill and thought leadership to help them achieve their com- Salary and benefits
mercial objectives. The level of client contact is high for our trainees and trainees are exposed to a high First-year salary:
caliber of clients including, Deliveroo, Nike, EBay and Tesco. Working in partner-led teams, you’ll be £44,000 (London) *
exposed to a client base that includes over 50 Global Fortune 500 & FTSE 100 companies, and over half Second-year salary:
£48,000 (London) *
of the world's top 20 banks.
Post-qualification salary:
£78,000
Training opportunities
Holiday entitlement: 25 days
At BCLP we are fully committed to providing continual, high-quality training and support to our train-
ees. We offer four seat rotations of 6 months, with flexible seat choices across all core departments and a Sponsorship
wide range of practice areas in the business. Each trainee receives regular 1:1 support from the Graduate LPC fees: Yes
Recruitment team and the Training Principal, a Partner mentor to provide wider career guidance and a GDL fees: Yes
designated supervisor within each department. Trainees have access to individual coaching and train- Maintenance grant pa: £7,200
ing from the Learning and Development team, as well as quarterly ‘Lunch and Learn’ updates. We aim
International and regional
to continuously improve our trainee experience and accordingly run a Trainee Discussion Forum with
Offices with training contracts:
representatives from each trainee intake to facilitate active information sharing between management
London, Manchester, Hong Kong
and trainees. We also have an active Trainee Social Committee to ensure trainees get together outside
Overseas seats: Abu Dhabi,
of the office. Brussels, Dubai, Hong Kong,
Singapore, New York
Vacation scheme Client secondments: Argent,
We run our vacation schemes in the summer for up to 15 candidates per scheme across June and July. AIG, Goldman Sachs, MUFG
We aim to keep our schemes very interactive. We want to make you feel like you are a trainee through Bank, Heathrow, Reprieve

out your time at the firm and the work you do will often make a real impact and be presented to our
The True Picture

clients. During our summer vacation schemes you can also expect to attend case study workshops,
complete a pro bono project and take part in a mock pitch with a real client. It is not all hard work and
no play, we want you to experience our culture first hand through our speed networking lunches and
social events.

Open days and first-year opportunities

We are hosting an Open Day in December 2020 and February 2021. These opportunities are open to
candidates at any stage of their career (university level and above) that are interested in apply¬ing to
BCLP. We also host a week long Insight Scheme in April which is for first year law students and second
year non law students. If you perform well whilst on the scheme, you can apply for a direct training
contract in September. If your application is successful, we will consider you early on in the process to
ensure you have a space at one of our first assessment centres of the year.

Org ID: 27 3 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................249

 B Burges Salmon LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Burges Salmon LLP

The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Locations: Bristol, London, Scotland How to get into Burges Salmon
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 96/323/38
Seats: 6x4 months
First-year salary: £35,000
Qualification salary: £50,000

Big fish Burges Salmon reels trainees in with quality work, but CSR
initiatives, mental health awareness and ice cream keep ‘em hooked.

The Firm for rookies. Aside from the fact that trainees get expe-
Where in the world can you see world-famous street rience in more areas, “you know what you like after four
art, take in views of the River Avon from over 200 feet months, so staying in a seat for another two months could
high, and finish up in a cosy pub for a delicious pint of be painful!” Trainees rank their preferred seats from one
cider? Why, Bristol of course. Home of Banksy, the Clifton to three before each rotation. To boost the chances of
Suspension Bridge, cracking cider – and law firm Burges getting what you want, “have a clear plan,” one advised.
Salmon. The firm also has small bases in London and “I said why I wanted a particular seat every step of the way
Edinburgh, but every single trainee joins HQ in good old and I got every single seat I wanted.” Not all of our inter-
Brizzle. Naturally, Burges Salmon appeals to those who viewees were so lucky.
already know how awesome the city is. But it was also
an appealing package for those who weren’t familiar. “I
moved here not knowing anyone,” one such trainee shared, The Seats
“but you end up making very good friends” – incoming Trainees are likely to do a seat in real estate, which is
trainees all do the LPC together in Bristol. “Burges Salm- one of the firm’s biggest groups.Six trainees sit here per
on was always on my radar,” said another, “but I was initially rotation, and sources felt “it’s a really good place to kick
focused on London. When I looked into it more, I realised off the training contract because there are a lot of juniors
the firm has quality work and really good clients.” to support you.” For trainees, there’s “a lot of form filling”
to be done, like completing Stamp Duty Land Tax forms:
Burges Salmon is swimming in Chambers UK rankings, “They’re nice to do because once you’ve done one you’ve got
with no fewer than 43 accolades spanning 28 practice your head around them.” Rookies often run smaller bits of
areas. In Bristol and the South West, it gets no less than “chunky” deals as well, which entailed “collating the docu-
top marks for every single ranking it has (17 in total), and ments needed for transactions, plus some heavy drafting of
nationally its public procurement and rail work is among ancillary documents.” Trainees described plenty of “intel-
the best. Outside London the firm is a national leader in lectually challenging” work like writing letters to HMRC,
construction, corporate/M&A, employment, IP, real es- “which involved some exceptionally complicated maths!”
The True Picture

tate and, according to Chambers High Net Worth, private The client base is “a real mixed bag” of companies in the
wealth law. The firm’s energy work is also highly ranked energy, transport, hotels and leisure sectors, as well as
by Chambers Global. All considered, this makes it one of banks like HSBC and retailers like John Lewis and Water-
the best firms working outside of London, competing stones. The firm recently advised Malaysian property de-
with prestigious City firms and big national firms alike. veloper YTL on its development of the Filton airfield site
in Bristol, which will include 2,600 homes. Trainees also
Burges Salmon has eight core practices: banking, com-
mercial, corporate, dispute resolution, employment, pri-
vate client, projects and real estate. This breadth could Seat options: real estate; dispute resolution; projects;
be one reason why the firm operates with the less con- tax, trusts and family; employment; pensions; corpo-
ventional six-seat system, each seat lasting four months. rate; planning; construction; banking; innovation and
This structure put Burges Salmon at “the top of the list” client solutions

250
chambersstudent.co.uk Burges Salmon LLP B
Chambers UK rankings we crossed all the t’s and dotted all the i’s.” As one told us,
Agriculture & Rural Affairs Intellectual Property
“I went to lots of client board meetings to facilitate signa-
Asset Finance Investment Funds
tures.” Getting this kind of client contact was a highlight
Banking & Finance Litigation
for trainees in this seat.
Banking Litigation Outsourcing
Competition/European Law Partnership
Banking is” a great seat because trainees take on lots of
Construction Pensions
responsibility,” one insider praised. “Granted, we don’t draft
Corporate/M&A Pensions Litigation
agreements from day one, but we’re still a crucial part of the
Education Planning
deal process.” To keep deals ticking along, trainees were
Employment Professional Negligence
responsible for updating documents and running condi-
Energy & Natural Projects
tions precedent lists.Trainees might also get called on to
Resources Public Procurement
assist on matters with the insolvency team. Banks on the
Environment Real Estate
client list include Lloyds, HSBC and Dutch bank NIBC.
Family/Matrimonial Real Estate Litigation
This group recently negotiated with the government to
Financial Crime Restructuring/Insolvency
secure public funding for the Eden Geothermal Project in
Health & Safety Tax
Cornwall on behalf of the project sponsors, and advised
Information Technology Transport
private equity company Capital Dynamics on £64 million
of debt finance for a wind farm in southern Scotland.

“I really felt part of the team and really got

got in on some “smaller residential transactions” for high to know the clients.”
net worth individuals.
As the examples above demonstrate, energy is a key sec-
“I was up and down to London filing claims tor for Burges Salmon, and environmentally-conscious
with the High Court.” trainees were drawn to “a real focus on renewables rather
than fossil fuels” – although the firm does work in both
If a real estate dispute arises, it’ll be handled by the dis- arenas. The projects team does transactional and advi-
putes team. Other subgroups include IP, energy, pen- sory work on a “wide array” of nuclear power, transport,
sions, financial services, transport and agriculture. As the waste and water management, renewables and defence
firm’s largest department, it takes ten trainees at a time projects. In that last category, the team recently advised
and everyone is guaranteed to do a stint here at some the Ministry of Defence on its £30 billion procurement
point in the training contract. “It’s incredibly fast-paced of Dreadnought submarines, which will replace Trident.
and pressurised,” sources told us, with trainees “thrown Trainees spent a lot of time negotiating contracts with
in the deep end straight away.” For one trainee, “I was up the other side, and sources “really loved” the seat for the
and down to London filing claims with the High Court and high amount of client contact. “I really felt part of the team
getting witnesses’ evidence.” For another, “a super urgent and really got to know the clients,” said one. Some even
injunction” kept them occupied over a busy few days: “I got involved in pitches for new clients. Trainees were also
travelled on three hours’ sleep to turn around the work, but given research tasks, like brushing up on niche areas of
I never felt like an expendable source.” Less scintillating procurement law to advise clients.
“research tasks and bundling sadly come with the territory”
too, but interviewees noted they “got the most exposure We heard a lot of secondmentopportunities come up in
to big clients” in this seat. None come much bigger than the energy sphere, including a client secondment with
Coca-Cola, Virgin, the BBC and The Crown Estate, all firm EDF Energy. Trainees might second to the Edinburgh
clients. The team recently defended Benefit Cosmetics in offices, and the firm also does an ‘internal secondment’
a £1 million trademark infringement claim. with the innovation and client solutions team. “It was
The True Picture

great to see that side of Burges Salmon,” one insider told

The corporate finance team handles mid-market M&A us. “I did a lot of research into AI solutions.”
and private equity work for public and private companies,
many of which are AIM-listed. Trainees liked the fact that
“we don’t just work for big clients, we help the little guy Trainee Life
too,” pointing out that Bristol is “well known for its incuba- “The culture is one of the strongest things about this firm,”
tor hubs and start-up companies.” One told us: “I helped interviewees praised. “What strikes me most is how lovely
lots of cool tech start-ups with their fund-raising rounds.” everyone is,” said one. “Every partner I’ve met is so willing
The team recently advised ITM Power, which manufac- to impart their wisdom and give you the time of day.” Train-
tures hydrogen energy equipment, on a £58.8 million ees felt the firm’s “real focus on teaching breeds mutual
fund-raising round. Corporate finance is a highly regulat- respect throughout all the ranks.” Several highlighted a
ed area of law, so trainees felt the pressure to “make sure “non-hierarchical” atmosphere, with one telling us: “I feel

251
 B Burges Salmon LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

fine walking into a partner’s office for a chat.” Plus, with Bristol’s dragon boat race is another highlight on the so-
a trainee intake of between 25 and 30 a year, “there’s a cial calendar. “We build a raft and race down the river,”
strong support system amongst us, so I’ve never felt iso- the rowers explained. “Us trainees do try, but the Bristol
lated.” firefighters always win.” There’s lots more on offer for
sporty trainees, like a running club and a bouldering club:
Our interviewees were all conscious of “the stigma around “I couldn’t wait for lockdown to end so I could go back to
the impact of the legal industry on mental health,” which bouldering!” But if you’re less about rippling abs and more
made them especially appreciative of the firm’s efforts. about raspberry ripple, there’s plenty on offer for you too:
Trainees highlighted talks made by senior lawyers at the the firm hired an ice cream van as a treat after the dis-
firm, “where they stand up in front of their peers saying, putes group “smashed their billing target.”
‘Look at me, I’m fine now but I’ve had to ask for help.’” We
also heard the firm was particularly attentive to mental Mental health awareness, check. CSR and charity initia-
health during lockdown, with “weekly wellbeing updates tives, check. Dragon boat races and free ice cream, check.
and communication from people at the top of the firm.” What’s not to love? Well, sources were a bit disappointed
with the salary. “It’s OK,” said one trainee, “but nothing to
“People practise for ages and the write home about.” With £50,000 on qualification, salaries
costumes are brilliant.” here are not quite as high as those of competitors Os-
borne Clarke and Simmons & Simmons. That said, it’s still
Everyone at the firm is “strongly encouraged” to get in- at the higher end of what you’ll find outside London. In-
volved in the firm’s corporate social responsibility ini- siders also made it clear that “with Burges Salmon, you’re
tiatives through two dedicated volunteering days, like not just choosing the work, you’re choosing the lifestyle.”
helping out at a food share organisation or gardening at Sources reported finishing by 7pm most days, but they
a local farm “which was really cool, though it did rain the weren’t exempt from the occasional 9 or 10pm finishes
whole day.” Others got involved with mentoring schemes in seats like disputes, real estate and corporate finance.
such as giving careers advice to high school students. Trainees liked the fact that several lawyers “tell us to go
This year, Burges Salmon chose the theme of ‘no child home when we’re not busy.”
goes hungry’ to focus on through its charity work, so it
sponsors charities that work to address food poverty. Trainees can only apply for one NQ position, but they
The firm also hosts an annual charity dance competition were reassured by the levels of transparency around the
called Strictly Legal, complete with a raffle and auction. whole process. “HR speaks with us a lot before we make
It’s a bit of a social highlight as well. “People practise for our final decision,” they explained, “and you get a pretty
ages and the costumes are brilliant,” one trainee told us. clear indication whether departments want you or not.”
“The lawyers get into groups then dance in our atrium – Trainees submit a CV and cover letter to their chosen
they play the Strictly theme tune too!” Interviewees were group, and there’ll only be an interview if too many peo-
delighted to report that the trainee group won the most ple apply for the same department. There isn’t a painfully
recent one. long wait either: “We hear whether we’ve been successful
a week or two after we’ve applied.” In 2020, the firm im-
pressively retained all 29 qualifiers.
The True Picture

Diversity at BSalmon:
The firm has LGBTQ+ and BAME networks
called BProud and BCultured.

252
www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
chambersstudent.co.uk Burges Salmon LLP B

Burges Salmon
One Glass Wharf, Bristol BS2 0ZX
Tel: 0117 307 6938 Instagram: @burgessalmontrainees Partners: 95
Website: www.burges-salmon.com Twitter: @BurgesSalmonTS Associates: 311
Email: [email protected] Trainees: 50
UK offices: Bristol, Edingburgh,
London

Firm profile Contacts

Burges Salmon is the independent UK law firm which delivers the best mix of advice, service and Graduate recruitment:
value. The firm prides itself on delivering an excellent standard of legal and business advice to its Anna Dixon
[email protected]
clients, which has led to many of the firm’s practice areas and sectors winning awards and recogni- 0117 307 6938
tion as best in class. Burges Salmon’s national and international client base ranges from private Training partner:
individuals to government departments and FTSE 100 companies including The Crown Estate, Mark Shepherd
Nationwide, Lloyds Banking Group, John Lewis, The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, First- mark.shepherd@burges-salmon.
com
Group and the Crown Commercial Service.
Application criteria
Main areas of work Training contracts pa: 22
The quality of the firm’s expertise is widely recognised across its main practice areas including- Applications pa: 1000
banking and finance, commercial, corporate, dispute resolution, employment, private client, pro- Minimum required degree grade:
jects and real estate. The firm operates within seven key sectors; energy, power and utilities, infra- 2:1 or other
structure, public sector, transport, financial services, private wealth and real estate. Minimum UCAS points or A
levels: BBB
Vacation scheme places pa: 40
Training opportunities
Burges Salmon’s six seat training contract is designed to provide you with the greatest breadth Dates and deadlines
of experience possible as a trainee. While traditional training contracts normally include four six Training contract applications
month seats, ours include six four-month placements. This affords you the maximum exposure to open: 1st October 2020
Training contract deadline, 2023
our varied practice areas and experience of a wide range of contentious (you can expect to sit in
start: 24th June 2021
dispute resolution) and non-contentious work from across the firm’s departments. Vacation scheme applications
open: 1st October 2020
Vacation schemes Vacation scheme 2020 deadline:
Winter 29 October 2020,
Burges Salmon runs winter (one week), spring and summer (two weeks) schemes across the year.
Spring./Summer 7 January 2021
During the scheme you will have the opportunity to visit two departments of your choice. The
emphasis is on ‘real work’ and, under the guidance of your supervisor, you will have the chance to Salary and benefits
attend court or client meetings as well as skills sessions run by trainees and solicitors. In addition First-year salary: £35,000
to this, there are many social and sports events throughout the placement that offer a real insight Second-year salary: £36,000
Post-qualification salary: £50,000
into life as a trainee solicitor. Allowance: £300 per week.
Holiday entitlement: 25 days

Other benefits Sponsorship

Annually reviewed competitive salary, 25 days paid annual leave, bonus scheme, pension scheme, LPC fees: Yes
private health care membership, life assurance, mobile phone, Christmas gift, corporate gym GDL fees: Yes
membership, sports and social club. Maintenance grant pa: £7000

International and regional

Open days and first-year opportunities Offices with training contracts:
This year the firm will run three virtual open evenings in November and December. Presentations
The True Picture

Bristol
are given by current trainees, a recruitment partner and the graduate recruitment team about life
at the firm and the application process. There are also various other insigt events throughout the
year including open days and Food for thought' skills sessions.

Org ID: 57 4 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................253

 C Charles Russell Speechlys chambersstudent.co.uk

Charles Russell Speechlys

The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Locations: London, Guildford, Cheltenham How to get into CRS
Overseas offices: 8
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 142/347/50
Seats: 4x6 months
First-year salary: undisclosed
Qualification salary: undisclosed

A hard-earned private client reputation married to a full-service

corporate/commercial offering… a mix to leave you Speechlys.

The Firm private client in Geneva, and occasionally people have gone
Since the firm was formed via a 2014 merger, trainees to Zürich – someone once did three months in each.” Client
have been drawn to CRS’ London, Guildford and Chel- secondments were more common: trainees had spent six
tenham offices by the “good breadth of seats” on offer, as months with various clients including “big-name banking
well as the promise of a “better culture that comes with and media organisations.” International seats in particular
working at a slightly smaller firm than the giants.” Upon are in high demand, so be prepared to fight your corner if
arrival, trainees noted “how personable Charles Rus- you want to score a golden ticket overseas.
sell Speechlys is; the people are genuine and honest.” In
2019 the people got a new leader in the form of freshly Each office has a structured process for seat alloca-
installed managing partner Simon Ridpath, successor to tion: around two months before each rotation, the firm
pre-merger skipper James Carter. releases a list of available seats. Trainees fill out a form
stating three preferences, “as well as reasons for wanting
“I liked the fact that as well as having a good reputation in to go there,” then HR will try and sort trainees into their
the private client sphere, they also have a full-service offer- preferred departments.The process used to be more in-
ing,” one trainee offered up as their reason for choosing formal in the smaller offices – “in Cheltenham there have
Charles Russell Speechlys to train at. Alongside stellar only been two trainees in each intake, so it was easier to
rankings in Chambers High Net Worth for an array of pri- work out among ourselves” – but these offices have now
vate client areas (including private wealth law, private adopted the same process as elsewhere.
wealth disputes and high-value residential real estate),
the firm also scores spots in commercial rankings in Lon- Seat options: LONDON: commercial; corporate; bank-
don and UK-wide: corporate M&A, real estate, charities, ing; employment, pensions & immigration; financial ser-
sports, telecommunications and retail. Guildford’s team vices; charities; family; private property; tax, trusts and
particularly excels in construction, family and real estate succession; tax; construction, engineering & projects;
The True Picture

litigation; Cheltenham’s expertise includes agriculture real estate; real estate disputes; commercial dispute
and rural affairs, employment, banking and finance. resolution; private wealth disputes; corporate restruc-
turing & insolvency; IP litigation. GUILDFORD: corpo-
“…better culture that comes with working rate; employment, pensions & immigration; family; pri-
vate property; tax, trusts and succession; construction,
at a slightly smaller firm.”
engineering & projects; real estate; real estate disputes;
Though CRS is slightly ‘smaller’ than some competitors, commercial dispute resolution; private wealth disputes;
that doesn’t by any means make it ‘small’ in the big pic- corporate restructuring & insolvency. CHELTENHAM:
ture: three UK bases are complemented by international corporate; employment, pensions & immigration; pri-
hubs in Paris, Hong Kong, Manama, Luxembourg, Dubai, vate property; tax, trusts and succession; real estate;
Doha, Zürich and Geneva. London trainees have the op- real estate disputes; commercial dispute resolution;
tion of international secondments: “One of the seats is corporate restructuring & insolvency.

254
chambersstudent.co.uk Charles Russell Speechlys C
Chambers UK rankings squatters.” Wagamama and the National Crime Agency
Agriculture & Rural Affairs Fraud
are CRS clients and the firm recently acted for the liq-
Art and Cultural Property Healthcare
uidator of nightclub operators Strobe 2 on a £14 million
Law Information Technology
claim against the former directors.
Banking & Finance Intellectual Property
Capital Markets Investment Funds “Helping clients comply with child
Charities Litigation arrangement orders while in lockdown.”
Commercial Contracts Planning
Construction Professional Discipline
Charles Russell Speechlys has historically been best
Corporate/M&A Professional Negligence
known for its work advising private clients. A seat in tax,
Court of Protection Real Estate
trusts and succession gives trainees a good view of this:
Defamation/Reputation Real Estate Litigation
high net worth clients rely on the firm’s advice for wills,
Management Restructuring/Insolvency
trusts and general administration of their affairs. For our
Education Retail
sources this meant physically “drafting wills, letters of
Employment Sports Law
wishes, and lasting powers of attorney” as well as “trust
Family/Matrimonial Telecommunications
deeds, appointments of trustees, retirements of trustees,
and appointments of capital.” The seat also includes tax
planning, so trainees also do a fair bit of research and
“prepare tax advice – obviously under heavy supervision!”
As well as wealthy individuals and families, clients here
The Seats include executors of estates and so sensitivity is needed
Real estate has a “reputation for being one of the busier in this seat. Interviewees had also attended “stacks of
seats.” Interviewees didn’t see this is a bad thing – with client meetings” and appreciated the chances for “really
lots of work to do comes “lots of responsibility from the good client exposure” available in this department. “We
word go.” CRS advises commercial and residential clients, also have to deal with HMRC here, which is painful but has
and trainees worked for a spectrum from individuals to to be done,” one chuckled.
large corporations. Eton College, the City of London Cor-
poration and Caring Homes are on the books; the firm Private clients are also the focus of the family practice,
recently acted for the acquisition-hungry Stonegate Pub but here they’re dealing with “mainly divorces, some chil-
Company on its £3 billion purchase of the Ei Group and dren’s matters (usually custody clashes along with divorc-
4,500 pub sites. On the residential side, CRS advised es) and family finance issues.” High net worth individuals
Bellway Homes on a £109 million tenant-backed estate both domestic and international call on CRS for advice:
regeneration in south London. Trainees spent their time daughters of Ukrainian businessmen, Russian oligarchs
on a mix of “lease renewals, transfers of property, and and members of one of the Middle East’s richest families
sale and purchase agreements.” Several we spoke to ap- are some exciting examples. During our research period,
preciated the “freedom and trust to communicate with the coronavirus outbreak was creating unique problems
clients,” finding this commonplace in a real estate seat. for the team and trainees to solve, including “helping cli-
Deals gave trainees the chance to get “involved with Land ents comply with child arrangement orders while in lock-
Registry applications,” then move on to “drafting leases, down” and conducting divorce and custody hearings
transfers and contracts” alongside “juicy research tasks.” remotely. “It’s been interesting to see as the courts are
One source also recalled being given “some smaller files catching up as well – we’ve had to sort getting everything
to run, such as licences to alter.” online and work out how to best service our clients from
home,” a source told us. In more normal circumstances,
The real estate disputes seat ties in well with real estate, trainees are likely to get stuck into a hefty amount of re-
dealing with any contentious elements that may arise search as well as drafting “financial disclosure, briefs to
The True Picture

from properties (they often do). These could be disputes counsel and applications to court.”
between landlords and tenants, clashes over property
boundaries or more complex issues like “party wall dis- “I did quite a lot of high-value cross-
putes, compulsory purchases, enfranchisement disputes or jurisdictional M&A – one of our partners
even some property finance and insolvency cases.” Chel-
does a lot of African M&A work.”
tenham folks noticed an uptick in work from landed es-
tates. Day to day, trainees got stuck into “drafting letters A construction seat offers experience in litigious and
before action, letters of claims and letters of response” as non-contentious matters and our sources got stuck into
well as “drafting instructions to counsel, attending con- both. If it’s disputes that you’re looking for, the CRS team
ferences with counsel and the usual bundling and admin handles “a real variety, with any number of parties involved
tasks.” Some sources had even got the chance to “do a in a project.” Adjudications are all the rage in this sec-
bit of advocacy, acting on some eviction matters regarding tor, so trainees were able to see everything from first

255
 C Charles Russell Speechlys chambersstudent.co.uk

responses to the eventual decision – “adjudications are vious hierarchy and senior associates and partners are re-
great because they’re designed to be rapid and you actually ally accessible; there’s never any apprehension about going
get to see a conclusion.” As for the non-contentious side, over and talking to them.” Although this open atmosphere
trainees were charged with “drafting appointments for was common across each office, Guildford and Chel-
professionals like architects, designers, or engineers need- tenham come with added advantages. “Because they’re
ed for large-scale projects” as well as dealing with collat- smaller, you quickly get to know everyone,” we heard. “You
eral warrantiesand amending standard form contracts. don’t feel like just a name.” Some felt the CRS culture was
Sources enjoyed the exposure to a variety of “different changing slightly over time – “becoming one of a bigger
kinds of contracts with very different clients,” whether they firm with more of a growth-oriented atmosphere” – but
be housing developers, contractors or the private clients caveated that by saying “the firm hasn’t lost its focus on
which can be found once more here. The team recently its people.” One source summarised that “fee earners are
advised Harrods on the construction aspects of the office conscious that we are a family away from home” – and as
extension to its Hammersmith HQ; and acted for Green- with many families, social activities are key to keeping
wich Millennium Village on a £1.5 billion regeneration people happy. Trainees highlighted “excellent firmwide
scheme aiming to construct 3,200 homes. summer and Christmas parties” for everyone to come to-
gether, as well as office-specific shindigs. CRS also host
There’s also a “a full-on corporate seat” available – full- regular events for charity, including an “auction of prom-
on in what way? “The whole department does everything,” ises.”
sources explained. “I worked on all forms of corporate
transactions.” At CRS that means private equity, mid- The firm’s charitable nature extends to its work too,
market M&A and capital markets – our sources had seen through a healthy pro bono practice: “CRS takes pro bono
them all, often in an international context. One explained: really seriously. We have a dedicated pro bono legal director
“I did quite a lot of high-value cross-jurisdictional M&A and there’s a real range of matters to get involved in.” Lon-
– one of our partners does a lot of African M&A work.” As don folks spent time helping at the Bethnal Green Legal
for the UK, the team advised the Eddie Davies Trust on Advice Centre, while others did “property work for various
the out-of-administration sale of Bolton Wanderers FC to charities” and family cases for clients with less wealth
new owner Sharon Brittan’s Football Ventures; as well as than the CRS norm. “Even partners take pro bono serious-
the accounting network Grant Thornton UK on the sale of ly; if you say you’re at capacity because of pro bono, that’s
their wealth advisory business to 1825 (a Standard Life generally fine,” they concluded. Diversity is also promoted
financial planning and advice arm). through various initiatives: acknowledging that the firm’s
stats “could be better,” trainees suggested there’s been
a “real push to raise awareness.” Much of that has come
Trainee Life from the diversity and inclusion committee, “which is do-
Though working hours varied by seat, trainees were ing more and more work and making a tangible difference.”
“pretty happy” for the most part. Corporate, real estate Recent events include an International Women’s Day cel-
and transactional departments in general were the most ebration where “everyone in the firm was invited to make
demanding, with trainees usually clocking off around a pledge to do something that would promote equality,” as
7pm –later finishes could run later than 9pm, but that was well as a “Black History Month panel event where promi-
a rarity for many and our sources found their hours “rela- nent women of colour and some of our own lawyers spoke.”
tively reasonable.” In other seats, many were able to leave
by 6 or 6.30pm. “They want you to work hard and do your Second-year trainees were about to begin the qualifi-
best, but they don’t want you to work yourself to death,” a cation process at the time of our research (though the
grateful CRS insider noted. coronavirus outbreak had caused some dismay). “The jobs
list is usually released towards the end of April,” we heard.
“Even partners take pro bono seriously; if “Trainees then put in an application to the departments
The True Picture

you say you’re at capacity because of pro they’re interested in, with a CV and cover letter.” Depart-
ments hold interviews before making decisions. Charles
bono, that’s generally fine.”
Russell Speechlys customarily fares well on retention,
Across the firm our interviewees agreed that “there’s a but by the time we went to press the firm had not dis-
really good rapport between colleagues. There isn’t an ob- closed its retention numbers.

CSR at CRS
The firm has recently joined The Valuable 500, a network of
international businesses adding disability inclusion to their
leadership agendas.
256
www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
chambersstudent.co.uk Charles Russell Speechlys C

Charles Russell Speechlys

5 Fleet Place, London EC4M 7RD
Tel: 020 7203 5000 Instagram: @CRSTrainees Partners: 168
Website: www.charlesrussellspeechlys.com Linkedin: Associates: 300
Twitter: @CRS_Trainees CharlesRussellSpeechlys Total trainees: 43
UK offices: London, Guildford,
Cheltenham
Overseas offices: Doha, Dubai,
Firm profile Geneva, Hong Kong, Luxem-
Charles Russell Speechlys is a law firm headquartered in London with offices in the UK, Europe, the bourg, Manama, Paris, Zurich
Middle East and Hong Kong.
Contacts
We have an unusually broad range of skills and experience across the full spectrum of business and Graduate recruiter:
personal needs. This gives us a wider perspective, clear insight and a strongly commercial long-term Emma Hawken,
view. We use this approach to secure the growth of our clients as they move confidently into the future. [email protected]
Training partner:
It has made us a leader in the world of dynamic growth and family businesses, and among the world’s Hamish Perry
leading creators and owners of private wealth and their families. Major corporates and institutions find
our more considered and personal approach a refreshing alternative to conventional business law firms. Application criteria
Training contract pa: 25
Main areas of work Applications pa: 1000
Banking and finance, commercial, commercial dispute resolution, construction, engineering and pro- Minimum required degree grade:
jects, corporate, corporate tax, corporate restructuring and insolvency, employment, pensions and im- 2:1 or other
migration, family, financial services, IP litigation, private property, private wealth disputes, real estate Minimum UCAS points or A
levels: AAB
disputes, real estate and tax, trusts and succession.
Vacation scheme places pa: 56
These practice areas are focused on the following sector areas: charities and not for profit, construction
and infrastructure, energy and natural resources, financial services, healthcare, private wealth, real es- Dates and deadlines
tate, retail and leisure, sport and technology, media and telecommunications. Training contract and vacation
scheme applications:
Training opportunities October each year
At Charles Russell Speechlys we provide a practical learning environment for trainees where emphasis Training contract and Vacation
scheme deadline: 31st January
is given to early responsibility and supervised client contact. The two-year training contract is divided
2021
into four seats, giving trainees the opportunity to experience a range of different practice areas before
qualification, including a contentious seat. Throughout the training contract there are regular meet- Sponsorship
ings and reviews between the trainees and their supervisors to ensure they are continuing to receive a LPC fees: Yes
broad range of quality work. This, together with our in-house training programme, the Charles Rus- GDL fees: Yes
sell Speechlys Skills Academy, ensures that our trainees develop the required skills and knowledge to Maintenance grant: Yes
become successful lawyers.
International and regional
Offices with training contracts:
Vacation scheme London, Guildford, Cheltenham
Our vacation scheme takes place in our London, Cheltenham and Guildford offices and offers a detailed
introduction to the legal world. Each week is spent in a different practice area where you will carry out
real fee earning work that could include attending client meetings and going to court. You will have
support from trainees and solicitors in each of the teams and have the opportunity to meet a number of
different people, either at organised social events or as part of your day to day interactions.

Other benefits
The True Picture

Benefits include private medical care, PHI and life assurance, pension, season ticket loan, cycle to work,
25 days’ holiday, dress down Fridays and a subsidised restaurant in the London offices

Org ID: 74 2 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................257

 C Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP

The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Location: London Get hired at Cleary
Overseas offices: 15
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 19/61/21
Seats: 4x6 months; overseas seats
First-year salary: £50,000
Qualification salary: £133,000

If you wish to be a “global citizen” in a friendly and “stratospherically

intelligent” environment, look no further than cheery Cleary.

The Firm alumni are about 70% of each intake.” At the time of our
When you think of New York’s international white shoe calls, the split was 60% Oxbridge and from September
elite – and Cleary are very much one of them – it’s unlikely 2020 it will be 52%. High-achieving Russell Group uni-
that ‘friendly’ will be the first word in your mind. A net- versities tend to supply the rest; some felt this “seems
work of 16 international offices doing billion-dollar work unfair” but rationalised the situation by pointing out that
all over the globe, employing the skills of attorneys from “this salary package attracts a lot of applicants from top
over 50 countries… it sounds vast, perhaps intimidating. unis, so the applications are skewed.” The pay package
Yet trainees in Cleary’s London base described it as “the certainly is impressive – Cleary once boasted the highest
best of all worlds, you don’t have to sacrifice personality to NQ salary at £120,000, though a handful of firms have
work here.” Once upon a time, in fact, Friendly was legiti- since outdone them. “It’s quite competitive… it’s compara-
mately this firm’s middle name – Henry Friendly was one ble to the salary of first-year juniors in the US, so it makes
of the founders of Cleary, Gottlieb, Friendly, & Cox. sense for us,” trainees said.

“It’s common for people here to have an international back- The buzzword at Cleary was “flex” – trainees used it as
ground or at least an interest,” we heard. “At least half the a summary for “freedom, flexibility and independent
most recent intake has had a lot of foreign exposure, lived thought” at the firm. Trainees in one seat may be “flexed”
abroad, or have come from overseas.” Trainees loved their to help out on a matter in another department, “getting
internationally diverse cohort: “You’re exposed to different insights into a practice area without even sitting there.” It’s
cultures and perspectives, which has really opened my eyes also common for trainees to “continue matters from your
to how the world operates. It makes me feel like a global first seat through your entire training contract, from various
citizen.” Cleary is ranked in Chambers Global as top world- angles. It’s a more organic way of learning.” A vast inter-
wide in capital markets and competition/antitrust, and national network combined with a “flexible” training con-
it’s highly commended for dispute resolution, corporate/ tract gives trainees “a bird’s eye view of the entire market,”
M&A and tax among other fields. As for fair Blighty, the while the ability to move around the firm gave sources
The True Picture

team in London earns Chambers UK rankings for high-end the impression of “making a rich and unique contribution
private equity buyouts, capital markets, banking litiga- to Cleary from day one. It might sound kitsch, but it’s true!”
tion, competition and big-ticket corporate – all of which The seat allocation process is “very informal. You chat
often have a strong international dimension. with HR at the halfway point of your seat and give them a
list of where you’d want to go next and why.” There are no
“…impressed by the people here. They’re compulsory seats, though almost all trainees do one of
stratospherically intelligent!” capital markets, finance or M&A.

Looking around their cohort, trainees were “unbelievably

impressed by the people here. They’re stratospherically
intelligent!” Cleary clearly looks in certain places to find Seat options: M&A, capital markets, finance, competi-
boffins: “Almost exclusively from private schools. Oxbridge tion, disputes, IP, fin reg, employment, funds, and tax.

258
chambersstudent.co.uk Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP C
Chambers UK rankings bados put together its $6.7 billion debt restructuring.
Banking & Finance Corporate/M&A
“We’ve worked on so many major refinancings and restruc-
Banking Litigation Litigation
turings throughout history, and the seat has a big geopoliti-
Capital Markets Private Equity
cal element to it. In this department it feels like you’re really
Competition/European Law
connected to the world and how it operates,” one trainee
told us. “It adds to the feeling of being a global citizen at
Cleary.” When not advising entire countries, the team also
works on leveraged finance deals, corporate restructur-
The Seats ings and accessions for corporates; they recently rep-
“Here in Clearyland,capital markets isn’t a siloed team,” resented the Eurasian Resources Group in a $7 billion
trainees said. “You can see the whole range from shelf series of financing transactions. Interviewees’ favourite
takedowns and debt matters to annual reports for multina- part of this seat was “dealing with local counsel – I’ve been
tional banks and corporations.” This theme park of a prac- the point contact in London and gained a lot of experience.”
tice includes emerging markets, US and European debt Trainees also drafted client responses, board and share-
and equity offerings –to give you an idea of the money be- holder resolutions and loan facility agreements, as well
ing thrown around, Cleary recently advised Credit Suisse as managing CP checklists.
on issuing $6.25 billion in notes over multiple transac-
tions; HSBC on the issuance of $7.25 billion of note offer- A contentious competition seat offers trainees the “full
ings total; and acted on the $6 billion IPO of Scandinavian spectrum of restrictive agreements and competition policy”
media group Schibsted’s Adevinta. Massive deals mean to soak up. Cleary’s team handles US, European and post-
trainees typically get stuck into “unglamorous” due dili- Brexit UK work, “advising companies when they’re being
gence. Insiders revealed that Cleary recently trialled AI investigated and generally on how to comply with govern-
software to streamline the process, “which can work really ment regulations.” The group also tackles merger controls
well, but you’ve still got to read everything yourself!” The working “closely with the M&A department.” Huge clients
seat can also involve legal research, taking call notes, like Disney, Coca-Cola and Sony call on Cleary, and the
drafting disclosure and some types of agreements, and firm advised Louis Vuitton on the global competition as-
work on annual reports. One additional key trainee task is pects of its luxury industry record $16.2 billion acquisi-
“going over selling restrictions and keeping on top of what’s tion of Tiffany. Interviewees here got to grips with “aca-
going on with Brexit. It can all change very quickly!” demic policy advocacy. Because competition is evolving all
the time, lots of associates contribute to various journals.”
The M&A team represents a mix of private equity and Trainees got their fill of drafting court submissions, bun-
sovereign clients – trainees were keen to let us know that dling and research: “I’ll be looking at other regulators’ de-
“aside from them being really bloody big, we don’t have a cisions, working out what it was that pushed them one way
typical client type.” Wells Fargo, BNP Paribas, Goldman or the other and seeing how it relates to our case. It feels
Sachs… the common theme is big money. Cleary recently like a lot of work, but it’s fine because we’re all bookworms
advised the Qatar Investment Authority on its acquisition anyway!”
by its subsidiary of a stake in Adani Electricity Mumbai.
The team also works on acquisitions and deals that “aren’t “The small intake means everyone has a
all pure M&A in the conventional sense” –examples include good chance of going somewhere.”
internal restructurings, asset disposals and buyouts, as
well as “housekeeping and advisory work. Clearly handles Scoring an overseas seatisn’t a game of musical chairs –
corporate governance and helps clients find new acquisi- trainees give HR a business case of why they want to go
tion targets.” Trainees in a corporate seat get to draft busi- to that location, “usually it’s because you will have been in
ness development articles and client alerts. Due diligence touch with a partner over there and want to continue that
tends to make up a hefty chunk of the workload, as does work.” Jetsetting trainees in past intakes have spent time
The True Picture

taking calls notes and preparing board resolutions. In- in DC, New York, Abu Dhabi, Paris, Milan, Brussels, Bue-
terviewees felt like “a valued addition to the team on each nos Aires, Moscow and Hong Kong (any destination is up
project,” suggesting “you can really take ownership of what for grabs if there is a business case, however). As with
you do.” On advisory matters, trainees conduct research general seat allocation, trainees felt the secondment pro-
on discrete areas of law and prepare memos that get cess was “organic” and allows you to “chase the opportuni-
passed on to clients. ties and lifestyle that are most exciting for you. The small
intake means that everyone has a good chance of being
“You’re really connected to the world and able to go somewhere.” In larger offices like Hong Kong
how it operates.” and Singapore there’s a “great wider trainee community to
help maintain a social life,” whereas in other offices like
As with M&A, Cleary’s finance practice sees a lot of sov- Buenos Aires and Abu Dhabi “the team’s much smaller so
ereign clients – recently helping the Government of Bar- they treat you more like a junior associate.” Don’t look for

259
 C Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

a new swimsuit just yet: “It’s not a holiday. You get there, ing refugees apply for resettlement; longer-term matters,
have a weekend to get your bearings, then you’re straight in such as a project surveying the persecution of the LG-
on Monday morning and should expect to be busy.” BTQ+ community in the Caribbean, look to make “mas-
sive changes.” Cleary is “enthusiastic” for traineesto bring
their own pro bono causes to the table too. “My cases
Trainee Life have come with experiences that are harder to get on client
Though Cleary does run formal training opportunities matters and they’ve developed me hugely, personally and
and lunchtime practice area presentations, interviewees professionally,” one said.
felt “the biggest part of our training is the incredible work
we get to see as trainees. It’s invaluable.” They also keenly “We’re academics, so we want to take the
described a “huge degree of pastoral support” including extra time.”
regular check-in calls and meetings with HR every six
weeks. Seat supervisors earned praise for “getting really If it sounds like there’s a lot going on at Cleary, news that
involved in trainees’ professional development and mak- trainees have “completely unpredictable hours” won’t
ing sure everyone feels part of the Cleary family. Some come as a surprise.Supervisors are tasked with supply-
partners are more relaxed, some are more hands-on, and ing trainees with a minimum of seven billable hours a day,
the younger ones are more approachable, but everyone’s but the longest we heard was 70 hours in one week; this
friendly.” source confirmed “that’s definitely not a regular deal,” and
trainees often head home between 7 and 8.30pm, but
From “intellectual” and “academically curious” to “wicked many felt “a need to be responsive 24/7. I don’t turn my
smart,” interviewees had a clear idea of who fits in at work phone off when I sleep.” Some argued this drive to
Cleary. Arriving at an “intellectually rigorous place” can be grind is “self-led. It’s not that the firm is necessarily asking
“a bit intimidating at first,” but our sources clarified that you to stay that late – we’re academics, so we want to take
“the culture is relaxed. Trainees aren’t in competition with the extra time to do the work and learn properly.” Trainees
each other and no one’s trying to prove themselves.” Many can get refreshed at Burger & Lobster Friday lunches and
felt right at home in the thoroughbred environment: “We let their hair down with fortnightly pizza and beer at infor-
all play at a higher level because we’re surrounded by other mal get-togethers.
great players, but that doesn’t mean there are any egos
or abrasive personalities. We’re all down to earth.” Cleary An “open channel” between trainees and HR from the
prefers trainees to study the GDL and LPC together at start of the training contract about qualification and
University of Law, to break the ice before the training “what’s expected of you” means that the process is “in-
contract kicks off. formal and organic.” At the end of April, each trainee has
a discussion with HR about where they’d like to qualify,
The firm hosts diversity talks and outreach programmes which is taken into consideration along with business
to keep the subject “at the forefront of everyone’s minds. need. It’s common to qualify into more than one depart-
Cleary takes diversity and inclusion totally seriously.” How- ment: “There’s a lot of freedom. Someone once qualified
ever, some diverse trainees felt that “though the firm isn’t into litigation and M&A, which is as varied as it can get!” All
putting barriers up, they’re also not leading the way. There’s our interviewees looked to “stick with Cleary for several
a respectable atmosphere, but Cleary needs to do more, es- years,” but noted that many tend to head for pastures new
pecially on the social mobility front.” We only heard good at senior associate level “as the firm doesn’t make many
things about the firm’s pro bono efforts: a coordinator homegrown partners.” In 2020, Cleary kept on ten of its 13
connects trainees with “small ad-hoc matters in the UK, spring qualifiers.
or bigger ones in the US and worldwide.” Local projects
include volunteering at a women’s legal clinic and help-
The True Picture

Nothing’s gonna stop us now

Cleary earned praise from interviewees for training contract
management during the coronavirus crisis: “The firm’s
infrastructure is robust and there’s been no shortage of
ongoing training.”

260
www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
chambersstudent.co.uk Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP C

Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP

2 London Wall Place, London EC2Y 5AU
Tel: 020 7847 6861 Partners: 175 (19 in London)
Email: [email protected] Total staff: 900 lawyers globally
Website: www.clearygottlieb.com Total trainees: 21

Contacts
Recruitment team:
Firm profile Jessica Williams
Pioneers in the globalisation of the legal profession, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP is a
Application criteria
leading international law firm with 16 integrated offices located in major financial and political
Training contracts pa: 10-15
centres around the world. The firm operates as a single global partnership. Consistent with the Minimum required degree:
vision of its founders, Cleary remains committed to openness, diversity, individuality and col- High 2:1
laboration.
Dates and deadlines
Training contract applications
Main areas of work open: 1st February 2021
Core areas of practice in London are mergers and acquisitions, financing and restructuring, capital Training contract deadline:
markets, international litigation and arbitration, and competition. In addition, Cleary has estab- 31st July 2020
lished successful self-standing practices in tax, financial regulation, and intellectual property and Spring/Summer Vacation
scheme applications open:
information technology.
1st October 2020
Spring/Summer scheme
Training opportunities deadline: 31st January 2021
We do not believe in a ‘one size fits all’ training solution. By recruiting 10–15 trainees each year, we
Salary and benefits
are able to offer training that is tailored to each trainee’s interests, experience and aptitudes. Nor
First-year salary: £50,000
do we believe that the transition from trainee solicitor to associate occurs overnight on qualifica-
Second-year salary: £55,000
tion. So, we encourage our trainees to take responsibility as soon as they are ready to do so. Given
Post-qualification salary: £133,000
appropriate levels of supervision and support, trainees operate as lawyers from the day they join Holiday entitlement: 25 days
us.
Sponsorship
Work experience LPC fees: Yes

The firm’s London office offers around 40 vacation places each year across four schemes: one in GDL fees: Yes

winter, one in spring, and two in summer. Cleary actively encourages all candidates who are con- Maintenance grant pa: £8,000

sidering applying for a trainee solicitor position to undertake a vacation placement with the firm. International and regional
The deadline for spring and summer vacation scheme applications is 31st January. New York, Washington DC,
Paris, Brussels, Moscow,
Frankfurt, Cologne, Rome, Milan,
Other benefits
Hong Kong, Beijing, Buenos
25 days’ holiday, fitness subsidy, health screening, private health insurance, life insurance of twice Aires, Sao Paulo, Abu Dhabi
annual salary, long-term disability insurance, critical illness insurance, dental insurance, employee and Seoul
assistance programme, emergency backup care, cycle to work scheme and subsidised staff restau-
rant.

Open days and first year opportunities

Insight day in spring 2021.

University law careers fairs 2019

The True Picture

• University of Bristol
• Trinity College Dublin
• LSE
• Kings College London
• Cambridge University
• UCL
• Durham University
• Exeter University
• Oxford University

Org ID: 3824 2 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................261

 C Clifford Chance LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Clifford Chance LLP

The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Locations: London, Newcastle How to get into Clifford Chance
Overseas offices: 32
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 184/616/197
Seats: 4x6 months; overseas seats; secondments
First-year salary: £48,000
Qualification salary: £94,500

Trainees who wanted it all for their careers weren’t taking any chances
when they applied to corporate colossus Clifford Chance.

The Firm quality of the work you’re involved in and the level of su-
What did Clifford Chance’s trainees want from a firm? Not pervision is excellent,” said one. “No matter the stresses,
much, just “a prestigious name, great international oppor- I’m working with some of the best people in the country.”
tunities, and a top-notch reputation across multiple prac- Interviewees had a strong sense of the opportunities Clif-
tice areas.” Only a handful of firms could fulfil such a wish ford Chance opened up to them – “it’s something I can use
list. As a member of the revered magic circle, its status as as a springboard for the rest of my career.”
one of the world’s top corporate and financial law firms is
airtight. Alongside its London HQ and a small Newcastle
office, Clifford Chance has 36 more offices around the The Seats
globe, including bases in New York, Singapore and Bei- The firm has an innovative approach to seat allocation by
jing. For trainees, this means overseas seats are up for using a computer algorithm. In short, trainees are given
grabs. 200 points which they can ‘spend’ on seat preferences.
The more they want to do a seat, the more points they
As for expertise across multiple practice areas, Clifford spend. One source likened the process to a “blind auc-
Chance pulls in over 270 rankings from Chambers Global. tion,” explaining that “hypothetically you could guarantee
Domestically, Chambers UK bestows the firm with nearly a seat by spending your full 200 points in one go. However,
60 rankings, many of which are top-tier. The majority of it means that the remainder of your seats will be assigned
these fall under transactional areas such as banking and based on the business needs of the firm.” Trainees liked
finance, capital markets, M&A and private equity, but the that “the numerical approach takes out a lot of the politics”
firm’s litigation and banking litigation teams are consid- that often accompanies seat allocation.
ered top-notch too.
There’s still some human input, but more so when it comes
“It’s something I can use as a springboard to allocating international and client secondments. “HR
for the rest of my career.” has to consider language skills and an individual’s general
The True Picture

performance,” trainees explained. “They’re not going to

But Clifford Chance’s sterling reputation wasn’t all our send an underperforming trainee to a client!” Most train-
sources felt the firm had to offer. Many were also attract- ees undertake an overseas seat. Available locations vary
ed to “a forward-thinking culture” and a firm they believed each year. “Often the seats in Asia are most popular, such
“genuinely values diversity.” This sentiment was shared by as Singapore and Hong Kong, as well as those in the Mid-
a clear majority of our survey respondents: 97% strongly
approved of the firm’s efforts to recruit diverse candi- Seat options: capital markets; corporate M&A; private
dates, and more than 30% identified as black, Asian or equity; financial institutions; funds; TMT; structure and
an ethnic minority. asset-backed real estate; banking; asset/project fi-
nance; resturcturing; regulatory/derivatives; litigation &
For some interviewees, “the training was the key driver” dispute resolution; tax; pensions; employment/incen-
behind their decision to apply to Clifford Chance. “The tives; real estate; public policy

262
chambersstudent.co.uk Clifford Chance LLP C
Chambers UK rankings company). One source explained that “compared to M&A,
Asset Finance Infrastructure
you tend to have more set trainee tasks that you are ex-
Banking & Finance Insurance
pected to do on repeat for each deal, such as drafting legal
Banking Litigation International Arbitration
opinions and managing conditions precedent checklists. It
Capital Markets Investment Funds
can be less exciting, but it means you get good at some-
Commodities Litigation
thing quickly and can add value.”
Competition/European Law Parliamentary & Public
Construction Affairs Trainees who’d sat in asset finance expressed similar
Corporate/M&A Pensions sentiments. “Although it’s technically difficult in a couple
Data Protection Planning of areas, the work is also quite straightforward in that you’re
Employee Share Schemes Private Equity typically dealing with the same three or four types of deals,”
& Incentives Projects one clued us in. “Once you familiarise yourself with them,
Employment Public International Law they become easy to understand and repeat.” The major-
Energy & Natural Real Estate ity of the work is in the aviation sector, “so if you don’t
Resources Real Estate Finance like planes, you probably won’t enjoy it,” one source put it
Environment Real Estate Litigation bluntly. The team recently advised GE Capital on the sale
Financial Crime Restructuring/Insolvency of PK AirFinance, an aviation lending business, to Apollo
Financial Services Retail Global Management and Athene Holding for $3.6 billion.
Fraud Tax
Hotels & Leisure Telecommunications In regulatory/derivatives (which is also known within the
Information Technology Transport firm as 50H) much of the work is advisory and focuses on
black-letter law. One insider told us: “I’ve had the chance
to work with some of the most intelligent people I have ever
come across.” Sources suggested the regulatory seat
dle East,” one insider told us. “There’s a perception that be- offered more responsibility than other transactional de-
cause they are English-speaking, it’s much easier to assimi- partments. As evidenced by one trainee: “I was writing
late and pick up more responsibility.” The firm’s overseas memos that went straight to clients with minimal oversight
offices are often smaller than headquarters in London, so and conducting detailed research into what the implications
trainees agreed that these opportunities usually offered of a certain EU regulation would mean for a transaction.”
up greater responsibility all round.
Within capital markets trainees can do seats in equity
“I’ve had the chance to work with some and structured debt. The team recently advised Nordic
of the most intelligent people I have ever residential property managers Samhällsbyggnadsbola-
get i Norden (also known as SBB, mercifully) on the struc-
come across.”
turing, drafting and negotiating of a €300 million hybrid
Trainees have their pick of seven sub-teams within cor- capital issuance. “Debt capital market deals follow very
porate including private funds, TMT, competition, finan- strict and rigid timelines,” insiders explained. “In terms of
cial institutions, private M&A, and public M&A. Of the two sheer volume, it’s quite high-octane but the workloads are
M&A groups, private is the biggest and provides plenty fairly predictable.” Translation: you’ll consistently be work-
of opportunities for trainees to cut their teeth drafting ing late nights, but you’ll know they’re coming.Plenty of
board minutes, managing checklists and “helping su- drafting was available, as were opportunities “for trainees
pervisors analyse client queries.” The clients are huge – to run some deals independently with a supervising associ-
recently, the team advised Coca-Cola on its £3.9 billion ate.” The department also scored among the highest of
acquisition of Costa. It also acted for Pfizer, one of the the transactional seats for the level of client and partner
world’s largest pharmaceutical companies, on a joint ven- contact it offers trainees.
The True Picture

ture with GlaxoSmithKline to create a global consumer

healthcare company. “Doing some glorified admin can actually
be a relief when you’ve been working long
Those with a passion for finance will salivate at the pros-
hours.”
pect of choosing between five distinct finance seats at
Clifford Chance: SABRE (structured and asset-backed Trainees can sample a wide variety of work within the
real estate); regulatory/derivatives; asset/project fi- firm’s dispute resolution seat, including commercial liti-
nance; restructuring; and general banking. The banking gation, arbitration, regulatory investigations work, and
team recently advised the lead arrangers on the financ- more. Some of the clients here include General Elec-
ing for the £1.9 billion take-private of BCA Marketplace, tric, Airbus and BT, the last of which the firm defended
a car auction operator, by TDR Capital (a take-private is against claims brought by the administrators of Phones
when private equity firms purchase the stock of a public 4u, alleging that several telecoms companies colluded

263
 C Clifford Chance LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

against it. In a recent arbitration, the firm also represent- And in this vein, our interviewees were impressed by the
ed Invenergy Renewables against Poland concerning firm’s approach to mental wellbeing. “They want to sup-
contracts made with state-owned companies. Our inter- port you if you’re feeling bad,” one trainee told us, adding:
viewees explained that “once you’ve gained your team’s “They make efforts to make sure your hours are more man-
trust, you’re rewarded with meaningful responsibility, par- ageable. A response of ‘this is what you signed up for, deal
ticularly in the form of research.” We also heard of trainees with it,’ would never be acceptable.” Resources on hand
getting more mundane tasks, such as “inputting analysis include an occupational health professional who lawyers
from transcripts into a table – for a month!” But on the plus can access through the firm’s healthcare programme. An-
side, “doing some glorified admin can actually be a relief other insider felt that “on a firm-wide level they are great
when you’ve been working long hours.” Our survey results mental health advocates, but in reality your experience is
showed that there wasn’t much client contact or interac- dependent on your supervisor and the team you’re in.”
tion with partners in this seat, but respondents agreed
overwhelmingly that the work was interesting, their legal “A junior associate from an ethnic minority
skills progressed, and that they would be happy qualify- background can mentor a partner.”
ing into the department.
Interestingly, one of our interviewees drew a correla-
Sources also pointed out that “the litigation department tion between the departments with the most demand-
heads up most of the firm’s pro bono initiatives.” Trainees ing hours and their gender composition. “Groups such as
can participate in one of several clinics that the firm at- capital markets are very male-heavy,” they stated, adding:
tends each week, which include assisting local residents “I think if you’re a young black woman looking for repre-
with issues such as Court of Appeal litigation, domestic sentation at the higher levels then it becomes problematic.”
violence, employment, welfare benefits, debt and hous- The firm has set itself targets of 15% of new partners and
ing. The firm also advises and represents the parents of 30% senior associates to be made up of ethnic minorities
autistic children in litigation before the Special Educa- by 2025, and is aiming for 40% female global partners
tional Needs Tribunal to secure better educational provi- by 2030. Clifford Chance performed well in our diversity
sion for their children. survey, with trainees ranking it favourably in categories
such as inclusivity training. The firm has a female em-
powerment programme called Accelerate, as well as a
Trainee Life reverse mentoring scheme, whereby “a junior associate
At this point, you’re probably dying to know how much from an ethnic minority background can mentor a partner.”
of your social life you’d have to trade in for Clifford
Chance’s name adorning your CV. Let us ease you in. While trainees undoubtably work hard, being part of
Trainees reported far less gruelling hours in seats like a firm that generated revenues of £1.8 billion in 2019
litigation, where they often went home before the 8pm means trainees can expect some considerable perks too.
mark. In pensions, “I logged on at 9.30am, took a full hour For example, last year, litigators were rewarded with an
for lunch and was off at 7pm every evening without fail.” all-expenses paid skiing trip to the Alps. The firm also
Over in the transactional seats, “there are going to be days puts on summer and Christmas parties. As for the salary,
where you’re leaving at 6pm and days where you’re leav- trainees start on £48,000 and progress to £54,000 in the
ing at 6am,” one insider summarised. Asset finance was second year. Along with most of its magic circle peers,
highlighted as particularly tough (“some of my friends Clifford Chance cut NQ pay in the wake of the pandemic,
looked grey in that one!” ). Our survey participants ranked so this year’s successful qualifiers will begin on £94,500.
SABRE as the most demanding seat – “I was happy if I got
out between 10pm and 11pm!” One particularly expressive On the approach to qualification, all trainees are given a
trainee described it as “the murderous baby produced presentation during their final seat outlining a “very clear
when real estate finance and structured finance decided to timetable” of the process.Competitive departments such
The True Picture

merge last year.” Fortunately, we heard the firm “recent- as litigation “have a four-stage approach,” which involves
ly had a review to help address the problem” of trainees interviews, supervisor meetings and appraisal analysis.
working long hours. Last year, the firm boasted a respectable 90% retention
rate. This year, 70 of 95 qualifiers were kept on.

Tech a Chance on me
Clifford Chance launched its IGNITE training contract last
year, offering a tech-focused experience for a small number
of trainees a year.
264
www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
chambersstudent.co.uk Clifford Chance LLP C

Clifford Chance LLP

10 Upper Bank Street, Canary Wharf, E14 5JJ
Tel: 020 7006 4005 Twitter: @CCGradsUK Partners: 586
Email: [email protected] Facebook: CliffordChanceGrads Associates: 3,553
Website: careers.cliffordchance.com/ukgrads Instagram: @cliffordchancecareers Total trainees: 506
Linkedin: clifford-chance-llp UK offices: London
Overseas offices: 35 offices in 23
countries
Firm profile
Clifford Chance is a leading global corporate law firm. But we’re not a typical one. Far from it. Life Contacts
here means doing the best work for exceptional clients while being yourself. We look for individu- Graduate recruitment team
als, not for ‘typical lawyers’. We’re focused, but we know how to have fun. And we collaborate. At graduate.recruitment@clifford-
chance.com
every level. Which makes this a brilliant place to learn. To find your feet quickly. To get ahead.
Application criteria
What we do and where: Training contracts pa: 90-100

We give expert legal advice on every aspect of commercial law. And our clients? From infamous Dates and deadlines
corporations, governments and global banks, to not-for-profits and charities, we help just about Training contract applications
everyone with our specialist knowledge and skills. That variety definitely makes life here interest- open: 3rd August 2020
ing. As does the scale and scope of what we do. Our work covers corporate; global financial mar- Training contract deadline, 2022
kets; real estate; litigation and dispute resolution; plus tax, pensions and employment. And when start: 10th December 2020
it comes to where we are, we work in major financial centres across the Americas, Asia Pacific,
Salary and benefits
Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
First-year salary: £48,000
Second-year salary: £54,000
How you can get involved: Post-qualification salary: £94,500
You don’t need a law degree to join us. (About half of our trainees come from non-law back-
Sponsorship
grounds.) What matters is that you’re resilient, curious, creative and open to new challenges.
LPC fees: Yes
You’re someone who loves to learn. A great problem solver. A smart thinker. You’re commercially-
GDL fees: Yes
savvy, solutions-oriented and up for working as part of a close-knit team.
Maintenance grant pa:
GDL: £10,000
One of the ways you can show us you have what it takes is to experience life here before you ap- LPC: £10,000
ply for your Training Contract. You can explore the possibilities available by attending one of our
International and regional
virtual events or completing one of our free Global Virtual Internships — open to everyone. These
Offices with training contracts:
offer unparalleled access to legal resources whilst revealing the people and culture in a way that has London
never been done before.

Main areas of work

Corporate; global financial markets; real estate; litigation and dispute resolution; tax, pensions and
employment.

Training opportunities
All of our trainees rotate through a two-year programme which gives them the opportunity to
explore our practice areas. We also offer client secondments, international secondments and split-
seat roles. It’s all about making sure they get the breadth of experience they need to thrive.

Other benefits
The True Picture

Benefits include free gym membership, pension scheme, on-site healthcare, private healthcare
scheme, season ticket loan, cycle-to-work scheme, dental plan and more.

First-year opportunities
Clifford Chance SPARK: We will be running two of our award winning SPARK schemes in 2021.
The application closing date for our first year SPARK schemes is 10th December 2020.

University law careers fairs 2020

Visit our Events Hub to find out about our virtual opportunities:
www.careers.cliffordchance.com/london/what-we-offer/events-hub.html

Org ID: 83 1 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................265

 C Clyde & Co LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Clyde & Co LLP

The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Locations: Bristol, Guildford, Leeds, London, Manchester, Get hired by Clyde & Co
Newcastle, Oxford, Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow
Overseas offices: 43
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 199/717/82
Seats: 4x6 months
First-year salary: £38,000 (London); £24,500
(Manchester)
Qualification salary: £68,000 (London); undisclosed
(Manchester)

When we Clyde we come together… at a litigation and insurance-focused

firm with a global footprint and healthy work/life balance.

The Firm beyond the shores of Blighty and you’ll find Clyde’s pres-
Each of the UK’s top 20 largest law firms by revenue has ence across Europe, Asia, North and South America, Aus-
its own quirks and characteristics that help it stand out tralia and the Middle East. The option “to do a seat abroad”
from the crowd, but Clyde & Co sits further apart than appealed to some, though not every office offers a seat
most. For a start, C&C is “weighted towards contentious and Covid-19 may bring down the number that do for the
work, and if you just want to do corporate law, this is the time being (the firm hopes to return to its pre-pandemic
wrong place for you,” trainees said.Instead you’ll find rich overseas seatoffering when government guidelines al-
pickings of energy, infrastructure, trade, transport and – low). We also heard “there’s a thirst to keep growing the
most of all – insurance law. “The firm has a strong insur- firm” larger still. Clyde & Co in space, perhaps?
ance bent and a lot of insurance seats, so it’s inevitable
you’ll do at least one,” sources explained. “I knew I wouldn’t “Trainees have to do one transactional seat to fulfil SRA re-
have to sit in a finance or derivatives department like the quirements; otherwise, there are no compulsory seats.” In-
corporate-focused magic and silver circle firms.” surance departments are a likely destination for most, as
there’s a grand total of 30 insurance seats in London and
Chambers UK slots the firm into the top tier for conten- Manchester at each rotation. There’s a twist in the tale for
tious insurance, reinsurance, aviation, personal injury, and Londoners – they have to list one seat in the Guildford of-
police law nationwide. Professional negligence is another fice as a preference each time. “It’s not mandatory to do a
Clyde & Co specialism, with the firm earning top rank- seat there, but it is mandatory to put one down and roughly
ings in London, Thames Valley and the North West for half of us will have to go,” London insiders revealed. Before
this practice. Among the other Clyde standouts, it’s worth each rotation, trainees rank their choices from one to ten;
highlighting top billing for real estate in the South thanks where they go is calculated in part by a one-to-one meet-
to the Guildford office. “Interesting insurance work, diver- ing with the careers team, then finally by an algorithm
The True Picture

sity of cases and the ability to specialise early on” were a through an app. “For the most part it seems to work, there
draw for many trainees.Others touted Clyde’s reputation
for offering “a good work/life balance,” and were pleased Seat options: aviation; casualty; healthcare; corpo-
to find this to be true in practice. rate; employment; international arbitration; insurance;
professional and financial disputes; marine; marine
“The firm has a strong insurance bent and cargo; international trade; real estate; projects & con-
a lot of insurance seats, so it’s inevitable struction; planning; insolvency; prop litigation; banking
& finance; commodities/trade & energy; procurement;
you’ll do at least one.”
shipping & yacht finance; commercial IP; tech (data
In England, the firm recruits most trainees into its Lon- lab); catastrophic injury and large loss; volume claims
don office; Manchester also takes a few, and Northern- & corporate risk; police, safety, health and environment
ers were pleased that “it’s not London or nothing.” Look regulatory

266
chambersstudent.co.uk Clyde & Co LLP C
Chambers UK rankings “There are hundreds of underlying claims
Asset Finance Litigation
that make up a case.”
Aviation Pensions
Clinical Negligence Personal Injury
Professional negligence is known at Clyde as financial
Commodities Planning
institutions directors and officers, or FIDO. Yes, that does
Construction Police Law
sound like a dog’s name, but you’re barking up the wrong
Corporate/M&A Product Liability
tree if you think the practice is cuddly: “During this seat
Employment Professional Discipline
I’ve had more experience of what it’s like to be a qualified
Energy & Natural Professional Negligence
associate,” a trainee told us. “There’s some bundling, but
Resources Projects
I’ve drafted letters to clients and only done two solid days
Environment Real Estate
of doc review, which in the grand scheme of things isn’t that
Health & Safety Real Estate Litigation
bad!” The firm’s practice involves defending financial,
Healthcare Retail
legal, construction and insurance professionals who are
Information Technology Shipping
being sued; a recent example was the world’s largest law
Infrastructure Transport
firm, Dentons, defending a €6.5 million claim brought by
Insurance Travel
investors after one of the firm’s clients dissolved.
International Arbitration
Various different subgroups make up the sizeable avia-
tion practice. Trainees complete a seat in the department
haven’t been many disappointments,” trainees said. Sourc- as a whole, so could be getting involved in matters of
es also told us: “The majority of what’s offered in London is various shapes and sizes – “it could be small aircraft or big
also available in Manchester,” though the Northern office cargo planes. It was a really good seat that I enjoyed a lot.”
is the better bet for healthcare casualty work. In most de- Though cases here can involve “a lot of file maintenance,”
partments, each office has a distinct work stream (con- the role of a trainee includes a mix of drafting, research
struction is an exception). and document review as well as bundling. “Cases tend
to cover multiple jurisdictions” by default, because that’s
kind of the point of aeroplanes, “so you’re researching dif-
The Seats ferent discrete points of law.” Clyde keeps the names of its
Insurance at Clyde includes both litigious and non-con- aviation clients hush-hush, but we can tell you a recent
tentious practices. Some of the seat options for trainees case involved a Commercial Court dispute between the
include aviation liability and finance, political risk, prod- seller and prospective purchaser of a Boeing 737 busi-
uct liability, corporate insurance, and reinsurance and ness jet, a $2.5 million battle for the deposit following the
Bermuda form. Some of the world’s largest insurers in- transaction’s collapse.
cluding Zurich and Chubb are on the firm’s books – Clyde
recently represented the former in a £32 million claim “…quite a lot of responsibility to see them
brought by oil and gas company Dana, for damage to an through. Nine times out of ten you’re going
oil umbilical in the North Sea. The firm has also recent-
to settle.”
ly begun advising the Motor Insurers’ Bureau, a private
company administering a compensation fund for victims Clyde & Co’s clinical negligence team practice encom-
of accidents caused by uninsured drivers. passes industrial and occupational disease (“which comes
up as ‘disease’ internally” ).The firm almost exclusively rep-
One of the insurance seats on offer is speciality rein- resents defendants, including NatWest, RBS, Aviva and
surance and Bermuda form. The team helps insurers on Wagamama. Trainees had dealt with “lots of asbestos-
“high-value excess liability,” coverage which is only trig- related claims, the department’s been so busy recently!”
gered for big money claims. “It’s normally over £100 mil- Other common cases range from noise-induced hearing
The True Picture

lion before the excess liability kicks in,” according to our losses to individuals claiming to have suffered medical
sources. Bermuda form insurance policies include unique incidents from colleagues’ workplace behaviour. For ex-
terms, including their settlement by arbitration. Trainees ample, “a person claimed their heart attack was caused
told us the work in this seat “tends to be quite document- by bullying at work.” Trainees here tend to receive their
heavy. There are hundreds of underlying claims that make own pre-litigation files, safe in the knowledge that most
up a case, and it’s a trainee’s job to manage the documents will reach settlement. “You get quite a lot of responsibility
going into the claim.” As well as document management, to see them through,” sources felt, but “nine times out of
the department offers “more analytical tasks” including time you’re going to settle.” The clinical negligence prac-
low-level drafting, expert and witness interviews and cor- tice also covers more typical medical malpractice claims
respondence with counsel. for clients like the Royal Society of Arts, the Medical Pro-
tection Society and NHS trusts. Clyde & Co represented

267
 C Clyde & Co LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

MPS in a potentially £1.2 million-valued claim alleging hip “Senior lawyers don’t throw their weight
injuries following an operation. around. Partners speak to you like you’re
an actual person.”
To get an international or client secondment, trainees
submit a CV and one-page letter putting forward a busi- With a cohort of just five joining in Manchester each year,
ness case of “what you’d bring to the team, and how it will “you become closer as trainees in this office. It’s a very
help you and the firm in future.” No pressure. There tend friendly office: because it’s open plan, you sit near partners
to be “six or seven international seats” available each time, and senior associates.” There’s a similar vibe in London:
often including Tanzania, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Hong “I’ve worked directly with partners and head counsel in all
Kong, as well as “four or five client secondments.” my seats on a day-to-day basis. Everyone encourages me to
ask questions and makes sure I feel comfortable.” Clyde &
Co brings everyone in the UK offices together for quar-
Trainee Life terly drinks, and “inter-department socials” encourage a
The much-touted work/life balance that comes with a “good level of trainee ‘togetherness’. Every Friday it seems
Clyde & Co training contract can vary by department. like there are drinks trolleys with 50 people from insurance
Some trainees told us they were “leaving at 9 or 9.30pm alone.” Corporate is another standout on the social front,
on a few occasions,” and had “worked whole weekends and thanks partly to its annual ski trip.
finished around midnight or 1am. That’s sometimes neces-
sary during the week as well.” Others told a happier story: An overly masculine tone to some activities did draw criti-
“I don’t tend to stay past 7pm unless something crazy is go- cism. “There’s a lot of going to pubs and the football; I can’t
ing down. The firm takes wellbeing quite seriously and will imagine many of my female colleagues would like that too
tell you to go home if they think you’re working too late.” much,” a thoughtful male source noted. Despite some
That’s especially true of Manchester, where trainees usu- concerns about “a bit of an old boys’ club,” female sources
ally finish “between 5.30 and 6pm.” A source there said were happy to receive “the support of fellow women. Grad
they “had to stay late maybe two or three times, and that recruitment and the wider HR team are making changes
was only until 7pm.” which I’m confident will improve things.” Trainees had simi-
larly mixed feelings about diversity more generally: some
Some treated their healthy levels of spare time as a felt “the firm is actively learning and improving,” but others
“trade-off” for a salary they described as “fine, but slight- argued that “while Clyde may talk the talk, it doesn’t take
ly below market rate” for a firm of Clyde’s size. Others long to notice a lack of gender diversity in the partnership,
were less impressed… “When a lot of young people are and racial diversity full stop.” Open discussion of the Black
earning more money and working considerably fewer hours Lives Matter protests, Pride events and a firm-wide email
than you, it makes you think, ‘hmmm, okay.’” A £68,000 outlining the stress on Muslim colleagues during Rama-
NQ packet in London is indeed one of the lowest of the dan were all popular steps, as was “active management of
UK top 20 firms (the firm did not disclose its NQ pay for the less PC partners. The firm took stock and ran the train-
Manchester). Interviewees did at least agree that Clyde’s ing from top to bottom.”
hiring process brings quality people through the door:
“I was initially attracted by the people here, and that’s “The firm took stock and ran the training
not changed. The support available is excellent.” Sources from top to bottom.”
added that overall, “colleagues are very friendly and senior
lawyers don’t throw their weight around. Partners speak to Even our more critical sources were very happy with their
you like you’re an actual person.” Where some firms have choice to train at C&C: “My time here has been absolutely
a graduate recruitment team in one office that monitors outstanding,” one concluded. “There are always going to
all trainees remotely, Clyde & Co has “someone based in be ups and downs, but it’s mostly been very positive and I’m
Manchester as well as London, so there’s someone here to looking to qualify here.” Some departments run interviews
The True Picture

get to know you as a person. You don’t feel like an add-on.” for NQ positions, depending on how many apply for each
role. Clyde retained 36of 40qualifying trainees in 2020,
with one fixed-term contract.

Home is where the work is

Covid-19 slowed down some departments’ workstreams,
but others like insurance remained busy; sources said that
“the firm was good at moving trainees so that people weren’t
stuck in a seat with nothing to do.”
268
www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
chambersstudent.co.uk Clyde & Co LLP C

Clyde & Co
The St Botolph Building, 138 Houndsditch, London EC3A 7AR
Tel: 020 7876 5555 Fax: 020 7876 5111 Website: www.clydecograduates.com Partners: 440*
Email: [email protected] Twitter: @ ClydeCoGraduates Associates: 1,800*
Total trainees: 93*
UK offices: London, Manchester,
Newcastle, Oxford, Guildford,
Leeds, Bristol, Edinburgh,
Firm profile Aberdeen, Glasgow plus various
international offices
Clyde & Co is a leading, sector-focused global law firm with 440 partners, 1800 lawyers, 2500 legal pro- Overseas offices: 53 offices and
fessionals and 4000 staff in over 50 offices and associated offices worldwide. The firm specialises in the associated offices globally
sectors that move, build and power our connected world and the insurance that underpins it, namely: *denotes worldwide figures
transport, infrastructure, energy, trade and commodities and insurance. With a strong focus on devel-
oped and emerging markets, the firm has achieved compound average annual revenue growth of 13% Contacts
Graduate Team
over the last ten years, making it one of the fastest growing law firms in the world with ambitious plans [email protected]
for further growth. We view diversity and inclusion as critical to the international nature of our busi- 0207 876 5555
ness and have created a working environment where people from different backgrounds can flourish. Training partner:
We run a number of vacation schemes in our London and Manchester offices each year, during which James Major
students join us for two weeks and learn about the firm and how the law is applied to our core sectors. Application criteria
We also run Bright Futures – a nine month programme aimed at first year law and second year non law Training contracts pa: 35-45
students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds – and insight days during which students join us for Minimum required degree grade:
a day in the office to gain insight into the culture and work of the firm. 2:1 or equivalent
Minimum UCAS points: 340
Training opportunities Minimum A levels: AAB (mitigat-
We recruit for our training contract exclusively through our vacation scheme. We offer training con- ing circumstances and Rare
tracts in London, Manchester and Edinburgh. The training contract consists of 4x6 month seats. There contextual recruitment system
considered)
are no compulsory or guaranteed seats. Seats are chosen on a rolling basis. There are opportunities to
Vacation scheme places pa: 60
second to our clients, our international offices and our Guildford office.
We also offer training contracts in MEA. These are 4x6 month seats between Dubai and Abu Dhabi Dates and deadlines
in corporate, employment, construction, IP/commercial and dispute resolution. International second- Vacation scheme applications
open: 1st October 2020
ments to UK offices are available.
Vacation scheme 2021 deadline:
We also offer training contracts in Hong Kong. International secondments to UK offices available. 3rd January 2021
Open day deadline: Rolling
Vacation scheme
• Applications open on 1 st
October 2020 and close on 3rd January 2021. Applications screened on a Salary and benefits
rolling basis so early application advised First-year salary: £38,000
(London), £24,500 (Manchester)
London: Second-year salary: £40,000
• Clyde & Co Bright Futures Programme (22nd – 26th March 2021). Aimed at first year law and second (London), £26,500 (Manchester)
year non-law social mobility students Post-qualification salary:
• Summer 1 Vacation Scheme – 14th th - 25 th
June. Aimed at penultimate year law students £68,000 (London)

• Summer 2 Vacation Scheme – 5 -16 th

July. Aimed at penultimate year law students Holiday entitlement: 25 days

Manchester: Sponsorship
• Summer Vacation Scheme 20th -31st July. Aimed at penultimate years and above LPC fees: Yes
GDL fees: Yes
Other benefits Maintenance grant pa: £8,000
Life assurance, private healthcare, cycle to work schemes, gym, dental insurance, pension scheme, res- (London), £7,000 (outside of
The True Picture

taurant, employee assistant programme, childcare vouchers, season ticket loans, online benefits, etc. London)

International and regional

Insight days and first-year opportunities
Offices with training contracts:
We will be running a number of Insight Days throughout 2020 and 2021 in both our London and Manchester, MEA and Edinburgh
Manchester offices. These are open to first year university students and upwards. Applications should Overseas seats: Dar es Salaam,
be made via our website from 1st October 2020. Hong Kong, MEA
Clyde & Co Bright Futures Programme (1 week). The day includes an overview of the firm, presenta- Client secondments: Various,
including Deloitte & Willis
tions, development workshops, networking opportunities with the current trainees and plenty of ap-
plication tips. Due to the ongoing COVID_19 pandemic, Clyde & Co insight days are taking place
virtually via Zoom.
University law careers fairs 2020
Clyde & Co will be attending the Legal Cheek and All About Law fairs this year.

Org ID: 85 2 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................269

 C CMS chambersstudent.co.uk

CMS
The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Locations: London, Bristol, Sheffield, Manchester, Aber- How to get into CMS
deen, Edinburgh, Glasgow
Overseas offices: 70+
UK partners/solicitors/trainees (2019): 380/1,356/162
Seats: 4x6 months; overseas seats
First-year salary: £43,000 (London); £38,000 (Bristol);
£28,000 (Sheffield and Manchester); £25,000 (Scotland)
Qualification salary: £73,000 (London); £50,000 (Bristol);
£42,000 (Sheffield and Manchester); £40,000 (Scotland)

A triple merger is always big news –when it’s formed a firm with the size
and practice variety of CMS, it’s essential reading.
The Firm it’s also a national leader outside London for employ-
Pub quiz time: what was the largest ever merger in the ment law. The firm’s largest UK base is in the capital and
history of the UK legal industry? The 2017 triple tie-up it houses the vast majority of its trainees – more than 100
between CMS, Nabarro and Olswang is the rather obvi- when we came calling – while earning its own top Cham-
ous correct answer. With 70+ offices spanning Europe, bers UK accolades in construction, environment, pen-
Africa, the Middle East, Asia and South America, this is sions, professional negligence and real estate litigation.
the world’s sixth-largest law firm by headcount and a UK Bristol and Sheffield house somewhere around ten train-
top 10 outfit by revenue. Adding to an already impres- ees at any one time. CMS also recruits a sizeable cohort
sive network of domestic bases in London, Bristol, Shef- in Scotland.
field, Manchester, Reading and Scotland, CMS pursued
its ‘One North’ strategy by setting up shop in Liverpool The seat allocation process kickstarts with a seat fair:
in 2019. each department has its own stall which trainees can
visit to gain an insight into that seat. A month before rota-
Prospective trainees who knocked on the doors of CMS tions, the firm’s talent team announces which seats are
were keen to explore its international reach and large available and trainees submit preferences. Trainees told
array of departments. “The next-generation vacation us: “Do either a corporate or real estate transactional seat
scheme” also proved popular: the CMS Academy offers first.”  Split seats are fairly common in various offices, as
exposure not just within the firm, but also with clients. is repeating a seat. There are client secondments avail-
A graduate of the Academy sang its praises: “The expe- able for trainees:” I think a client secondment adds great
rience was more valuable than I could have imagined. It value as it accelerates your development,” one insider sug-
not only confirmed to me that I wanted to be a commercial gested. “Seeing how industry leaders operate can give you
lawyer – but more specifically a lawyer at CMS.”  Others valuable insight into the legal market.” All trainees can
felt welcomed to the firm by its inclusive hiring. “I got the apply for an international secondment; secondees have
The True Picture

impression that most firms wanted Oxbridge and Russell previously spent time in Beijing, Bucharest, Dubai, Prague
Group candidates,” one recalled. “I sincerely felt CMS just and Rio.
wanted me to be myself.”

“I sincerely felt CMS just wanted me to be The Seats

myself.” Now 300 lawyers strong, the firm’s real estate depart-
ment is one of the largest in its operation. Each subgroup
As a full account of the firm’s Chambers UK rankings deals with different aspects of property law: the trainees
would take all day, we’ll give you the highlights – CMS we spoke to either worked on transactions, finance or
shines nationwide for energy, hotels and infrastructure, disputes. The team advises clients from sectors includ-
pensions litigation, capital markets, construction, finan- ing student accommodation, hotels, healthcare and retail
cial services, insurance, life sciences, media and retail; as well as household-name tech conglomerates. “We do

270
chambersstudent.co.uk CMS C
Chambers UK rankings viewed all the documentation involved with the registry and
Administrative & Public Law Intellectual Property
drafted the ancillary documents.”
Banking & Finance International Arbitration
Banking Litigation Investment Funds
CMS also has a dedicated energy seat, where the team
Capital Markets Life Sciences
helps clients on projects for onshore and offshore wind,
Commercial Contracts Litigation
hydro and power infrastructure. With lawyers in 31 coun-
Competition/European Law Local Government
tries contributing to this team and projects all over the
Construction Media & Entertainment
globe, it’s a good pick for international matters. The firm
Corporate/M&A Outsourcing
was appointed by the Oman Power and Water Procure-
Data Protection Partnership
ment Company to advise on its procurement of a waste-
Defamation/Reputation Pensions
to-energy power project; and counselled SSE on a north
Management Pensions Litigation
Scotland wind farm and the related land agreements.
Education Planning
Energy disputes fall in here too. A trainee involved in in-
Employee Share Schemes Private Equity
ternational arbitration outlined an example: “There was an
& Incentives Professional Discipline
incident at a biomass energy power plant –it was interesting
Employment Professional Negligence
as the dispute was going on in Europe and the Middle East,
Energy & Natural Projects
but the mediation took place in London.” Trainees expend
Resources their own energy on drafting security documentation,
Public Procurement
Environment taking board minutes and helping with expert reports.
Real Estate
Financial Services One interviewee gave a glowing review of their time
Real Estate Finance
Fraud here: “This seat showed me that litigation isn’t all about
Real Estate Litigation
Gaming bundling.”
Restructuring/Insolvency
Health & Safety
Retail
Healthcare Whether it’s a supplier, contractor or funder, the con-
Tax
Hotels & Leisure struction team is prepped to help clients get building
Telecommunications
Information Technology off the ground; there’s a fair degree of overlap with the
Transport
Infrastructure projects-focused energy team. The 2017 merger has
Insurance only boosted CMS’ international reach: the London team
has recently worked on matters in Abu Dhabi, Iraq, Tur-
key, Slovakia, Qatar, Singapore and Saudi Arabia. Other
a mix of large corporate transactions and landlord/tenant matters are closer to home: the Sheffield squad recently
work,” trainees said. Clients here include office space gi- helped Austrian contractor BUG on three disputes linked
ant WeWork, whom the firm advised on deals across the to one of Europe’s tallest residential buildings, the Man-
UK, Belgium, Hungary and Romania, as well as real estate chester Beetham Tower. Trainees’ main role is to help prep
investment trust NewRiver and investment firm Aber- documents, complete due diligence reports and draft col-
deen Standard. “Within my first four weeks in real estate I lateral agreements and warranties. One got stuck into a
drafted a lease, and I’d written up important ancillary docu- hotel construction project: “I went to the building site with
ments like licences and rent deposit deeds prior to that,” a advisers and two CMS associates and got to meet the client
source recalled. “There’s always high-level work to do be- in person.”  We also heard of trainees providing “the latest
cause it’s such a big team.” coronavirus guidance”  to clients.

“This seat showed me that litigation isn’t “I was advising across a dozen
all about bundling.” jurisdictions.”
Formed from legacy CMS and Nabarro’s teams, real es- Contentious and advisory employment work is on offer to
The True Picture

tate finance is now a distinct seat in its own right. The trainees in the eponymous seat. CMS largely advises em-
group advises both borrowers and lenders on transac- ployers like Marks & Spencer, Samsung and Royal Mail. In
tions including development finance and restructurings. a project that may well be replicated as attitudes to work-
“I started by trying to figure out how to work the comput- ing shift, the firm advised the Wellcome Trust on planning
er,” a new arrival here chuckled, before tucking into re- for a shift to a four-day working week. Sticking to a busy
search, drafting board minutes and shareholder resolu- five-day week for now, trainees helped employers defend
tions, and managing conditions precedent. Big banks like unfair dismissal claims or deductions from wages. An in-
Lloyds, HSBC and Santander are clients; CMS recently terviewee reflected on the first case they got their hands
advised Global Student Accommodation on the £60 mil- on: “I was advising across a dozen jurisdictions. We were
lion financing of a 350-bed premises in Whitechapel. One representing ten claimants in a redundancy.”  Employment
source here worked on a renewable wind project: “I re- tribunals are another prominent part of the practice: CMS
represented Royal Dutch Shell in a clash over the privi-

271
 C CMS chambersstudent.co.uk

lege considerations of lawyer-client communications. In and the infamous trainee ball (including a fancy weekend
the midst of Covid-19, trainees shifted towards advising stay in London with a three-course meal and DJ night).
employers about furlough and job retention schemes. “I
was entrusted with a lot of research and providing advice to Hours are pretty fluid across offices: if we were to pin
clients on settlement agreements,” one said. down an average working day, it would run 9am to 6pm.
Though trainees in regional offices may not get paid the
Better known as the much catchier IRG, the insurance and same as their London counterparts, they do have slightly
reinsurance group is the port of call for brokers, carriers or shorter average hours; a source in Bristol told us that “if
corporate risk managers with insurance issues. A trainee you are still in at 7pm you will be one of the only people
described the seat as revolving around “all things litiga- here. It’s very rare to leave after 6pm.”  Londoners are more
tion,”  which for them typically meant “creating bundles, re- likely to still be going at it by 9pm, though even that’s
viewing evidence, organising data, drafting letters or motions quite rare. Upon qualification they’re compensated with
and a lot of note-taking in court.”  Big names in this depart- just over £20k more than their Bristol colleagues, who
ment include AXA XL, QBE and Liberty; in an international themselves earn a little more than Sheffield NQs. A
case example the firm represented AXIS and Navigators source there was not impressed, noting that “qualification
Underwriting on coverage for $60 million Illinois state court salaries in London are almost double what we get in Shef-
proceedings brought by former minority unitholders in an field. I think people can forget this is still a fairly expensive
ethanol plant against former directors. Across all seats, place to live.” To kick off the NQ process, trainees can
trainees jumped at opportunities for client contact: “They apply to advertised vacancies six weeks into their fourth
often pop into the office to talk through matters.” seat. Applicants submit their CVs and a cover letter be-
fore interviews take place. In 2020, CMS retained 66 of
92 qualifiers, with four placed on fixed-term contracts.
Trainee Life
“We have a culture of hard work and encourage one anoth- “If you are still in at 7pm you will be one of
er at CMS; success is always celebrated,” trainee sources the only people here.”
declared. They struggled to pick out culture differences
between offices, but we heard “London has the latest giz- Throughout the training contract, the graduate recruit-
mos.”  Sheffield is upgrading to new space at 1 Charter ment team is on hand to address any concerns. It makes
Square in the heart of the city, with additional space for sense that they’re based in London given so many train-
up to 350 people. “Our current office is a bit outdated – the ees are there, but regional voices noted that “sometimes
new site is much more fitting of our status, it’s a huge up- we have to shout a bit louder to be heard.”  During induc-
grade,” trainees declared. Sources in Bristol were less tion, all trainees head to the capital for two full weeks
chuffed: “We have a car park, that’s as good as it gets!” The of training. Most were impressed with the introductory
Bristol office has recently undergone an extensive refur- programme; each department then offers training at the
bishment, improving facilities and optimising space for start of each seat. “Both of my seats have had excellent
around 150 staff. training resources,” a first-year confirmed. “Most of the
team leaders care about your training and development
“The new site is much more fitting of our and invest their time in trainee career progression, taking
status, it’s a huge upgrade.” the time to ensure we understand the wider legal or sector
issues surrounding a matter.”
Wherever they’re based, trainees can get in on the nation-
wide WhatsApp chat with associates – the perfect plat- They were also largely impressed with the firm’s ap-
form to exchange outfit pics before firm social events. proach to wellbeing: “The support given to our mental
One of the most popular (for which dressing up is of health is second to none,”  one gushed. Newcomers get
course not required) is the CMS World Cup football tour- access to mental health resources even before starting
The True Picture

nament. Lawyers and staff from all levels of seniority and their training contract; upon arrival, they can consult a
countries come together for a weekend of sporting activi- wellbeing ambassador in each department. Other CMS
ties: “We all come to play together and literally hundreds of internal networks include gender equality, LGBT+ and
people attend.”  Other socials include quizzes, pizza nights ethnicity groups.

Quali-fly with me
Once qualified, associates can visit overseas offices for
extended stretches – they’ll need to submit a short piece of
writing explaining why they want to go and, as with trainee
secondments, may need to interview.
272
 www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
chambersstudent.co.uk CMS C

CMS
Cannon Place, 78 Cannon Street, London, EC4N 6AF
Tel: 020 7367 2000 Twitter: @CMSUK_Graduates Partners: 1,000 (globally)
Website: www.graduates.cms-cmno.com/chambers Facebook: CMSUKGraduates Associates: 4,500 (globally)
Email: [email protected] Instagram: @CMSGraduates Total trainees: 130 (UK)
UK offices: Aberdeen, Bristol,
Edinburgh, Glasgow, London,
Manchester, Reading, Sheffield
Firm profile Overseas offices: 66
CMS is a future facing law firm combining top quality sector expertise with international scale and a
Contacts
strategy to become a progressive technology-driven firm. The firm focuses on delivering rewarding
Graduate recruiter:
futures for its clients, its communities and its people.  
Katherine Sharp, 020 7367 3000
Across its six core sectors of energy, financial services, infrastructure and project finance, life sciences Graduate recruitment partners:
and healthcare, real estate and technology, media and communications, CMS has some of the most Simone Ketchell, Marie Scott
creative legal minds. Its lawyers are immersed in the clients’ worlds, are genuine experts in their fields
Application criteria
and are knowledgeable about business issues faced daily by organisations.
Training contract pa: 65
Main areas of work Applications pa: 3000
CMS always strives to put their clients at the centre of what they do. As well as their industry Minimum required degree grade:
sector focus, they are also a full service law firm working across banking and finance, commercial, 2:1

competition and EU, consumer products, corporate, dispute resolution, employment and pensions, Minimum A levels: ABB

hotels and leisure, infrastructure and project finance, insurance and funds, intellectual property, Vacation scheme places pa: 80

private equity, real estate and construction and tax. Dates and deadlines

Training opportunities Closing date for applications:

4th January 2021
CMS welcomes applications from both non-law and law graduates who can contribute fresh thinking,
an international outlook and who possess excellent personal skills alongside a deep understanding Salary and benefits
of the business of law. The culture at CMS is open, honest and approachable, valuing innovation, First year salary: £43,000
collaboration and inclusivity. (London), £38,000 (Bristol),
£25,000 (Scotland), £27,000
CMS offers two-year training contracts in London, Bristol, Sheffield, Aberdeen, Edinburgh and (Sheffield)
Glasgow. Upon starting, trainees complete a comprehensive induction programme. During the Second year salary: £48,000
training contract, trainees undertake four six-month seats across various practice areas. There may (London), £40,000 (Bristol),
be an opportunity to be seconded to one of the firm’s clients or to a UK or international office. £28,000 (Scotland), £30,000
(Sheffield)
The CMS Academy is currently the main route to securing a training contract.
Post qualification salary: £70,000
(London), £50,000 (Bristol),
Vacation scheme: CMS Academy £40,000 (Scotland), £41,000
The CMS Academy is CMS’s next generation vacation scheme. It starts with a one week ‘business of (Sheffield)
law’ training programme in London. This includes panel discussions with clients, case studies, work Holiday entitlement: 25 days
simulation exercises and client visits amongst others. It is an intense but rewarding week; students
will experience first-hand the firm’s commitment to make them the best lawyer for the future. The Sponsorship
LPC and GDL fees: Yes
second part of the programme includes a two-week internship in one of the UK offices. Participants
Maintenance grant pa:
gain real experience in a commercial environment and develop skills needed to succeed as a trainee £7,500 (London),
solicitor. £5,000 (outside of London)
Eligibility criteria for programmes can be found on the website: www.graduates.cms-cmno.com. Scottish Diploma of Professional
Practice fees: Yes
First-year opportunities: First Steps
The True Picture

Maintenance grant pa: £5,000

CMS also offers a First Steps programme, providing an introduction to commercial law and what
it is like to work in a global law firm. This one-week programme offers an introduction to CMS, International and regional

skills sessions and an opportunity to shadow our fee earners. A presentation and social events will Offices with training contracts:
London, Bristol, Sheffield,
both enhance your technical skills, interpersonal skills and networking skills. Participants gain real Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow
experience in a commercial environment and develop skills needed to succeed as a trainee solicitor Trainee secondments:
at a future-facing law firm. Beijing, Bucharest, Dubai, Mexico,
Eligibility criteria for programmes can be found on the website: www.graduates.cms-cmno.com. Rio de Janeiro

Other benefits
Gym membership/subsidiary of up to 50% of gym fees, life insurance, pension scheme, private
medical insurance, season ticket loan, cycle scheme, eye and dental care and 25 days holiday plus
Holiday Purchase Scheme (5 days).

Org ID: 7489 3 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... 273

Date: ............................
 C Collyer Bristow LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Collyer Bristow LLP

The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Locations: London Get hired
Overseas offices: Geneva
More on Collyer’s dispute
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 35/44/5
Seats: 4x6 months resolution practice
First-year salary: £34,000
Qualification salary: £57,500

From its long-established base in Bedford Row, Collyer Bristow continues

to shower its quirks and perks upon a few lucky trainees each year.

The Firm The Seats

Following the firm’s re-brand in 2019, Collyer Bristow has First-seaters choose from four available seat options,
been promoting its core values of individuality, creativity “which are basically left over from the second-years since
and collaboration throughout the firm. “There’s definitely they get priority.” Fair enough (second-years getting prior-
a culture of re-branding happening at the moment and it’s ity is how it works in most firms). Going forward, however,
nice to see how there’s no staple Collyer Bristow persona – trainees sit down with HR midway through each seat to
everybody can be themselves,” a trainee observed. discuss their options (of which there are eight available).
While there are no hard and fast requirements “they do
“It’s definitely evolving and becoming more encourage people to do at least two seats in the dispute
of a creative space.” resolution department as it is the largest.”

What else is new? Interviewees told us of an improved The dispute resolution department covers the likes of
development structure that’s been put in place for both commercial, banking and finance, employment, IP and
trainees and associates. In addition, “we recently had our real estate-related matters. “The disputes team are such
IT updated with brand new systems that aid document man- a joy to work for,” one happy interviewee commented.
agement, which has helped with the shift to remote work- “They’ve mastered the art of challenging you while also
ing. It’s definitely evolving and becoming more of a creative giving you all the supervision you need.” In banking and
space.” finance disputes, the work mostly centred on derivatives
and swaps claims, with clients ranging from small busi-
Common points of attraction among the current trainee nesses and billion-dollar entities to funds and individual
cohort included the firm’s “strength in areas of law not of- investors. The team recently acted for a UK-based trader
fered at all firms, like conflict-free banking litigation and at a US hedge fund and disputed sanctions imposed on
media & privacy.” Another draw was that “the intake’s small him by the Frankfurt Stock Exchange over the use of his
enough for trainees to be given real responsibility and to trading ID by colleagues. “It’s a pretty full-on seat with big
The True Picture

get to know people around the firm.” matters and big clients, but the client exposure helps you
get to grips with certain aspects. We help with the research
Expertise-wise, Collyer picks up Chambers High Net tasks, prepare bundles for court and handle the initial
Worth’s attention when it comes to private wealth law, but meeting with counsel and clients.”
also scores marks from Chambers UK for its family, defa-
mation/reputation management and real estate prowess. Those in the commercial disputes team gained a lot of
The firm offers an array of commercial practices along- court experience by attending trials and Court of Appeal
side its more personal legal services, including corporate,
employment and IP. It also has a broad contentious offer- Seat options: private wealth (tax & estate planning, pri-
ing that handles cases tied to its services elsewhere in vate client property, family); real estate (contentious &
the firm, such as tax and banking. non-contentious, including construction); dispute reso-
lution; corporate & commercial

274
chambersstudent.co.uk Collyer Bristow LLP C
Chambers UK rankings and conditions for a client in the entertainment industry
Defamation/Reputation Family/Matrimonial
the next day.” On the commercialside, daily responsibili-
Management Real Estate
ties consist of “drafting first versions of agreements such
as non-disclosures, terms and conditions, website privacy
policies.”
hearings. “We typically are a small part of the big process
and deal with disclosure points, research and bundling, plus Over in corporate, sources reported increased activity
we get to draft witness statements.” The team was recently on the restructuring and insolvency side in the wake of
instructed by Vald Nielsen Holding and Newwatch Lim- Covid-19. However, “we usually assist with M&A transac-
ited to advise on a £40 million shareholder dispute. The tions by preparing ancillary docs, attending advisory calls,
specialist media and privacy practice can be found under updating the conditions precedent (CP) checklist and pro-
the firm’s dispute resolution banner. This small arm of the ducing bibles.” The team recently acted for the buyer of
practice forms part of the firm’s offering to high net worth Manor Renewable Energy and advised on the domestic
clients and allowed trainees to gain experience on phone and international private equity aspects of the transac-
hacking claims, reputation management matters and tion. Under the CoCo umbrella, fintech is a growing area
‘right to be forgotten’ cases. “We draft letters of action, of focus for the firm. The team advises challenger banks,
take client instructions and manage correspondence with forex companies, and clients using blockchain technol-
the other side to reach settlement,” a source explained. ogy and cryptocurrencies.

Tax and estate planning (TEP), property and family mat-

ters can all be found in private wealth. Wills, trusts, pro- Trainee Life
bate and complex personal taxation questions are the “Quirky, creative and friendly” were some of the recurring
bread and butter of a seat here. “A third of my time was words trainees used to describe Collyer Bristow’s culture.
spent working on immigration matters for high net worth Trainees emphasised how the atmosphere is “partner-led:
individuals,” an interviewee recalled. “It’s great work for it varies with some partners really wanting to be involved
a trainee since a lot of it is form-based – you’re taking in- and others remaining more aloof, but in general everyone
structions from the client and filling in the forms. The other loves what they do, and we’re interested and invested in
two thirds were spent dealing with wills and lasting pow- each other.”
ers of attorney (LPAs).” Another source described the seat
as “pretty technical with complicated aspects of law, but We heard that while the social lifeat Collyer Bristow may
there’s a real sense of community learning and everyone is be a tad muted compared to other firms, all the stops are
always interested in discussing the technical parts you’re pulled out for big firmwide events. Recent formals were
not sure about.” held at the Law Society, the Serpentine Gallery in Hyde
Park and Gray’s Inn (with one of the partners leading the
The tax planningteam represents both “domestic and in- band!). “We had one Christmas party at the ArcelorMittal
ternational clients –quite a few are from the US and Turkey.” Orbit in Stratford.” If you’re unfamiliar, this is a 114.5-me-
On the family side, we heard there’s a “good balance be- tre-high observation tower, complete with a wrap-around
tween children and financial matters.” The team also han- slide that trainees used to let their hair down (or up, given
dles pre-nups and divorce cases. Sources reported a high the wind tunnel effect).
level of autonomy throughout the seat: “There have been
occasions where I’ve gone to court on my own for a child “You’re never put in a position where you
custody case. It’s a difficult subject matter, but the team are can’t ask for help, even during lockdown.”
so lovely.” Interviewees in the property seat found them-
selves “involved in preparing reports on titles, drafting sim- Trainees here typically get more time to pause and ex-
ple licences and leases, and assisting on residential con- amine their inner lives than many of their contemporar-
The True Picture

veyancing.” Towards the end of the seat they were “given ies in large City firms. The hourssit at the more forgiving
files to run, which involved marking up sale contracts or end for lawyers in the capital, with days averaging out at
repairing them, as well as dealing with the post-completion a 9am start and 6.30/7pm finish. That’s not to say there
side of the matter.” aren’t some long days here and there: “There have been a
few late nights in banking & finance disputes or when train-
The ‘CoCo’ umbrella covers corporate and commercial ees were called upon to help out on a big litigation task, but
work. Here you’ll get to grips with IT contracts, data pro- considering the office shuts at 11pm, no one stays too late!”
tection work and the sales and purchases of small and a trainee explained.
medium enterprise (SME) businesses. As a trainee “you
can do a bit of everything if you express any particular in- When asked about the training and support at the firm,
terests. You can find yourself working on an administration trainees were full of praise: “You’re never put in a position
of a well-known company one day and then preparing terms where you feel you can’t ask for help, even during lockdown.

275
 C Collyer Bristow LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

We’ve been told it isn’t a problem to just pick up the phone easier to keep track of goals and objectives.” In response to
and call our supervisors.” Collyer Bristow’s supervisors are trainee feedback, the firm also implemented a career de-
referred to as ‘development coaches’ and trainees are as- velopment framework to develop associate performance.
signed one for each seat they complete. “We run through
a specific form/checklist, but also talk through technical The qualification process this year “has been quite
matters, areas to develop, pastoral wellbeing issues and opaque. We do understand that a lot of law firms have been
how to build up business development and networking dealing with similar delays, but there’s been a real lack of
skills,” one interviewee informed us. Another source high- communication as to what’s going on and when the deci-
lighted the broader context of this support: “The firm is sion will be made,” a representative source summarised. In
keen to give us a rounded training contract that allows us 2020 the firm offered three of its four qualifiers a perma-
to improve our commercial awareness and technical skills. nent position, and ultimately retained two as NQs.
The additional development coach structure makes it much

Retail therapy
Trainees can bring their friends and family along to CB
Boutique, a shopping event where the firm invites female
entrepreneurs to set up shop in the office.
The True Picture

276
www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
chambersstudent.co.uk Collyer Bristow LLP C

Collyer Bristow LLP

4 Bedford Row, London WC1R 4TF
Partners: 35
Tel: 020 7242 7363 Fax: 020 7405 0555 Twitter: @Collyer_Bristow Associates: 44
Email: [email protected] Linkedin: CollyerBristowLLP Total trainees: 5
Website: www.collyerbristow.com (First and second years)
UK offices: London
Overseas offices: 1

Firm profile Contacts

This long-established London firm provides high quality, individually tailored legal advice, often Graduate recruiter:
with a cross-border aspect, to a portfolio of international and domestic clients, including com- Corinne Johnson,
mercial businesses, wealthy individuals and families, and ambitious entrepreneurs. The firm has corinne.johnson@collyerbristow.
com, 0207 242 7363
a particular reputation for its private wealth, business, real estate, and dispute resolution services.
Training partner:
Clients choose Collyer Bristow because they, like those within the firm, appreciate individuality Janet Armstrong-Fox
and creativity. Clients acknowledge that their needs may be unique or more complex, and that
in progressing their legal issues they value a more engaged and collaborative service from their Application criteria
lawyers. They recognise that the Collyer Bristow approach is one of building understanding and Training contracts pa: 4

trusted relationships with clients. Lawyers at the firm take time to gain an understanding of their Applications pa: 350

clients and the individual objectives behind every transaction or dispute. Minimum required degree grade:
2:1 or above
The firm is well known for its support of the contemporary arts, having operated a ground break- Minimum A levels: Strong grades
ing in-house art gallery for 30 years, and sponsoring art and literary prizes. Work experience places pa: 15

Dates and deadlines

Main areas of work
Training contract applications
Collyer Bristow is known for its strength in private wealth (including tax and estate planning,
open: 1st March 2021
family, media and privacy, residential real estate, and business services for owner managers);
Training contract deadline, 2022
commercial real estate (contentious and non-contentious and including construction) and dispute start: 16th July 2021
resolution (banking and financial disputes, commercial litigation, employment, and IP), as well as
corporate and commercial services. Salary and benefits
First-year salary: £34,000
As well as its strength in private wealth and real estate, the firm also has significant cross-practice
Second-year salary: £36,000
expertise in the media, arts and culture and financial services sectors.
Post-qualification salary: £57,500
Holiday entitlement: 25 days
Training opportunities
The firm is looking for individuals who are able to demonstrate a strong academic performance,
having gained a 2:1 or on track to achieve this. Successful candidates will be motivated individuals
who possess strong commercial awareness, common sense, good communication skills and an
ability to understand a client’s needs.
Trainees spend six months in four of the firm’s five key practice areas, working with a range of
people from senior partners to more recently qualified solicitors. The firm has mentoring, allocated
seat supervisors, training and appraisal programmes, which nurture the development of technical
expertise and client advisory skills. Trainees are expected at an early stage to take responsibility for
their own files and to participate in managing the client’s work with appropriate supervision and
are encouraged to take part in the firm’s business development activities.

Other benefits
The True Picture

Life assurance, pension, private medical insurance, employee assistance programme, season ticket
loan, 25 days’ holiday.

Org ID: 88 2 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................277

 C Cooley LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Cooley LLP
The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Location: London Get hired at Cooley
Overseas offices: 15
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 28/63/7
Seats: 4x6 months
First-year salary: £50,000
Qualification salary: £120,000

This tech-savvy firm brings a Cali-cool vibe to the City, and uber-modern
clients with it.

The Firm to help you.” Cooley’s recruitment team meets all new ar-
Everything’s exciting when it’s new. Part of the fun of the rivals to set the tone of the training contract and learn
trainee experience is how new everything is, taking your if they have any seat preferences, “then feed those back
first steps in the big bad legal world. Cooley is pretty new to the teams and try and match us up. It’s partly based on
to the UK scene itself, having set up shop in London in trainee preferences and partly on business need.” Although
2015, and trainees described it as a “really exciting and second years’ choices are prioritised, many first years got
dynamic place to work.” They also drew our attention to what they wanted too. Looking for room to improve, the
the “cool” clients – eBay, Universal Music and Sony are firm is aiming to speed up the process “so it’s less last-
among the big names, but perhaps the most exciting op- minute,” according to trainees.
portunities come from work with the start-ups which aim
to be the giants of tomorrow. Like Cooley itself, many of
these hail from California’s Bay Area. The Seats
Trainees typically complete two litigious and two trans-
Chambers UK ranks the firm for mid-market M&A, prod- actional seats. Some do split seats – for example, mixing
uct liability, insurance, public international law, and trans- M&A from the corporate and life sciences groups. Em-
actional life sciences. Interviewees noted that Cooley is ployment and compensation and benefits are “closely
“huge in life sciences” and also does a fair bit with media linked,” and physically sit next to each other, so they’re
and broadcasting outfits: “Even though we don’t have hun- another common combination. Cooley also permits train-
dreds of people working in the UK, we’re still exposed to ees to repeat seats: “They understand that you’ll want
the same level of clients as bigger firms. It just feels more more experience in the department you want to qualify into.
personal.” The London office’s revenue is in fact growing I’m repeating my first seat and I’m more confident; previous-
faster than that of the firm as a whole, clocking in at a ly I wasn’t really sure what was going on, so I’ve got more
tidy $72.9 million in 2019. Trainees and NQs are reaping responsibility this time.”
the benefits – Cooley’s whopping £120,000 qualification
The True Picture

salary is one of the highest in the City today. Compensation and benefits, or ‘Comp and Ben’ as it’s
fondly known, brings together corporate governance,
“We’re still exposed to the same level of remuneration agreements, employee benefits, equity
clients as bigger firms. It just feels more investment issues and more. Trainees were tasked with
ensuring agreements complied with local legislation “so
personal.”
Money isn’t the only reason why trainees flocked to the Seat options: business litigation (commercial litiga-
firm’s doors: several cited the small intake of four new tion, product compliance and product liability, asset
starters a year as a big draw. “We get to know all the recovery, public international law, white-collar defence
partners and associates, rather being a tiny cog in a huge and investigations); insurance & reinsurance; corporate
machine,” they explained. This makes for “a really friendly (M&A, private equity and venture capital, life sciences);
vibe: everyone’s doors are always open, and everyone wants capital markets; technology transactions; employment

278
chambersstudent.co.uk Cooley LLP C
Chambers UK rankings The broader corporate department is characterised
Corporate/M&A Product Liability
by lean deal teams: “Where the other side has four or
Insurance Public International Law
five trainees on a transaction, we often have just one. The
Life Sciences Tax
partner and associate will really rely on us.” As such, one
source got to draft the main transaction document on a
deal, a rare treat for a trainee. Cooley’s practice specialis-
es in technology, telecommunications, media and life sci-
that employers around the world can use them; that was ences deals; the team represented Singapore’s sovereign
really interesting.” They were pleased to get “really hands- wealth fund GIC in its acquisition of a 9.9% stake in pest
on supervision. By the end of the seat you can draft option control specialist Anticimex. The corporate seat’s known
agreements yourself.” Cooley’s employment practice for offering client contact: “We get more interaction than
balances advisory and contentious work (in the form of in litigation because deals move so quickly.” Although cor-
unfair dismissal claims), but the see-saw tipped towards porate law can “test and push you,” interviewees praised
advisory during the coronavirus pandemic. Clients here supervisors for “sitting down with trainees and going
include Universal Music, Eve Sleep and the Airline Traf- through any mistakes, to help us improve for the future.”
fic Publishing Company, whom the firm has acted for in
employment tribunal discrimination cases. Advising on
furlough schemes and “drafting updates on legislation,” Trainee Life
trainees in employment tackled due diligence, taking In normal circumstances, trainees all share an office with
witness statements, managing data rooms, disclosure their supervisor; during the 2020 lockdown, our sources
and bundling. had daily contact and each department ran group check-
ins “to make sure everyone was okay. Managers liken us
The last of those is inevitable in a litigation seat too, “but all to a family, which is really sweet; they’re really good
there’s usually only one trainee per case so we’re really em- at making everyone feel included.” Trainees unanimously
bedded within the team.” Cooley’s practice attracts “giant felt that “everyone takes a big interest in learning and de-
companies and little businesses; we work across all kinds of velopment,” and even London managing partner Justin
sectors.” Examples include technology, pharmaceuticals Stock sits in on associate and trainee committee meet-
and online gaming. The firm recently represented life ings. There are also departmental committees comprised
sciences company Allergy Therapeutics in a High Court of all associates in a practice group internationally: “It’s a
clash with a Canadian company over their global clinical chance for people to air concerns and come up with a col-
trials. Other clients include eBay, StubHub and the Uni- lective solution, which then goes to the partners.”
versity of Notre Dame in England. Document review is a
“big part of the seat,” but trainees also respond to disclo- Many were impressed that pro bono is “valued at the same
sure requests, “which is really good experience as a first level as billables and nobody ever says ‘oh, it’s only pro
seater.” Client interaction is common during conferences bono.’ The cases are really useful for getting first-hand ex-
and witness interviews: “The firm makes a big effort to put perience.” Common examples include social security and
us in front of clients and see partners’ different styles when benefits cases, asylum and immigration matters – voicing
they’re communicating with them. We’re not just behind the an interest is all that’s needed to get involved. Similarly in
scenes.” keeping with US firm stereotypes, hours across the board
at Cooley can get long: “You can expect 11-hour days.” One
“Where the other side has four or five particularly unlucky trainee worked until 1am for a fort-
trainees on a transaction, we often have night to close a deal, but even they were magnanimous
about it all. “The team is really supportive, and we chose
just one.”
this career – no one came into it oblivious about late fin-
Client contact is also high in the technology transactions ishes.”
The True Picture

group (TTG). Start-ups are a linchpin of this practice, but

larger companies can be found here too: biotech multina- “It’s a rite of passage. That’s how everyone
tional Bavarian Nordic called on Cooley during its €796 gets to know us and size us up!”
million acquisition of the global rights to two commercial
vaccines from GlaxoSmithKline.Trainees in the seat han- Cooley isn’t all work, no play – a dedicated budget for
dled commercial contracts and assisted team corporate trainees is part of a shining social scene. They’re also
with “tech or IP-related diligence.” TTG also has a hand in put in charge of organising the Christmas quiz: “It’s a rite
data protection and privacy law. A source described their of passage. That’s how everyone gets to know us and size
highlight of the seat as “getting to taking the lead on cer- us up!” Outside the festive season, the firm hosts office-
tain projects which were specific to clients’ needs: getting wide socials known as ‘Cooley Relax & Rewind,’ plus
an idea of the type of the agreement they needed and draft- events hosted by the firm’s inclusion networks. The Mi-
ing it from scratch or reviewing what they already had.” nority Associate Network runs film screenings, while the

279
 C Cooley LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Women’s Network has a book club. Insiders noted that

many first years in the trainee cohort had international
backgrounds, and the vast majority were female: “There’s
top-down commitment to diversity. It’s not just a box-ticking
exercise.” The London office has previously hosted talks
from diverse California-based partners. Cooley’s hot on
wellbeing, too, offering free yoga and bi-weekly mindful-
ness sessions.

Sitting with the Cool kids

“Cooley is really keen on people who have interesting
backgrounds or a cool previous career,”trainees revealed.
“Anything that makes you stand out and shows you’re a well-
rounded person will help your application.” In 2020, Cooley
retained two of four qualifying trainees
The True Picture

280
www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
chambersstudent.co.uk Cooley LLP C

Cooley (UK) LLP

Dashwood, 69 Old Broad Street, London, EC2M 1QS
Tel: 020 7583 4055
Partners: 27
Email: [email protected] Twitter: @CooleyLLP Assistant solicitors: 58
Website: www.cooley.com/uktrainee Facebook: CooleyLLP Total trainees: 7
Linkedin: Cooley LLP UK offices: London
Overseas offices: 15

Firm profile Contacts

Cooley lawyers solve legal issues for entrepreneurs, investors, financial institutions and established Graduate recruiter:
companies, with a significant emphasis on technology, life sciences and other high-growth industries. Sarah Warnes,
Clients partner with Cooley on transformative deals, complex IP and regulatory matters and high- [email protected]
Training principal:
stakes litigation, often where innovation meets the law. The firm has 1,100+ lawyers across 16 offices in Claire Temple,
the US, Asia and Europe. Cooley took home The Lawyer’s International Firm of the Year award in 2018 [email protected]
and has won in various categories at the Transatlantic Legal Awards in 2018 and 2019. Additionally,
Cooley has been named a Fortune Best Company to Work For seven years in a row. Application criteria
Training contracts pa: 4
Applications pa: 500 approx
Main areas of work Minimum required degree
Cooley’s London office has been named London Office of the Year at the British Legal Awards twice grade: 2:1
since opening in 2015. It has built out robust practices, including corporate/M&A, finance, venture Minimum UCAS points or
capital and private equity, capital markets, technology transactions, insurance, litigation, IP, product A levels: ABB (excluding General
Studies)
compliance & liability, white collar crime, tax, employment, competition and privacy and data protec-
Vacation scheme places pa:
tion, among others. Up to 10

Training opportunities Dates and deadlines

Training contract applications
Cooley’s training experience will revolve around small groups of trainees and really hands-on open: 19th October 2020
involvement. We truly believe in learning by doing. Trainees spend four six-month periods in some Training contract deadline, 2022
of the firm’s corporate/ transactional and litigation areas. Trainees give preferences for seats and there start: 31st January 2021
may also be opportunities for client secondments from time to time. The focus is on your development Vacation scheme applications
as a truly commercial lawyer. Supplementing your hands-on learning will be a programme designed to open: 19th October 2020
Vacation scheme 2021 deadline:
increase your knowledge and skill for the work Cooley does. Practice group programmes and firm-wide 31st January 2021
opportunities will enhance this. Working alongside and learning from some of the best lawyers in their Open day deadline: See website
fields will give you a fantastic start to your professional life. A multilevel support network of partners, for details of events
mentors and a buddy system ensures you have a targeted level of guidance.
Salary and benefits
First-year salary: £50,000
Vacation scheme Second-year salary: £55,000
The Summer Programme is the only route into being considered for a training place. Apply online by Post-qualification salary:
31 January 2021. Two structured two-week placements for up to ten students. £120,000
Holiday entitlement: 25 days

Other benefits Sponsorship

Life assurance, pension (firm contribution 5%), STL, private healthcare, employee assistance and mental LPC fees: Yes
health and wellbeing support services, critical illness cover, wellness program, virtual GP services, cycle GDL fees: Yes
to work scheme, gym membership/fitness reimbursement, on-site café, mortgage surgeries, back-up Maintenance grant pa: £8,000 in
child/adult care, discount, cashback and concierge services, other sports and social activities. London, £7,500 outside
The True Picture

Open days and first-year opportunities

One open day in December for those interested in applying to the summer programme. Application
deadline 23 November 2020. Apply online: www.cooley.com/uktrainee. Check website for dates and
details of other events in 2021.

University law careers fairs 2020

National virtual events including Bright Network Future Lawyers, in addition to Bristol,
Nottingham, Queen Mary, Oxford, Cambridge, King’s College London, Birmingham, further
TBC.

Org ID: 3562 3 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................281

 C Covington & Burling LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Covington & Burling LLP

The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Locations: London How to get into Covington
Overseas offices: 13
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 30/89/17
Seats: 4x6 months; client secondments;
Brussels and Dubai
First-year salary: £48,000
Qualification salary: £120,000

Life sciences is the lifeblood of Covington’s London office, where a small

trainee cohort are “very passionate” about their firm’s work.

The Firm bers UK rankings reveals additional accolades for private

Can you confidently say that you are the best at some- equity, product liability, data protection and M&A. There’s
thing? Few of us would make such a bold declaration –but even a top ranking for public affairs work, a reflection of
when it comes to life sciences, Washington, DC’s Coving- Covington’s lobbying prowess in the US. “Our disputes
ton & Burling can make a reasonable argument that no- team is the firm’s dark horse,” one of our sources added.
body does it better. This is the only firm ranked for life “We absorbed a lot of the big players from King & Wood
sciences by Chambers Global, Chambers UK, Chambers Mallesons when it went into administration.” Many felt the
USA and Chambers Europe; their expertise guarantees a nature and diversity of the work on offer sets C&B apart
steady flow of work from industry giants, including the “from a lot of the other US firms operating in the market,
likes of AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson and Merck. It which are much more focused on finance and private eq-
also ensures the firm attracts a carefully selected crop of uity.”
fewer than ten trainees a year “wanting to practice law at
the highest level.”
The Seats
Our interviewees didn’t shy away from the fact that “the Trainees must complete mandatory seats in both the
work is often highly technical,” but they were keen to em- corporate and dispute resolution departments and pick
phasise that a scientific background was not a prerequi- five preferences to rank among the firm’s ten or so other
site for joining the firm. “There’s a scattering of PhDs at seat options. More adventurous options include pharma-
Covington, but we’re not patent attorneys so a technical themed client secondments and an overseas seat in
background isn’t essential,” one source made clear, add- Brussels; the firm also recently opened up a new seat in
ing that “it’s more important to be able to pick things up the Dubai office. Most of our interviewees had no beef
quickly – that’s a key skill for any lawyer!” Another weighed with the system, but conceded “it’s not always clear how
in: “The firm really appreciates people having different decisions are made,” agreeing that “some more structure
The True Picture

backgrounds. I get the sense that they put a big premium would be appreciated.”
on personality and people with passion for a particular sub-
ject area.” Two teams fit under C&B’s life sciences umbrella: the
transactional group mainly handles contracts, licences
“There’s a scattering of PhDs at Covington, and collaboration agreements, while another department
but we’re not patent attorneys so a handles the regulatory aspects. As well as pharmaceuti-
cal giants, the firm also represents biotechnology, digital
technical background isn’t essential.”
Sources were also keen to highlight the “huge diversity Seat options: corporate; dispute resolution; life scienc-
of work on offer outside of the life sciences sector,” which es regulatory; life sciences transactional; project devel-
spans everything from energy and technology to media opment & finance; technology regulatory; employment
and financial services. A look back at the firm’s Cham- & benefits; competition

282
chambersstudent.co.uk Covington & Burling LLP C
Chambers UK rankings transactions and collaborations with Covington’s US of-
Capital Markets Parliamentary & Public
fices are common.
Corporate/M&A Affairs

Data Protection Private Equity “Our disputes team covers all the sectors the firm is in-
Insurance Product Liability volved in,” trainees clarified. “We have clients in the finan-
Life Sciences
cial services, energy, tech, media and life sciences sectors.”
There’s also a sub-team that handles commercial and
investor-state arbitration. Covington recently represent-
ed the World Anti-Doping Agency during defamation and
health, diagnostic and medical device companies, often negligence claims involving Liverpool Football Club and
in regulatory proceedings before the European Com- player Mamadou Sakho; they also acted for German-
mission, the European Medicines Agency (EMA), and based Deutsche Telekom in a conspiracy claim brought
the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use by the administrators of Phones 4u. There’s plenty for
(CHMP). For example, recently they’ve advised pharma trainees to cut their teeth on in this seat, from bundling
company PTC Therapeutics on procedural rights after re- and disclosure to “preparing presentations to a board of
quests from the European Medicines Agency for access directors and helping to develop expert reports. I think dis-
to their clinical trial data. As for transactions, Covington putes is one the groups with the best team spirits – there’s
acted for German-headquartered BioNTech on its $150 always lots of social events going on.”
million IPO; and for AstraZeneca in mooted sales and li-
cence to Cheplapharm of commercial rights to antipsy-
chotic medications, for $280 million total. Trainee Life
Speaking of socials, Covington has a softball team, a
“More recently we’ve been dealing with lots of coronavirus- Christmas party and a multitude of welcoming drinks to
related issues,” trainees revealed. “For example, a lot of keep keen trainees occupied. Interviewees made it clear
clients are wanting to produce and manufacture hand sani- that “people have lives and families outside of the firm, so
tiser and face masks to get out to public and key workers; they aren’t the sort to stick around for a drink every night.”
we help them with navigating the regulatory framework to Turning their attentions to the idea of a Covington ‘type’,
achieve that.” One insider felt the level of technicality that trainees said: “People in the firm are normal but also very
comes with life sciences work can “somewhat limit your passionate about the work they do, not just from a work
responsibility as a trainee,” adding that “there’s more of an perspective but also in an academic sense.” One went fur-
emphasis on learning and training.” However, our sourc- ther: “We’re quite nerdy. There’s definitely a ‘kooky’ charac-
es were still drafting clauses and small agreements, ter to the firm, as we have so many eccentric personalities.”
proofreading documents and attending meetings.They
revealed that the regulatory seat is “extremely research- “…very passionate about the work they do,
heavy. If you don’t love research, don’t do this seat,” one not just from a work perspective but also in
warned. Those who do enjoy it might consider opting for
an academic sense.”
a spell in the food & drugs team, which is similarly big
on getting trainees researching. A source explained: “You Reflecting Covington’s American roots, “pro bono is
spend a lot of time looking at the restrictions around adver- something that the firm takes seriously. There have been
tising a particular pill or product. It really makes you look at lots of immigration law cases that we’re encouraged to get
the adverts on the Underground differently!” involved with, the hours of which all count towards billa-
bles.” Less happily, the firm also brings with it a US work
“It really makes you look at the adverts on ethic and “the hours are not the friendliest.” Their intensity
the Underground differently!” varied between our interviewees, but trainees indicated
ten-hour-plus days were common. They should prepare
The True Picture

The broader corporate department also advises life sci- for later nights as well, but also “quieter periods where
ences clients; others include globally recognised names you can leave at 6pm.” Transactional seats tend to have
from the tech, media and communications sectors. The more demanding hours while litigious and regulatory
team recently advised founders of British film visual ef- departments will be a bit more predictable. One trainee
fects company The Foundry on its £410 million sale to the summarised: “On average, I would say I’m eating dinner in
US-based Roper Technologies. A source told us that “the the office twice a week.”
team also handles some restructuring, private equity and
venture capital deals.” They go on to explain the role of the Fortunately, prospective trainees can look forward to
trainee on matters: “You really get to grips with all the cogs some fantastic views when wistfully staring out the win-
in a company’s structure. I was filing lots for Companies dow 16 hours into a shift, as the firm is due to move to
House and sitting in lots of calls with clients.” Cross-border 22 Bishopsgate some time in 2021. “It’s the second-tallest
building in London and we’re going to be on the top floor!”

283
 C Covington & Burling LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Quick to defend their firm, trainees declared that “the Trainees appreciated that “the firm tries to create roles
hours are similar to what you’d work at the magic circle,” where they can” when qualification season arrives. “Some
which sounds about right. They also hoped Covington departments are known for offering roles only every few
would ease restrictions on flexible working for trainees years – such as employment,” we heard. “Corporate and liti-
and NQs in the wake of Covid-19. gation typically have the highest capacity for NQs.” Coving-
ton retained all eight qualifiers in 2020, and even brought
in a ninth NQ to start in September 2021.

CovingtONE
C&B hosts an associate integration seminar every year
in Washington, DC for the entire firm. “They put on loads
of parties and it really reinforces a one-firm feel,” insiders
told us. These trips have been put on hold until the
pandemic is under control.
The True Picture

284
www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
chambersstudent.co.uk Covington & Burling LLP C

Covington & Burling LLP

265 Strand, London WC2R 1BH
Tel: 020 7067 2000 Fax: 020 7067 2222 Twitter: @covingtonllp Partners: 30
Email: [email protected] Linkedin: covington-&-burling Associates: 52
Website: www.cov.com Total trainees: 17
UK offices: London
Firm profile Overseas offices: 12
Covington & Burling LLP was founded in Washington, DC a century ago. Today, Covington has more
Contacts
than 1,000 lawyers and advisers across our global offices. We advise clients on their most challenging
Graduate recruiter:
and complex matters. Our work has an international element, and all our practice groups operate across
Graduate Recruitment Team
borders. Our distinctively collaborative culture allows us to be truly one team globally, drawing on the [email protected]
diverse experience of lawyers across the firm. 020 7067 2000
Training partners: Mark Young &
At Covington, you will have an opportunity to work on cutting-edge deals for clients such as Microsoft, Sarah Cowlishaw
Astra Zeneca and Facebook, Fortune 100 businesses and leading technology, life sciences and media
Application criteria
companies. We have represented Facebook, Inc in its US$22 billion acquisition of WhatsApp and its
Training contracts pa: Up to 9
US$1 billion acquisition of Instagram. We also advised Illumina on a four-year project that will map
Minimum required degree
genomes for breakthroughs into cancer and rare diseases. Most recently we have advised on a deal in grade: 2:1
which Pfizer & BioNTech have agreed to work together to develop a covid-19 vaccine. Minimum UCAS points or A
levels: ABB or equivalent
Main areas of work
Vacation scheme places pa:
Corporate advisory (capital markets, M&A, finance, private equity, venture capital and funds), com- Up to 20
mercial litigation, data privacy, competition, employment, financial services, insurance coverage dis-
putes, intellectual property, internal investigations and compliance, international arbitration, life sci- Dates and deadlines
ences, project development & finance, tax, technology regulatory. Training contract applications
open: 1st October 2020
Training opportunities Training contract deadline, 2023
Trainees complete four six-month seats. All trainees undertake a seat within the corporate and dispute start: 9th July 2021
resolution practices and optional seats in employment & benefits, life sciences regulatory and life sci- Vacation scheme applications
ences transactional, project development & finance and technology regulatory. Client secondments are open: 1st October 2020

available, alongside secondments to our Brussels & Dubai offices. Summer vacation scheme 2021
deadline: 15th January 2021
Open day deadline:
All trainees are supervised by a senior lawyer and have access to a support network and a mentoring
26 February 2021
programme. Trainees benefit from the responsibilities and opportunities found within a close-knit of-
fice, combined with the resources and prestige of a leading international firm. You are quickly able to Salary and benefits
start contributing to teams and participate in meaningful work. First-year salary: £48,000
Second-year salary: £53,000
Vacation scheme Post-qualification salary:
Our vacation schemes provide an opportunity to become integrated into the firm, and participate in £120,000
real work, group activities and a series of presentations from across practice groups and offices. Students Holiday entitlement: 25 days
work on an independent research project focusing on a practice area of interest, providing a valuable
insight into the work of a Covington lawyer. Sponsorship
LPC fees: Yes
Other benefits GDL fees: Yes
Trainees have access to a full benefits package including: pension scheme, health insurance, life assur- Maintenance grant pa: Up to
ance, independent financial advice, 25 days’ holiday, an employee assistance programme, child care £8,000
The True Picture

vouchers, a dental plan, emergency care cover and interest-free season ticket loans. International and regional
Offices with training contracts:
Open days and first-year opportunities London
Insight Days are aimed at candidates who are still researching their legal careers. The one day pro- Overseas seats: Brussels, Dubai
gramme provides an insight into the firm, its practice areas and the skills you will need to develop to Client secondments:
become a successful lawyer. Opportunities are provided to
trainees to undertake a 6 month
University law careers fairs 2020 client secondment in the second
TBD. year of their training contract

Org ID: 3826 2 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................285

 C Cripps Pemberton Greenish chambersstudent.co.uk

Cripps Pemberton Greenish

The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Locations: Tunbridge Wells, London Get hired by Cripps
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 63/110/15
Interview with managing partner
Seats: 4x6 months
First-year salary: £26,000 (£34,250 London) Gavin Tyler
Qualification salary: £42,500 (£53,000 London) More on working hours and social
life

Tunbridge Wells’ Cripps is the real McCoy of property and private wealth
work. It offers its trainees “quality matters,” a “supportive culture” and a
growing London presence within its packet.

The Firm putes in the area) in Kent and in the South, and as a na-
Following its late 2018 merger with Londoner Pemberton tional leader outside of London. Speaking of the capital,
Greenish, Cripps has been riding high. The combination CPG does have an office in Chelsea, where it has recently
boosted the firm’s core real estate and private wealth added two lateral hires in the family and employment
practices in particular, but we decided to check in with practices.
managing partner Gavin Tyler to get the latest: “Our liti-
gation, employment and family teams have all experienced CPG’s heart and soul is in the Kent town of Tunbridge
an upswing in work. The residential property group has also Wells, but the firm also recruits trainees in London. For
been very robust and in June they revised their budget up our trainee sources it was CPG’s “open culture,” “quality
by 280%. On the downside, commercial real estate has felt matters” and size that convinced them to join. “I wanted
a pinch in work, as businesses are struggling to pay their to be in a mid-sized firm that had links to the capital but
rent due to Covid-19.” promoted the maintenance of a better work/life balance. I
also wanted to go to a firm that had a smaller trainee in-
“We’re looking to develop the digital side take.” The chance to go on a client secondment (the firm
of the business in the future.” runs at least one or two a year) was also a big pull for our
interviewees. These typically last for three months and
Of course, 2020 is the year where everything has been af- expose trainees to “a lot of commercial contracts and ad-
fected by the global pandemic, but Tyler highlights how hoc work” that crops up inside a business.
the firm has been looking to develop positively in light of
it: “We are doing a big review of our five-year plan and are
focusing on our service approach. The pandemic has made The Seats
us look at how we can better use technology to improve our Towards the close of summer, incoming trainees receive
The True Picture

clients’ experience and the services we provide for them. a list of what seats are on offer. From this they reply with
We’re looking to develop the digital side of the business in their top five choices. “You aren’t forced into anything,” one
the future.” source confirmed (thankfully!), adding that they’d got “all
of my preferred choices, just not in the right order!” Train-
At the moment, CPG picks up a whole host of top-end ees determine all of their seats before starting, but these
Chambers UK rankings in the south of the country, es- are subject to change based on business need. Cripps
pecially for areas such as real estate, real estate litiga-
tion, planning, corporate M&A, banking & finance, pro- Seat options: private wealth; residential transactions;
fessional negligence and litigation. On its home turf of residential property; commercial real estate; residential
Kent, CPG’s family and agricultural/rural affairs expertise estates; commercial; corporate; commercial dispute
shines, while Chambers High Net Worth rates the firm as resolution; employment; specialist dispute resolution;
a premier outfit for private wealth law (and related dis- property dispute resolution; family

286
chambersstudent.co.uk Cripps Pemberton Greenish C
Chambers UK rankings financial services and technology/media sectors espe-
Agriculture & Rural Affairs Information Technology
cially. Clients include private equity-backed outfits like
Banking & Finance Litigation
Uniguest Holdings, as well as AdEPT Technology and
Construction Planning
Broden Media. The group recently represented Uniguest
Corporate/M&A Professional Negligence
as it acquired a global business called Tripleplay, which
Employment Real Estate
operates in the digital signage sector – the transaction
Family/Matrimonial Real Estate Litigation
covered seven jurisdictions including the US, Australia
Healthcare Restructuring/Insolvency
and Singapore. A trainee explained that the corporate
division as a whole “encompasses sales and purchases of
companies, employment issues, commercial contracts and
commercial dispute resolution.” For those focusing on the
doesn’t have any compulsory seats, but trainees are likely transactional side, “you’ll be assisting with the sale and
to do a stint in one of its real estate departments. purchase documentation, answering enquiries, dealing with
disclosure and managing data rooms.” One particularly en-
The commercial propertyseat contains two teams: one joyed “the problem-solving element of dealing with disclo-
focuses on planning, construction and investment work, sures - you come across elements that need to be fixed or
while the other deals with corporate real estate work. The explained. Client contact is high up on the agenda for all
latter is internally referred to as “the green team,” where trainees here.”
trainees get stuck into a lot of work for landlords and
property funds. The team typically advises developers, Residential conveyancing also offers a great deal of re-
investors and high net worth individuals. It has previously sponsibility to trainees. “I tended to have my own files,”
acted for clients including Endurance Land, The Dulwich one trainee reported, “which involved opening the file with
Estate and Tristan Capital. The group acts as sole legal a new client, carrying out searches on the property, drafting
adviser to the joint owners of the centre:mk in Milton reports on title, and dealing with the exchange and com-
Keynes, which involves handling all of the lettings, asset pletion or a sale or purchasing.” A lot of the work was re-
management and construction work tied to the shopping lated to agricultural land, with a source noting how they’d
centre. “I was mostly drafting leases – for shopping centres drafted “a licence to allow someone the right to have ani-
– but also answering enquiries tied to those leases and re- mals grazing on their land.”
viewing title documents,” said one trainee. “I also worked
on the sales of portfolio properties too.”
Trainee Life
“Client contact is high up on the agenda At CPG you can say goodbye to those Sunday blues that
for all trainees here.” settle in when thoughts of Monday morning arise: “It’s
always a pleasure to go into work– I’ve never met anyone
Over in property disputes, the team covers the likes of who I didn’t want to speak to again!” one trainee enthused.
easement and covenant claims, as well as developer Other sources described the culture as “open” and “sup-
disputes. Clients here include government departments, portive,” with one explaining that their supervisor “has
well-known retailers, landowners and investors with been fantastic and incredibly patient during this time when
property portfolios. The Home Office, the Crown Pros- trainees have needed more support. I think that’s a reflec-
ecution Service and M&G Real Estate are current clients. tion of the kind of people the firm employs. Everybody gen-
A recent case saw the team act for indemnity insurer uinely cares, which is important!” Managing partner Gavin
ERGO on eight rights to light claims valued to be worth Tyler confirms that “we are interested in people who share
over £150 million. According to trainees, the group acts our views on the world. We are ethically focused and we put
as a “support team” for the rest of the real estate division, our people before profit. We are all about the team effort.
dealing with “anything that may get contentious, like lease We focus on good people who work hard and love what they
The True Picture

renewals and break notices, for example.” There are also do.”
some contentious construction matters, as well as dis-
putes over property boundaries and rights of way issues. “It’s always a pleasure to go into work.”
Our sources had been “allocated tasks like contacting and
instructing counsel, getting experts involved and drafting Trainees felt that this approach filtered down into train-
up court documents for proceedings.” Life here can be ing and development. “The firm values its people and it
fast-paced and highly structured as there are “strict court invests a lot into us. There are monthly know-how meetings
deadlines and procedures that need to be followed.” in each division, as well as knowledge-sharing platforms
and practice support lawyers who do a lot of work to make
Mid-market M&A and private equity deals are on offer sure we are up to date with the law.” Another source com-
in the corporate seat, where CPG’s lawyers are recog- mented on how the firm “fosters a strong learning envi-
nised by Chambers UK for their work in the healthcare, ronment,” and highlighted the initial three-week burst of

287
 C Cripps Pemberton Greenish chambersstudent.co.uk

training sessions that trainees get when they first start. At the time of our calls trainees said that the qualifica-
“Seat handovers can always feel daunting as everything is tion process was still “up in the air because of Covid-19,”
new again,” said an interviewee, “but the teams I’ve worked but they were confident that things would run smoothly
for have always been extremely supportive, which made the as they had done in previous years: “We are lucky because
process easier.” the number of trainees is usually similar to the number of
positions available, so it’s typically straightforward.” Anoth-
er anticipated that NQ job interviews would take place in
July. The qualification process was still ongoing when we
went to press in 2020.

The future is diverse...

Managing partner Gavin Tyler tells us CPG is “putting its
efforts towards ensuring there’s diversity in our trainee
intakes.” 2019 marked the launch of the firm’s first-ever
open day, which was designed to attract a more diverse pool
of candidates.
The True Picture

288
chambersstudent.co.uk Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle LLP C

Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle LLP

The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Location: London How to get into Curtis
Overseas offices: 15
More on hours and social life
UK partners/solicitors/trainees (2019): 10/8/2
Seats: non-rotational
First-year salary: £42,000
Qualification salary: undisclosed

When it comes to representing international states, New York’s Curtis

Mallet is nailing it.

The Firm The Seats

What do Coca-Cola, toilet seat covers, iPads and Curtis Given its size, Curtis doesn’t offer a rotational seat pro-
all have in common? They’re US imports the Brits have gramme. Instead, “you get involved in whatever work is
embraced. But despite its US heritage, the firm actually available so you can direct the training contract as you like.”
has more international offices than American ones: three The benefit is that “you’re not stuck in something you don’t
are situated in the US (the New York HQ, plus its DC and like for six months, but you can also spend longer than six
Houston bases) and 14 others are spread across Europe, months on the things you enjoy.” What’s more, the lack of
Asia, South America and the Middle East. The firm’s cli- “arbitrary” rotations means “you can see most of your work
ent roster reads like the table plan at a United Nations through to the end.” Interviewees were pleased to say that
dinner: Cyprus, Spain, the Dominican Republic, Uganda “no one office is dominant” and that departments don’t
and Russia are just some of the countries Curtis rep- dominate the client base, either. Although more senior
resents. In fact, the UN crops up on the client list, too. lawyers “are firmly in one camp or the other, elsewhere
It’s hardly surprising, then, that Curtis has nabbed four people will dabble in another department if the work calls
Chambers rankings for its international arbitration prow- for it.” This enables, for example, corporate lawyers to get
ess alone – in France, Latin America, the US and global- involved in disputes matters for a client who they’ve al-
wide – and those are only a few of the firm’s 26 rankings ready worked with on their primary area of expertise.
to be found across Chambers’ guides. Other areas that
stand out include international trade, dispute resolution International arbitration is the name of the game at Cur-
and corporate/M&A across various jurisdictions. tis: “It’s very proud of its reputation.” The firm “more or
less only represents state entities,” trainees informed us.
Instead of embarking on a sports-car-shopping-spree Chambers Global praises Curtis for its work on investor-
midlife crisis, Curtis’ 45-year-old London office has stuck state disputes, especially those occurring in the tele-
with its strategy of keeping lateral numbers low and coms, oil & gas, mining and banking sectors. Clients here
maintaining its Smart-car sized headcount – the London include all the countries mentioned in the introduction.
The True Picture

office, for example, houses around 25 lawyers, which Lawyers in this area have been busy representing India
was something that got our interviewees’ engines going: in seven arbitrations, including one involving Vodafone
“I never wanted be one of 60 trainees,” said one source. over taxation measures and another that revolved around
There’s no danger of that at Curtis, which only takes on enforcements being put on state-owned company Antrix.
one or two trainees a year. Others were sold on the fact As soon as they joined the group, trainees got involved
that “it brings in really international work because it’s got in organising evidence, drafting briefs and even going on
offices all over the world – nothing is ever purely English trips abroad to meet clients. One insider was particularly
law.” A fun fact to demonstrate this international capa- keen to tell us: “Every matter I’ve been on has involved
bility: Curtis is the only US-headquartered firm that’s li- teams from all over the world, including those in Mexico
censed to practise in Oman. and New York.” The firm has recently begun taking on
more commercial arbitration matters, thanks partly to a
lateral partner hire.

289
 C Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

“Every matter I’ve been on has involved Trainee Life

teams from all over the world.” It’s worth noting that there isn’t a formal training pro-
gramme: “You learn on the job. We have monthly office-
The work in corporate is “slightly more wide-ranging wide training but nothing specific to trainees.” The firm
than it is in international arbitration – it’s more of a general does, however, “support us going to workshops at other
practice with M&A and commercial contract work too.” We firms. We have such a fantastic arbitration practice they
heard there’s a lot investment management work, which should do formal training on it here!” Trainees can rely on
sees the team representing the likes of funds, fund spon- informal training to see them through as well, and insid-
sors or other investors: “A lot of the work comes out of New ers praised the partners for being far from curt: “There’s
York, but we have state entity clients in Europe and further no such thing as not being able to speak to them if you’re
afield.” The London office recently supported colleagues juggling deadlines, which is nice.”
in Dubai on a venture capital investment into UK-based
food tech business KBox Global –a deal that also involved The office set-up also lends itself to a collaborative envi-
structuring and tax advice. ronment: each trainee typically shares an office with an
associate. One interviewee recalled an especially colle-
Commercial litigation is known for affording trainees a gial time: “I was once working over the weekend with part-
lot of responsibility: “Within a week of joining the firm I was ners based in the US who I’d never worked with before. My
drafting summaries on a High Court case worth £9.6 bil- supervising partner was abroad, but she still emailed me
lion!” That’s pretty darn good for a first week. A London- asking if I was okay and if I needed anything.” At the same
based partner recently led a case on behalf of the UAE time, sources warned future trainees to not “expect any-
Ministry of Foreign Affairs against Qatar’s allegations one to hold your hand. You need to be confident enough to
that the state has violated an international convention ask questions and let people know if you’re struggling.”
on racial discrimination by restricting the entry of Qatari
citizens for national security reasons linked to terrorism. “There’s a very cosmopolitan atmosphere.”
When they’re not busy defending some of the world’s
most wealthy states in court, the usual bundling and Aside from confidence, what else does Curtis want in
legal research tasks are par for the course for trainees. its trainees? “Curtis wants well-rounded people – not just
One interviewee had a whirl “researching case law that those who are good at their job, but those who can who hold
helped us prove our arguments – I was in court when the QC a conversation too,” replied one insider. It’s likely, there-
presented the arguments that relied on my research!” Doc fore, that you’ll hear discussions about politics or current
review gets a bad rep, but those with additional language affairs when you’re walking the halls, and often in several
skills are able to break the tedium by reviewing said doc- languages too. “I’m actually one of the few monolingual
uments in other languages. Trainees are commonly the people here,” said one source. “A lot of people grew up
point of contact on cases: “I was on client calls and giving abroad so there’s a very cosmopolitan atmosphere – inter-
them updates on the arguments we were preparing. I also national outlook is a characteristic that runs through the
really enjoyed briefing team members on developments: lawyers here.”
you’re the person who knows the documents, so people rely
on you to fill in the gaps.” There are other factors that bind people together at Cur-
tis. A lot of the partners “have been with the firm for over
“We’re treated like junior associates from 20 years, and a lot came over from the US, so people know
the moment we join.” more about each other than just work.” A case in point: “An
associate had a baby recently and some of the partners
Irrespective of the department trainees are working for, gave him hand-me-downs.” That’s very cute. This family-
they’re awarded a hella lotta responsibility: “They can’t af- oriented culture also permeates the more senior ranks
ford not to – there are only a couple of us!” One interviewee and helps with inclusion, according to sources. One ex-
The True Picture

pointed out that “if I was one of a hundred trainees, I’d plained that “a partner I work with is married with children
probably be doing a lot of photocopying.” Another put the and she’s very prominent in the firm – most female lawyers
high responsibility down to the fact that firms in the US look up to her and see that yes, you can have a family and
don’t hire trainees, “so we’re treated like junior associates also progress your career.”
from the moment we join.” Even though “it’s a steep learn-
ing curve, there’s always someone to help you.”

290
chambersstudent.co.uk Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle LLP C

And finally...
Pledge of Allegiance: In keeping with treating trainees like
associates, “there’s very little fanfare around qualification.
You basically just carry on what you’re doing.” At the end
of the training contract you tell the firm where you want
to qualify, they review your work and “unless you’ve done
something outrageous, you’ll be retained.” Our interviewees
weren’t interested in moving elsewhere, with this one
explaining that “nobody does arbitration as well as Curtis, so
I certainly want to stay here.”

The True Picture

291
 www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
C Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle LLP

99 Gresham Street, London EC2V 7NG
Tel: 020 7710 9800 Fax: 020 7710 9801 Twitter: @CurtisLawFirm Partners: 9
Website: www.curtis.com Associates: 14
Email: [email protected] Total trainees: 2
LinkedIn: Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle LLP UK offices: London
Overseas offices: 15

Firm profile Contacts

Curtis is one of the longest established international firms in either London or New York. It was Graduate recruiter:
one of the first US firms to open in Mexico City in 1985 and remains the only US-headquartered Tuula Davis, Office Manager
020 7710 9800
law firm licensed to practice in Oman. In London since the mid 1970s, the firm operates out of
Training partner: Mark Handley
16 offices across Europe, the Middle East, Asia and the Americas. The firm is well known for rep-
[email protected]
resenting state-owned energy companies and governments around the world, but also has many
institutional, corporate, multinational, HNW and private clients. Curtis has a full service offering Application criteria
in most of its offices, as well as highly regarded international practices, such as international arbi- Training contracts pa: 2
tration, international trade and investment funds. Applications pa: 300
Minimum required degree
grade: 2:1
Main areas of work Minimum UCAS points or A
Curtis’ core practices in London are: international arbitration, investment management, litiga- levels: AAB
tion and corporate/commercial law. The latter includes M&A; private placements; public offerings;
Dates and deadlines
venture capital and private equity; fund formation; joint ventures; infrastructure projects; and debt
Training contract applications
finance. open: Rolling applications
Training contract deadline, 2021
Training opportunities start: Applicants for a September
Curtis provides an international and dynamic environment. Applicants will need energy, start should apply by 31st
December 2020
enthusiasm and an ability to get on well with people of all kinds, as well as excellent academics.
A proactive approach is a plus, as are languages and a willingness to travel. Curtis’ London office Salary and benefits
is small, friendly, diverse and internationally minded. As a key hub for the firm’s European First-year salary: £42,000
and African activities, many of our overseas partners and colleagues visit regularly. Instead of a Second-year salary: £46,000
traditional four seat method, we offer flexible but non-rotational training. This allows for a highly Holiday entitlement: 25 days
tailored approach that plays to individual interests and talents. Our second year trainees spend up
Sponsorship
to ten weeks participating in the summer associate programme in New York.
LPC fees: Yes
GDL fees: Yes
Other benefits Maintenance grant pa: Yes
The range of benefits includes private health care, travel season ticket loan, pension and income
protection, life cover and an employee assistance programme. International and regional
Offices with training contracts:
London
Open days and first-year opportunities
On an ad hoc basis by emailing [email protected]

University law careers fairs 2020

Birkbeck, Cambridge, King’s College London, Oxford, Queen Mary University, UCL, University
of Exeter, and others on an ad hoc basis.
The True Picture

292Org ID: 3832 3 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................

chambersstudent.co.uk Davis Polk & Wardwell London LLP D

Davis Polk & Wardwell London LLP

The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Location: London How to get into Davis Polk
Overseas offices: 9
Becoming a capital markets lawyer
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 8/60/5
Seats: 4x6 months; New York
First-year salary: £55,000
Qualification salary: £135,000

Get a taste of the Big Apple and bite into “robust corporate finance work”
with an international flavour at this New York titan’s small London office.

The Firm rate, finance and one specialist department (tax, financial
Whether it’s a fondness for Frank Sinatra, the joys of regulatory or antitrust). “Once in the seat there’s a lot of
Broadway, or just hours spent binge-watching Sex and flexibility around the type of work you get,” we heard. It’s
the City, there are many ways to fall in love with New York also common for trainees to repeat seats depending on
City; one novel way is to join international legal titan Davis the demand in each department.
Polk, which set up shop there all the way back in 1849. A
training contract in the firm’s London office comes with a
guaranteed secondment to the city so nice they named The Seats
it twice. “You are treated as a junior associate from the get Public and private M&A, capital markets and venture cap-
go,” as there’s no such thing as a trainee in the States; ital all make an appearance in the corporate group. Davis
most do a corporate or finance seat on their secondment, Polk’s US and UK corporate teams are often working in
but other options like IP can be available. sync on transactions from the buy or sell side; major cli-
ents include investment bank Evercore, insurance service
Exciting as a trip across the pond can be, it would be firm Charles Taylor and Comcast. The firm recently acted
wrong to downplay Davis Polk’s appeal in London. Cham- as lead US and UK adviser on Comcast’s £30.6 billion
bers UK ranks the firm highly for both debt and equity takeover of Sky. Trainees working on the public M&A side
capital markets, and trainees appreciated that DP is of the practice handled procedures including schemes of
“very transaction-focused,” though seats in tax, financial arrangement: “We advised on the sale of a public company
regulation and antitrust are also on offer. Then there’s which was then delisted. I was involved in drafting all the
the money – Davis Polk boasts the highest trainee sal- documents, liaising with the clients, running signings and
ary in the UK, paying first-years £55,000 and second- helping out with shareholder meetings.” There’s similar re-
years £60,000. NQ salaries recently jumped by 13% to sponsibility on offer in private equity deals. “I was involved
£135,000 –plenty of spending money for the Empire State start to finish,” an interviewee said. “At the closing I was
gift shop. Looking past the big bucks, many were attract- running the process on my own, which shows how great Da-
The True Picture

ed by Davis Polk’s smaller trainee intake. With around vis Polk is at giving trainees responsibility. I organised all
four new arrivals each year, trainees could hardly avoid the closing documents and liaised with the solicitor on the
bumping into each other on trips to the coffee machine. other side.”
“We have to get on, we can’t avoid each other,” one joked.
Interviewees with a liking for capital markets were able
“Once in the seat there’s a lot of flexibility to take a role on initial public offerings (IPOs). “Trainees
around the type of work you get.” get involved in every aspect including drafting, verifying
information that goes into company books, and connect-
More seriously, fewer trainees typically means a less ing with the management team and client company,” one
rigid training contract experience, and Davis Polk’s no ex-
ception. The seat allocation process is mostly informal, Seat options: corporate; finance; tax; financial regula-
though the firm likes all trainees to do a seat in corpo- tory; antitrust

293
 D Davis Polk & Wardwell London LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Chambers UK rankings regulatory, they will often work on multiple transactions

Capital Markets
at a time, “running tax analysis and advising on what the
best course of action is.” The firm advised Pfizer on tax
aspects of its off-patent and generic medicines busi-
of our sources said. “My supervisor had come from another ness Upjohn’s combination with global pharma company
firm and was quite surprised with the work I was doing as a Mylan. Lloyds Bank, Citigroup and AstraZeneca are also
trainee.” Davis Polk is adept at both debt and equity capi- on the books.
tal markets, with a strong presence in Europe and emerg-
ing markets. A source who’d done a capital markets seat
in New York told us it’s “one of the main practices there and Trainee Life
the volume of deals is crazy. They just keep coming!” Their “There is an expectation that people will go beyond just
responsibilities included being “in the hot seat during the doing the work they are given and take an actual interest,”
closing process. Once I made sure all the documents had trainees told us. This bears out in an office-wide pres-
been signed, I could then give the go-ahead to the bank to entation every Tuesday, where a different lawyer gives
release the bonds into the market.” a presentation on something they’ve accomplished in
their practice area. With approximately 60 lawyers split
“My supervisor had come from another between only two floors, “the culture is very much the
firm and was quite surprised with the work same in every corner.” Much of it seems to have survived a
journey over the Atlantic – from trainees’ comments, you’d
I was doing as a trainee.”
think the New York office was just next door. “We operate
Davis Polk’s finance group focuses on cross-border ac- as one firm and I reach out to my colleagues in New York all
quisition finance and public bid financing, with large the time,” they said. “We’re very much integrated.”
banks forming the core clientele. Multinational lenders
like Barclays, Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan rely on the “There is an expectation that people will
firm’s services: a recent matter example saw clients Mor- go beyond just doing the work they are
gan Stanley and MUFG Bank provide a $38 billion senior
given and take an actual interest.”
unsecured bridge loan facility for American pharmaceu-
tical company AbbVie. Trainees here worked on a mix of Of course, socialising with American colleagues is more
UK-based financings and the overseas aspects of Ameri- difficult; Londoners are more likely to head out for spon-
can deals, particularly loan financings. “I was drafting a taneous, informal dos than run big events. One exception
loan for a private individual; the Swiss government was in- is the biannual European lawyers’ weekend: Davis Polk-
volved, and all of the security was going through the UK,” a ers from the London, Madrid and Paris offices get togeth-
source recalled. “My job was amending the loan agreement er for a weekend of dinners, activities, presentations and
and liaising with the bank.” Another trainee “got exposure drinks. Diversity events, including an LGBTQ quiz night
to plenty of US-style loan documentation. As for the UK and a talk on injustices faced by black women in the law,
side, I was drafting the required legal research.” Conditions were also popular among trainees. Some also went on
precedent checklists are another common task in the trips to East London schools, giving presentations and
early going. running Dragons’ Den-style exercises. Pro bono too is a
Davis Polk staple: “It was really beneficial to work for real
Trainees can do their ‘specialist seat’ in tax, financial people that need your help,” sources reflected.
regulationor competition (also known by the American
term antitrust). The last of those spans regulatory issues More manageable seats like competition come with
on cross-border M&A transactions as well as general be- (mostly) regular 9am to 6.30pm days: “You’re working
havioural and compliance issues. Some of our sources towards regulator deadlines, so the workload is more pre-
worked on exciting abuse of dominance cases (where dictable.” Corporate is a different story – “the nature of
The True Picture

a company exploits its market-leading position to limit transactional work is that deals are more of a sprint than a
competition), but most spent their time on merger filings. marathon.” 8pm finishes are far more common, and train-
“That’s the firm’s focus – we look at every transaction that ees can be in the office much later around closing time. “A
comes to the firm and assess on a global scale where we lot of people say you qualify into your busiest seat, that was
might need to submit a filing,” trainees explained. true for me,” one said. Qualification’s a loose affair, as in-
terviews are only necessary if more than one trainee ap-
Also acting in an auxiliary role on private equity, M&A, plies for the same position. In 2020, Davis Polk retained
capital markets and cross-border transactions, Davis all four of its qualifiers.
Polk’s tax team takes trainees too. Here and in financial

294
www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
chambersstudent.co.uk Davis Polk & Wardwell London LLP D

Davis Polk & Wardwell London LLP

5 Aldermanbury Square London EC2V 7HR
Tel: 020 7418 1300 Fax: 020 7418 1400 Facebook: DavisPolkUKGrad Partners: 8
Website: careers.davispolk.com/training-london (Over 155 worldwide)
Other fee-earners: Approx. 60
(Over 952 worldwide)
Total trainees: 5
UK offices: London
Firm profile Overseas offices: 9
Davis Polk is an elite global law firm with world-class practices across the board. Industry-leading com-
panies and global financial institutions know they can rely on Davis Polk for their most challenging Contacts

legal and business matters. The firm’s top-flight capabilities are grounded in a distinguished history Graduate recruiter:
Emily Lawrence,
of 170 years, and its global, forward-looking focus is supported by 10 offices strategically located in [email protected]
the world’s key financial centers and political capitals — New York, Northern California, Washington Training partner:
DC, São Paulo, London, Paris, Madrid, Hong Kong, Beijing and Tokyo. The firm’s lawyers collaborate Will Pearce,
seamlessly across practice groups and geographies to provide clients with exceptional service, sophisti- [email protected]
cated advice and creative, practical solutions.
Application criteria
Training contracts pa: 4
Main areas of work Minimum required degree grade:
The London team consists of around 60 UK and US qualified lawyers. They represent corporate, private 2:1 or higher
equity and investment banking clients on a wide range of capital markets, M&A and finance transac- Vacation scheme places pa:
tions, many of which are cross-border in nature. The team includes highly-rated tax, financial regulato- Approx 20
ry and antitrust lawyers, who in addition to standalone advisory work, assist the corporate and finance
Dates and deadlines
teams on transactions.
Vacation scheme applications
open: 1st December 2020
Training opportunities Vacation scheme 2020 deadline:
The two-year London training programme provides excellent training and a range of experiences to 9th January 2021
ensure a successful start to a career as an English law-qualified lawyer. Before joining, future trainees
will receive training to help them complete the first and second stages of the SQE. Throughout the Davis Polk recruits trainees
directly from the vacation
training programme that follows, trainees experience the corporate and finance practices, spend time schemes.
in a specialist area of law (tax, financial regulatory or antitrust), and work in the New York office for six
months. They receive tailored training, take on real responsibility and have extensive access to partners. Salary and benefits
First-year salary: £55,000
Vacation schemes Second-year salary: £60,000
Post-qualification salary:
Davis Polk expects to host two groups of law students on its summer vacation schemes, each for two £135,000
weeks, from which the firm will recruit its 2023 intake of trainees. Students will have the opportunity Holiday entitlement: 25 days
to work on transactions for a variety of the firm’s clients and attend information sessions focused on
the work of each practice area. Students will gain first-hand experience of Davis Polk’s culture through Sponsorship
interactions with lawyers and attendance at a number of social events. SQE fees: Yes
Maintenance grant pa: £10, 000
Applications for the 2021 scheme will be considered from penultimate-year law undergraduates and
law postgraduates wishing to join the training programme in August 2023. Applications will be ac- International and regional
cepted between 1 December 2020 and 9 January 2021. Interviews will take place in January 2021 and Offices with training contracts:
London, Hong Kong
the firm expects to offer around 20 places for the scheme.
Overseas seats: New York
The True Picture

Client secondments Yes

Getting to Know Davis Polk Sessions & Law Fairs following qualification
This autumn the firm will run Getting to Know Davis Polk Sessions virtually (6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on
16 November, 24 November and 26 November 2020) and attend a number of virtual law fairs.
For details visit careers.davispolk.com/training-london

Other benefits
The firm offers trainees employment benefits including private medical insurance, life insurance, criti-
cal illness insurance, permanent health insurance, pension scheme, season ticket loan, subsidised gym
membership, Employee Assistance Programme, medical cash plan, cycle to work scheme and 25 days
holiday.

Org ID: 3833 2 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................295

 D Debevoise & Plimpton LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Debevoise & Plimpton LLP

The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Location: London How to get into Debevoise
Overseas offices: 9
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 24/102/18
Seats: 4x6 months; overseas seats
First-year salary: £50,000
Qualification salary: £134,800

Looking to “be part of a big, international law firm” alongside “lovely and
incredible people”? Try BigLaw the Debevoise way.

The Firm part of a smaller intake while “being part of a big interna-
BigLaw is the US term for the legal elite. It conjures up tional firm that does really cool work.”
the type of law firm the Ivy League grads set their preppy
gaze on from senior prom onwards: big clients, big sala-
ries, big towers, big hours, big office views, big bragging The Seats
rights. And there’s no denying that Debevoise is a fully Upon arrival, trainees are given their first seat by the firm.
signed-up member of the BigLaw family. But the BigLaw For the subsequent seats, trainees put forward two pref-
family has many members, and they’re not all like the pa- erences which the firm takes into account alongside seat
triarchal grandfather, or the horribly competitive uncle availability. With a reasonably small intake, sources were
who ruins board games; Debevoise is more like the cul- pleased to find they got their choices most of the time.
tured, switched-on aunt who takes you under her wing. “There’s no lottery to it – you speak to fellow trainees and
She’s formidable and expects the very best from you, but everyone has an idea of where other people are going next.”
she has a heart of gold. It’s clear Debevoise has exported Debevoise also offers international secondments to Hong
its cultural brand to London. “The Debevoise type is aca- Kong and Moscow.
demic, but extremely nice,” said a trainee. “The people are
wonderful to work with, but make no mistake: everyone is Debevoise’s M&A group is roughly split between corpo-
trying to be the best and make sure the work we produce is rate finance M&A and insurance M&A. Trainees sitting
absolutely stellar.” here found the work to be “super varied – I didn’t work on
the same type of matter twice!” Matters stretched from
“The Debevoise type is academic, but public and private M&A, public-to-private transactions,
extremely nice.” some private equity work, and the occasional capital mar-
kets matter. “We’re also leaders in the emerging markets
Debevoise set up shop in London just over 30 years ago, field, so there’s some of that too.” On the insurance side,
The True Picture

and in that time has earnt market recognition of its own. sources dabbled in “a lot of sponsor-backed M&A deals,
Chambers UK awards the firm impressive UK-wide rank- like sponsors selling portfolio companies or secondar-
ings for its commercial arbitration, investor-state arbi- ies co-investing in projects.” The team recently acted for
tration, and private equity investment funds expertise, Hamilton Insurance Group in its acquisition of Pembroke
as well as a nod to its corporate insurance know-how. Managing Agency and Ironshore Europe DAC from Lib-
In London, the firm goes toe-to-toe with the best firms erty Mutual. Elsewhere, lawyers also advised private eq-
for financial crime and public international law and gets uity company Clayton, Dubilier & Rice on its acquisition of
recognition for commercial and corporate litigation and contract catering company Westbury Street Holdings for
sponsor-side banking and finance. Many interviewees
were drawn to the firm for its incline towards dispute res- Seat options: private equity, insurance, international
olution work, where most knew they “were a big name.” disputes and investigations, financial institutions, funds,
Beyond the work itself, trainees were also looking to be M&A, finance, capital markets and tax.

296
chambersstudent.co.uk Debevoise & Plimpton LLP D
Chambers UK rankings On the white-collar team, sources were able to experi-
Banking & Finance Investment Funds
ence a number of investigations, as well as sanctions-
Financial Crime Litigation
related issues and some data/cybersecurity work. The
Insurance Public International Law
team continues to advise Rolls-Royce on ongoing matters
International Arbitration
stemming from the 2017 SFO investigation, and it recent-
ly conducted investigations on behalf of Mobile Telesys-
tems, looking into historical activities of its subsidiary in
Uzbekistan. As you might imagine, the seat involved a
around $1 billion. Day to day, trainees were involved in “a hefty amount of due diligence in terms of “looking though
lot of commercial and legal research,” “helping out on due companies’ documents, checking for red flags or anything
diligence,” and “negotiating and drafting NDAs.” On certain dodgy, and running general background checks.” Trainees
deals, sources were also able to up their responsibility also got stuck into “research and writing updates to cli-
with “work on the main SPA” or “the first attempt at a part- ents” and occasionally “preparing interview outlines and
nership agreement.” drafting parts of legal advice memos.”

“I didn’t work on the same type of matter The commercial litigation sees “a wide range of disputes.”
twice!” These could be “complex international disputes of high
value, fraud matters, shareholder disputes” or more stand-
Trainees can also do a separate funds seat, where the ard contractual disputes. Recently, the team represent-
team deals with the whole gamut of funds work: “advising ed Russian oil supplier Tatneft as claimant in an action
on fund formation, capital-raising, and investments into pri- against four Ukrainian businessmen. Elsewhere, the team
vate funds.” Sources got exposure to many private equity represented British American Tobacco against Pricewa-
clients in particular here, and dealt with the occasional terhouseCoopers, alleging PwC was negligent and in
regulatory matter for them. The team recently advised breach of contract over two audits of an entity called
LCM Capital on the formation and fundraising of its flag- Windward Prospects. Sources also noticed a fair bit of
ship fund, COPS 4 SLP, and also advised GHO Capital on overlap with the firm’s international arbitration/public
the formation and fundraising of its second European international law practice, as well as “helping the private
healthcare fund. Sources regularly helped out on clos- equity side with disputes stuff.” Typical trainee tasks in-
ings – “assisting in terms of trying to get all the documents cluded “a lot of research on case law,” as well as “identify-
together on time” – and drafted various ancillaries for ing commercial risks for clients.” There were a few admin-y
transactions. Then as the seat developed, sources noted bits like checking bundles, but sources also appreciated
getting “more involved with the actual negotiations with in- being brought along to meetings with clients and other
vestors, assisting with drafting side letters, and recording firms. Although trainees were generally happy with the
the comments and queries from investors.” level of responsibility they were able to get in disputes
seats, they admitted that pro bono-related litigation usu-
“Matters are usually very high value or ally came with more responsibility.
have particularly complex legal issues
behind them.”
Trainee Life
As for disputes seats, international arbitration is another One source summed the culture up neatly: “Everyone here
strong point for the firm. The team sees its fair share of is putting their all into everything they do, but there’s a nice
commercial arbitrations alongside investment treaty ar- camaraderie that works alongside that.” The small trainee
bitrations. “The matters are usually very high value or have intake encouraged a “close-knit” environment, which led
particularly complex legal issues behind them,” sources re- sources to believe that “they’re fairly careful with the hires
flected. On the commercial side, the team acts for Joma they make.” Looking around the firm, multiple interview-
The True Picture

Industrial Source Corporation in a multi-jurisdictional ees flagged that Debevoise has a habit of filling its ranks
dispute relating to the ownership of interests in an oil with “people that are ridiculously smart,” which, for train-
and gas services group. On the investor-state side, they ees, made the firm “the best place to work.” Other reiter-
represented The Nova Group Investments against the Ro- ated that “everyone takes the time to teach trainees and
manian government in an ICSID claim. Being a disputes juniors,” meaning that trainees benefited from a “learning
seat, trainees were doing a lot of research here and sub- culture where everyone wants what’s best for you.”
sequently found themselves “writing memos on complex
pieces of law.” There was also a lot more “typical trainee “It’s an incredible moment as a trainee to
tasks” in the vein of “proof-reading, and finalising reports be able to help people.”
and letters.”
This ‘learning culture’ also extended to the firm’s ap-
proach to pro bono – in the US Debevoise is something

297
 D Debevoise & Plimpton LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

of a trailblazer in this regard. “It’s super encouraged and 9.30am, and on a regular day, would finish somewhere
we’ve always had really good pro bono managers who are between 7pm and 8pm. As is to be expected, this fluc-
keen to get people involved.” There are different opportu- tuated drastically depending on the seat and what mat-
nities available depending on whether trainees are sitting ters were on at the time. “If you’re having a slow week, you
in a transactional or litigious area: transactional oppor- could leave at 6pm. But if a deal is on or a client requests
tunities include “providing legal advice to businesses with something, you’ll probably need to work late.” This meant
a charitable side to them through UnLtd social enterprise” anything from 12-hour days to 12am finishes. Sources ad-
as well as “more discrete tasks like a few hours advising mitted “it’s difficult to have a social life outside the office
on how to set up a charity.” On the litigation side, the firm during the week,” but caveated that they “rarely have to
is involved in some bigger matters trainees can help out work weekends,” which was appreciated.
on such has “working on a project for the Centre for Re-
productive Rights in Nicaragua.” Others also mentioned Qualification is usually a fairly informal affair at Debev-
working on welfare benefits appeals: “You’re dealing with oise. “Trainees are encouraged to reach out to partners in
individuals who are really struggling. It’s an incredible mo- teams they’d like to be considered for and have conversa-
ment as a trainee to be able to help people.” tions about whether or not there might be room. You then
submit your choices to HR and they discuss with partners
“It’s not a 9-to-5 job,” we were unsurprised to hear. “Wheth- who should go where.” Sources felt the firm “really tries to
er you’re a trainee or an NQ, it’s always going to be pretty keep its trainees,” but at the time of our calls the firm was
long hours.” Most would kick things off at a standard not disclosing its retention rate.

Rhyme time
Debevoise may attract cultured people, but don’t go
pronouncing the firm’s name with French panache.
Debevoise rhymes with poise, noise and Backstreet Boys.
The True Picture

298
www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
chambersstudent.co.uk Debevoise & Plimpton LLP D

Debevoise & Plimpton LLP

65 Gresham Street, London EC2V 7NQ
Tel: 020 7786 9000 Partners: 24
Website: www.debevoise.com/careers/london Associates: 120 (number of
Email: [email protected] non-partner UK and US qualified
lawyers)
Firm profile Total trainees: 18
Debevoise & Plimpton is a leading international law firm with market-leading practices with offices UK offices: London
in New York, Washington DC, London, Paris, Frankfurt, Moscow, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Tokyo and Overseas offices: 9

Luxemburg. The London office works on many of the highest profile and most complex transactions in Contacts
Europe and worldwide. We do this by virtue of our English and New York law expertise and our close Graduate recruiter:
integration with our other offices. Our clients look to us to bring a distinctively high degree of quality, Romina Tsvetkova
intensity and creativity to resolve legal challenges effectively and cost efficiently. The firm’s culture Training partner: Patrick Taylor
fosters a collaborative approach across disciplines and regions, and, as a result, clients benefit from the
dedication, cohesiveness and superior quality that we bring to all of our work worldwide. Application criteria
Training contracts pa: 9
Main areas of work Minimum required degree grade:
In developing our practice in London, we have sought to replicate the core strengths of our practice 2:1 or equivalent
worldwide. Our focus is on private equity, insurance, international disputes and investigations, finan- Minimum UCAS points or A lev-
cial institutions, M&A, finance, capital markets and tax. els: 144 (new tariff) UCAS points
or equivalent
Training opportunities Vacation scheme places pa:
One of Debevoise’s basic principles is that each of our associates should become a ‘well rounded’ lawyer Around 30
– an effective counsellor, advisor, and advocate – who can combine specific legal knowledge with the
Dates and deadlines
ability to deal with a broad range of situations. We believe that lawyers best develop their skills through
Training contract applications
a combination of formal training and on-the-job experience, in a respectful and collegial environment.
open: N/A
The two years are split into four six-month seats and trainees have the opportunity to gain experience Training contract deadline, 2022
in at least three distinct areas of law with a mandatory seat in litigation/arbitration. Trainees may also start: N/A
have the opportunity to spend time in the Hong Kong and Moscow offices. Vacation scheme applications
open: 1 October 2020
Vacation scheme
Vacation scheme 2020 deadline:
Debevoise offers two-week vacation schemes which run in the spring and summer each year. We
3 January 2021
look for students whose personal qualities, academic records and other achievements demonstrate Open day deadline:
excep¬tional ability, motivation and potential for growth. The vacation scheme is open to both law and 3 January 2021
non-law graduates. We are looking for individuals who have consistently high levels of achievements
both at A level (or equivalent) and at university. Applicants should be expected to achieve a 2:1 in any Salary and benefits
degree discipline and have a minimum of 144 (new tariff) UCAS points at A level (or equivalent). Apply First-year salary: £50,000 pa
online between 1 October 2020 and 3 January 2021 for spring and summer vacation schemes in 2021, Second-year salary: £55,000 pa
. An online application form will be available on our website during these times. Anyone interested in Post-qualification salary:
£134,800 pa
a training contract with Debevoise should apply for a place on our open days which act as a gateway to
Holiday entitlement: 22 days
our vacation schemes . We hire all of our Trainees from the vacation scheme. Vacation scheme students
vacation and bank holidays
are paid £500 per week.
Sponsorship
Other benefits LPC fees: Yes
• Private health care (medical, dental, and private GP) GDL fees: Yes
• Life and Income Protection Insurance Maintenance grant pa:
• Employee Assistance Programme £9,000 during LPC and/or GDL
The True Picture

• Group personal pension plan International and regional

• 22 days vacation Offices with training contracts:
• Cycle to work scheme London, Hong Kong
• On-site subsidised café
• Interest free season ticket loan
• Discretionary qualification leave on completion of your training contract
Open days and first-year opportunities
The firm holds open days to recruit for the vacation schemes, normally in February or March. Around
90 can¬didates will be invited to attend. On the day, candidates will meet the graduate recruitment
team, will spend time with a mentor and will participate in an informal networking lunch attended by
trainees, associates and partners. There will also be a commercial assessment. The day is intended as
much for candidates to get to know the firm as the other way around.

Org ID: 3835 0 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................299

 D Dechert LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Dechert LLP
The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Locations: London Get hired at Dechert
Overseas offices: 25
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 49/98/18
Seats: 6x4 months; overseas seats; client secondment
First-year salary: £45,000
Qualification salary: £120,000

In Philadelphia born and raised; a six-seat training contract is how I spend

most of my days.

The Firm a great international reach, but we don’t feel like a satellite
Firstly, let’s get the name right before you go anywhere or support office – we definitely have our own autonomy.”
near an interview at this formidable firm: it’s pronounced Some source reasoned this removed the firm from some
‘Deck-urt’, with the stress on the first syllable. In many of the less desirable aspects of American firm culture;
ways this Philly-founded firm-gone-global has much in think “an obsession with billable hours,” or “a cutthroat en-
common with many US outfits operating in the London vironment.” One Americanism the firm has retained, how-
market. Firstly, you’ve got strong finance, funds and cor- ever, is a healthy approach to pro bono. “As a minimum,
porate focused practice areas with corresponding Cham- everyone is expected to bill 25 hours of pro bono a year,”
bers UK rankings. Then you’ve got an intimate intake of sources explained.
just ten trainees at each rotation. And finally, and let’s
face it most importantly, you’ve got the sky-high pay Trainees’ first seat is automatically allocated upon join-
packet, with NQ salaries comfortably north of £100,000. ing the firm, but they can indicate if they’d prefer to start
“If I was going to work hard, I wanted to be paid well for it,” in a transactional or contentious group. Everyone must
one insider reflected frankly. complete a seat in the financial services group but are
otherwise free to choose their other four seats. “You’re
“I didn’t know where I wanted to qualify, so always certain to be allocated one of your top three prefer-
having the opportunity to experience more ences,” one source remarked, “even more so in the second
year.” The firm also offers a number of client and inter-
departments was something I valued.”
national secondments, the availability of which can be
However, they also pointed to a number of more unique changeable depending on the firm’s business needs. As
features up the firm’s sleeve; chiefly being the only US one insider revealed: “There used to be placements in Sin-
firm in London to offer a six-seat rather than four-seat gapore, Brussels and Dublin, as well as a position shadow-
training contract. “I didn’t know where I wanted to qualify, ing a judge at the Royal Courts of Justice, but they’ve all
so having the opportunity to experience more departments been dropped recently.” Another source expressed disap-
The True Picture

was something I valued,” one source declared. Another pointment “that there are no placements in America avail-
added: “While we do represent what you think of as a tra- able either.” However, others were consoled by the fact
ditional US firm in having a strong corporate, funds and fi- that “the firm is always exploring new options.” Some of
nance offering, we also have some more niche seats such the more exciting current options include a funds seat in
as white-collar, IP and employment.” Taken together, our Luxembourg and placement with Airbus in Toulouse.
interviewees felt Dechert offered a compelling package.

One source went as far as to say that “we don’t even feel Seat options: corporate and securities; leveraged fi-
like a US firm,” citing the fact that the firm’s London ori- nance; finance and real estate; financial restructuring;
gins can be traced back to the merger between UK-based financial services; intellectual property; employment;
Titmuss Sainer and then Dechert Price & Rhoads. They international arbitration; commercial disputes; white
add: “We have the support of the big offices in the US and collar crime

300
chambersstudent.co.uk Dechert LLP D
Chambers UK rankings my plate that needed completing within a week.” Trainees’
Banking & Finance Financial Services
main role here was monitoring checklists, liaising with
Capital Markets Investment Funds
counsel and drafting ancillary documents – typical of a
Corporate/M&A Litigation
corporate seat.
Employment Partnership
Financial Crime Real Estate
Within Dechert’s trials and investigations group you can
find seats in commercial litigation and white-collar
crime. Recently, lawyers in the former represented funds
managed by Franklin Templeton Investment Manage-
The Seats ment in a high-profile challenge to the restructuring of
“Funds has a bit of a scary reputation around it,” one insider $500 million of notes issued by the International Bank of
revealed. “Unlike corporate where you can go in and grasp Azerbaijan. In white-collar crime one source explained
what’s happening straight away, funds is a bit like staring at that “there are a lot of big, slow-moving investigations go-
alphabet soup – you have no idea what people are saying.” ing on.” They add: “I thought I would be photocopying, but
It’s a practice made up of some 200 lawyers over 16 of the I was running big disclosure exercises, sitting in on client
firm’s offices. In an advisory capacity the firm works with interviews and conducting fact-finding missions.” Dechert
financial services firms, asset managers and investment also offers a seat in international arbitration, for which
funds, representing clients ranging from small start-up the firm is recognised among the worldwide leaders in
and boutique operations to enormous financial institu- Chambers Global. In London” it’s a relatively new team that
tions. Here trainees may be helping to ensure funds they’re looking to grow,” one trainee told us, who was kept
comply with regulatory requirements or assisting on the busy “preparing for hearings, managing evidence bundles
structuring of a fund. Many of our interviewees had ex- and drafting pleadings.”
perience “working on the launching of hedge and private
equity funds,” too.
Trainee Life
Though referred to as “one of the more intense seats,” At Dechert, “you don’t have so many of the 22-year-old
sources also recognised it “as a great learning experi- coming straight out of university types,” one insider told
ence,” with tonnes of responsibility for those eager to us. “Most people are in their late twenties having spent a
impress. One expanded: “You get the first stab and lot of few years doing something else first, which makes for a
funds-related documents such as a prospectus, subscrip- more mature intake,” they finish. Most, but not all: new
tion agreement, or limited partnership agreement.” The graduates definitely shouldn’t be discouraged from ap-
group also challenges trainees’ organisational abilities. plying. For those looking for the ‘work hard, play hard,
“You might be sending out a board pack or collating docu- drinks every night’ City vibe, Dechert may not be the firm
ments to send to a director of a fund. It’s always your num- for you. That’s not to say its antisocial: “we definitely make
ber on the bottom of the work so expect client contact too!” a conscious effort to celebrate birthdays and every so often
Recently the team have advised Soloda Investment Advi- there will be big events, but it’s just not every week.”
sors on the establishment of a Cayman Islands-domiciled
macro fund, and represented Generali Investment on its “I haven’t found it intimidating at all. I
acquisition of CM Investment Solutions, a London-based asked so many questions in my first seat
alternative asset manager with $11 billion of assets, from
that I even annoyed myself.”
Bank of America Merrill Lynch.
Moreover, while the prospect of joining an elite global
“I have a lot of plates spinning at any one firm may be somewhat daunting, one source was keen to
time.” point out that “I haven’t found it intimidating at all. I asked
so many questions in my first seat that I even annoyed my-
The True Picture

Over in the corporate group, there’s a wide spread of mid- self, but I never felt I was a hindrance to anyone or that I was
market M&A deals, capital markets, leveraged finance, getting on their nerves.” Another weighed in: “As long as
and private equity work. “You’re usually assigned to one of you’ve shown you’ve tried and you’ve shown your thought
the subgroups,” sources explained. The department also process, they are happy to help. One partner sat down with
operates across a range of sectors including life scienc- me for an hour drawing graphs on a whiteboard and making
es, mining, technology and, of course, financial services. notes to explain something when I didn’t understand.”
Recently the group advised Crown Holdings, a leader in
consumer packaging, on its $3.9 billion acquisition of Talking work/life balance, one insider reflected that “I
Signode Industrial Group. “I have a lot of plates spinning was really expecting burnout culture and burning the can-
at any one time,” one trainee told us. “Compared to litiga- dles at both ends to be much more prolific at US firms,”
tion where I was typically handling three matters over the adding that “trainees rarely work weekends.” Another
course of a four month-period, here I’d have six things on added: “in litigation I was mostly leaving between 7pm

301
 D Dechert LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

and 7.30pm, while in corporate it was closer to 8pm most Trainees can choose to apply for up to two positions come
nights.” However, we also heard reports of more intense qualification. Dechert hasn’t had a glowing retention rate
periods where leaving at 10pm was closer to the norm. recently, having kept just six of its ten trainees in the past
“You’re always going to have to stay really late if you want to two years. Our sources agreed that “the process could use
throw yourself out there and meet every single deadline,” a more transparency.”
trainee thought. “However, if you’re good at managing your
work, and don’t overburden yourself, from my experience
there will be plenty of times when you can leave at 7pm.”

And finally...
Dechert is one of several firms to offer work experience
under the Aspiring Solicitors scheme.
The True Picture

302
www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
chambersstudent.co.uk Dechert LLP D

Dechert LLP
160 Queen Victoria Street, London EC4V 4QQ
Tel: 020 7184 7000 Fax: 020 7184 7001 Website: www.dechert.com Partners: 45+*
Email: [email protected] www.dechert.com/careers Associates: 95+*
Total trainees: 20*
* denotes London figure
Firm profile UK offices: London
Dechert is a global specialist law firm with approximately 1000 lawyers across 26 offices. We have some Overseas offices: 26
of the world’s leading lawyers advising on both domestic and cross-border matters. The firm is fre-
Contacts
quently retained to work on the most challenging transactions and disputes, and prides itself on its abil-
graduate.recruitment@dechert.
ity to deliver premium legal services and sound business judgment to its clients. Dechert lawyers bring com
to their assignments a focus on quality, responsiveness and value for money. We are driven by one key
principle: exceptional client service. Application criteria
Training contracts pa: 10
Main areas of work Applications pa: 900
In London, our lawyers are active in Dechert’s core practice areas of corporate and securities, financial Minimum required degree grade:
services and investment management, finance and real estate, trials, investigations and securities, 2:1
which incorporates our white collar and commercial litigation teams. Our clients include corporations, Minimum A-levels: AAB or
financial institutions, sovereign states, quasi-sovereign entities and private and high-net-worth equivalent

individuals all over the world. Dechert undertakes work for 40 of the ‘Fortune 100’ companies, and Vacation scheme places pa: 20

advises 24 of the top 25 global asset management firms, and 41 of the top 50 global private debt firms. Dates and deadlines
Training opportunities Spring vacation scheme runs:
6th April – 16th April 2021
We take your training seriously, both before and after you qualify. We have a full, and lively, training
Spring vacation scheme deadline:
programme which covers the whole range of skills you need, from technical legal issues and substan- 31st December 2020
tive skills training in each practice area to the Critical Skills Institute, which is focused on leadership, Summer vacation scheme runs:
management, communication and client relations. 28th June – 9th July 2021
Our trainees undertake six seats of four months each, with each trainee being seconded to a client or Summer vacation scheme
one of our international offices, providing a truly broad legal foundation. Working closely with partners deadline: 31st January 2021
and associates, and with a small trainee intake, no two trainees’ training contracts will be the same. Fol-
Salary and benefits
lowing qualification, our NQs attend orientation in Philadelphia.
First-year salary: £45,000
We are looking for candidates who have a genuine interest in business and our clients, are ambitious
Second-year salary: £50,000
and who have a keen sense of building community, both within the workplace and with our clients.
Post-qualification salary:
Vacation schemes £120,000

We recruit all of our future trainees from two vacation schemes, in spring and summer. Our two week Holiday entitlement: 25 days

schemes are designed to give you an idea of what it will be like to be a trainee solicitor at Dechert. Each Sponsorship
week you will sit in a different practice group and you are given real work to do by our lawyers. Exactly LPC fees: Yes
what you will do will depend on which practice group you sit in, but it will include research, drafting GDL fees: Yes
and attending meetings. You will also attend training sessions on a range of topics, such as legal writing Maintenance grant pa: £10,000
and negotiation. In 2018, Dechert won Best Training – Vacation Scheme, due to the in depth, compre-
hensive training we deliver to our vacation scheme participants. International and regional
Before you start the scheme, we will ask for your practice area preferences and then try to place you Offices with training contracts:
London and Dublin
in those groups. You will be allocated a supervisor (an associate or partner) and both a partner and a
Overseas seats: Brussels, Dublin
trainee buddy, but will receive work from people at all levels from across the group. Social events, such and Singapore
as evening activities and dinners, are an important part of the vacation schemes as they enable you to
The True Picture

build your relationships with Dechert trainees, associates and partners.

Other benefits
Life assurance, an employee assistance programme, subsidised gym membership, subsidised on-site
café, private medical and dental insurance, annual health assessments, pension scheme with firm
contributions, season ticket loan and cycle to work scheme.
Open days and first-year opportunities
Visit our website for a full list of Dechert’s bespoke open days in 2020/21.
University law careers fairs 2020/21
Visit our website for a full list of the careers fairs we will be attending in 2020/21.

Org ID: 7960 2 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................303

 D Dentons chambersstudent.co.uk

Dentons
The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Locations: London, Milton Keynes, Scotland How to get into Dentons
Overseas offices: 170+
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 180/382/81
Seats: 4x6 months
First-year salary: £44,000 (London); £31,000
(Milton Keynes)
Qualification salary: £75,000 (London); £48,000
(Milton Keynes)

The world’s largest law firm has Den-tonnes of offices and quality to

match quantity, but power hasn’t gone to their heads.

The Firm more impressive 132 times in Chambers Europe. Most of

If you’re weighing up potential training contracts and the England trainees can be found in the London office,
looking hardest at firms with an international presence, it but Milton Keynes recruits a cohort each year.For some,
would be hard to miss Dentons. This is a firm with 170+of- Dentons’ presence outside the capital was a big draw: “I
fices worldwide – it’s in more countries than Costa Coffee, wanted to benefit from a large law firm, without having the
Nando’s or Armani. “The firm is super ambitious and it’s pressures and expectations that come with working in Lon-
entertaining to watch how quickly we’re spreading across don.” MK trainees technically do a joint training contract,
the world,” one trainee commented. Expansion has come but some do all their seats in the same office. The firm’s
from both one-off office openings and mergers – some Scottish offices in Glasgow and Edinburgh also welcome
of the most important have included its 2015 tie-up with trainees (about ten each year).
Chinese firm Dacheng (giving it rare access to China and
securing its place as the world’s largest law firm); and Seat allocation became uniform across all UK offices
the 2017 acquisition of Scottish outfit Maclay Murray & from 2019, “so all seat options and secondments are now
Spens, bringing more trainees into the fold here in Britain. up for grabs for all trainees.” Trainees outside London can
now apply for international secondments, if they can fig-
The firm recently closed its office spaces in Aberdeen ure out the “ridiculously long” process. Before starting,
and Watford – staff in both locations will henceforth work everyone gets a “massive document” setting out all the
remotely. Our interviews took place prior to the change, seat options, typical tasks within seats, and stories from
but sources were largely unperturbed by the firmwide trainees who’d already sat there about what to expect.
need to work from home in 2020. Dentons has already After a follow-up ‘seat fair’, future trainees rank 12 or so
proven itself on the tech front, introducing NextLaw Labs options for their first seat. It gets more complicated dur-
to its Silicon Valley presence way back in 2015. The firm ing seat rotations: everyone ranks three to six seats, allo-
The True Picture

describes the venture as “an ecosystem of myriad cutting- cating ‘percentage of preference’ to each, and provides a
edge technology partners.” We’ll translate that for you – it’s cover letter and CV. “The form changes slightly every rota-
a technology hub developing programs to help lawyers tion, so you can’t even copy past versions,” sources grum-
work more efficiently. bled. “Dentons likes intensive paperwork for everything…”
The firm told us the system is based on feedback from
“It’s entertaining to watch how quickly trainees of previous years. Though we heard complaints
we’re spreading across the world.”
Seat options: banking & finance; competition; corpo-
Given the firm’s size, an in-depth look at its Chambers rate; dispute resolution; energy, transport and infra-
rankings could fill a whole website, so we’ll summarise: structure; people, reward and mobility; real estate; tax;
Dentons appears 62 times in the Chambers UK standings, technology, media and telecoms; property litigation (go
an incredible 124 times in Chambers Global and an even online for breakdown by office)

304
chambersstudent.co.uk Dentons D
Chambers UK rankings Contentious and regulatory financial issues fall into the
Asset Finance Intellectual Property
disputes banking and finance sub-team. Trainees dab-
Banking & Finance Litigation
bled in a varied palette of cases, including more com-
Banking Litigation Outsourcing
mercial disputes. “I worked on a freezing injunction where
Capital Markets Planning
I was rushing down to court, which was all very exciting,”
Commercial Contracts Private Equity
one said; another noted that regulatory matters can re-
Commodities Professional Negligence
volve around weird and wonderful issues, like rules for
Competition/European Law Projects
transporting animals. “So many random queries come in,
Construction Public Procurement
the variety keeps things interesting.” Dentons defended
Corporate/M&A Real Estate
RBS against a £470 million LIBOR claim brought against
Data Protection Real Estate Finance
it by the developers of the More London site. Financial
Employment Real Estate Litigation
institutions aside, the firm’s disputes clients include the
Energy & Natural Restructuring/Insolvency
Government of India and First Milk. A seat here also calls
Resources Retail
for costs recovery, “which is the negative side. I waded
Environment Tax
through three months’ worth of work and allocated the
Franchising Telecommunications
costs; it’s partly about what the client owes the firm and
Hotels & Leisure Transport
partly about what we’d get from the other side if we won,
Information Technology then justifying it all, which was painful to say the least.” It
Infrastructure should be noted that a disputes seat is ‘strongly encour-
aged’ for trainees in Watford and Milton Keynes. Even
those who didn’t fancy themselves as litigators were
that the system is “a bit of a numbers game, it’s all a bit “pleasantly surprised” by their time here: “It’s useful to
arbitrary,” most trainees got their top choice at least once. know what happens when things go wrong for clients even
Keep in mind that banking is compulsory in London. if you don’t want to be a litigator.”

Unlike at many big firms, Dentons’ corporate trainees

The Seats typically sit across the whole department, rather than
Banking is the firm’s largest department and houses specialising in a specific practice. Sources felt this set-up
three subgroups. Group A does general banking includ- “is great if you don’t know what you like, but if you do know
ing acquisitions, leveraged finance and inter-bank lend- then you won’t necessarily be able to specialise.” That said,
ing; B handles asset, project and trade finance; C is for “the corporate group really wants to know what you want
capital markets, derivatives, regulatory and structured out of the seat and they make sure you get it. The key is to
finance. Dentons’ roster includes big names like Goldman have open dialogue – I told my supervisor what I wanted to
Sachs, J.P. Morgan and Credit Suisse. do because ultimately it’s my career, so I didn’t have to work
in the areas I didn’t want to.” Dentons has set its sights
“So many random queries come in, the on higher-value M&A over the last few years, as well as
variety keeps things interesting.” big IPOs. “The department brings in big-ticket deals and
we’re often on the other side of magic circle firms,” sources
The firm is best known for advising lenders, but one noted. The firm was recently across the table from Lin-
source in banking A got lucky and saw some borrower- klaters, advising global investment firm KKR on its €7 bil-
side work, too: “It’s really useful to draft documents from lion acquisition of Unilever’s spreads business. In a recent
both perspectives because they have completely differ- tech deal, Dentons advised Syncsort on its $700 million
ent areas of focus.” Dentons deals usually reach the high purchase of Pitney Bowes’ software solutions business.
millions, sometimes tipping into the billions; in one ex- Trainees summarised this seat as “fundamentally interest-
ample, the firm advised Ryanair on a €750 million syn- ing and really challenging, which is great from a learning
The True Picture

dicated facility. Interviewees praised supervisors for perspective.”

letting them “take free rein during deals and develop cli-
ent relationships” once they’d proven themselves, with “By the end of the seat I was running my
continued supervision; they also handled tasks like con- own matters and had direct client contact,
ditions precedent checklists. “It was awesome that I got
which really helped boost my confidence.”
to show I understood what I was doing, rather than being
micromanaged,” one trainee explained. Another declared Pensions and employment both fall into the people, re-
they “could shout from the rooftops about this incredible ward and mobility group.Trainees here acted as support
group of people. Even when I screwed up I was never made on corporate deals and advised clients on the possible
to feel stupid.” That’s not to say the expectations in bank- effects of Covid-19 in Latin America, Asia, Europe, South
ing aren’t high, and we heard “you’re ready to work like an Africa and the Middle East – “managing everything at once
NQ in the department by the end of the seat.” was pretty intense.” Hours can stack up when you’re jug-

305
 D Dentons chambersstudent.co.uk

gling jurisdictions, especially when they don’t observe was doing 60-hour weeks for a fortnight or so.” We should
UK bank holidays. The department’s “really respectful of stress that this experience wasn’t universal: contentious
people’s time overall, but there are a couple of demanding seats tend to come with more forgiving hours, and Lon-
people. I’d heard horror stories about corporate and bank- doners were working later than trainees in Milton Keynes.
ing, so I expected it.” This is a seat that “throws trainees
in the deep end because the team doesn’t have as many Despite its innumerable locations, sources agreed “Den-
resources as some others,” meaning trainees have more tons has a polycentric culture and each office operates in-
“associate-level responsibilities” on top of due diligence, dependently, so it feels like you’re at a regional firm rather
managing data rooms and providing advice about reduc- than the world’s biggest – in a good way.” Departments
ing pensions contributions following the Covid-19 pan- don’t tend to socialise together, each making their own
demic. It’s an altogether varied seat and interviewees way: “Some are very good at socials and some don’t do
thought “it was cool to observe the rapidly changing em- many. Banking and corporate have drinks trolleys once a
ployment laws.” The firm has recently acted for Bank of month, but the smaller groups like disputes don’t do much.”
China and Spotify on day-to-day employment issues. There are separate team and trainee budgets, and “we
usually go out every couple of months, if a new person joins
In the real estate seat too, newbies get a baptism of fire: or at Christmas.”
“It was really fast-paced and client contact-heavy, which
helped me develop my skills.” Dentons has advised clients “There’s no air of superiority; no ‘oh I’m a
like Transport for London, John Lewis and Sports Direct City lawyer aren’t I fantastic’.”
on real estate matters; Slough Urban Renewal (on behalf
of Muse Developments) called on the firm’s advice dur- ‘One for all, all for one’ was the message that trainees
ing the £650 million purchase of former Thames Valley got. “There’s no air of superiority; no ‘oh I’m a City lawyer
University land in Slough, targeted for a mixed-use de- aren’t I fantastic’,” one source noted appreciatively. “We
velopment. Insiders were pleased to report they didn’t all know we’re part of a bigger corporate structure and at
need to stick to stereotypical trainee tasks, “which are the end of the day, we’re all working a desk job.” Dentons
basically just admin and not great for development. I felt requested 8.5% pay cuts during the Covid-19 pandemic,
like an NQ and really got stuck into proper work.” Some put and trainees were pleased to see “the executives take
this down to the smaller real estate deals on offer: “By cuts too.It’s not like they were sitting in their ivory towers
the end of the seat I was running my own matters and had making money and we just had to live with it: we actually
direct client contact, which really helped boost my confi- live the buzzwords we plaster everywhere, there’s an over-
dence, especially as a first-seater.” Supervision in this seat whelming attitude that we’re a team.”
is “pretty hands-off. Because I had the chance to source my
own work, I got to assist lots of different people; the team Mid-seat appraisals are easy enough informal chats; end
is used to having trainees and they really took the time to of seat reviews “are a bit of a nightmare,” with trainees cit-
make sure I got the work I wanted.” Trainees in the plan- ing similar issues as in the seat allocation process. “We
ning sub-group were more focused on “policy minutiae” need less admin, so we can actually get on with our training
such as analysing how proposed developments fit in with contract,” said a trainee who compared their review form
local neighbourhood policy. with that of a friend at another firm and found theirs to
be significantly longer. Dentons grades trainees against
core competencies; supervisors then add a blurb, as do
Trainee Life trainees themselves, and together they agree develop-
Trainees’ hours were pretty consistent across seats: con- ment goals for the next seat. Fourth-seaters can apply
sistently high. “The timings are absurd, I’m just so tired,” for NQ jobs into up to two departments, but this too is a
one in corporate complained. “I was on a massive private lengthy process. The “pretty intense” application form “is
equity deal pretty much 24/7 for nearly two months and I’ve similar to the training contract application,” including ques-
The True Picture

often been sat at my desk at 10pm.” As Dentons pushes tions on how trainees’ skills link to their chosen depart-
for greater-value deals and cases, it makes sense that ment. Some groups also set a written exercise and the
demands on trainees will grow. “New York timelines make process ends with an interview. By the time we went to
for such a tight turnaround,” according to another source. press, Dentons had not disclosed its retention numbers.
Interviewees in employment had similar tales to tell: “I

No train, no gain:
In addition to PSC training, Dentons hosts additional trainee-
specific sessions on soft skills, plus “firmwide training about
what clients want, which is very useful.”
306
www.chambersstudent.co.uk
chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
Dentons D

Dentons
One Fleet Place, London EC4M 7WS
Tel: 020 7242 1212 Facebook: DentonsUKEarlyTalent Partners: 206
Email: [email protected] Instagram: @dentonsglobal Associates: 439
Website: https://challengers.dentons.com/ Linkedin: Dentons Total trainees: 81
UK offices: 4
Overseas offices: 184
Firm profile
Contacts
We are Dentons. The world’s largest law firm. We’re the lightbulb moments. The bold ideas. The
Graduate recruiter:
international deals. We’re 10,000+ lawyers globally, 800+ in the UK and 40+ trainees a year. We’re a graduaterecruitment@dentons.
truly global, polycentric firm. Working across 175+ locations in 70+ countries. Turning our ambitions com
into reality. Breaking tradition. Moving with innovation. Making the decisions that will take us from Training partner:
largest to leading. From now to next. We welcome people who are driven to challenge. To innovate and Nigel Webber

shape. We are the future of law. Application criteria

Training contracts pa: 42
Main areas of work Minimum required degree grade:
We are who we are because of the work we do and the scale on which we do it. Our work spans 75 2:1 or other
countries, with our 10,000 + lawyers speaking over 80 language. Our 270 award wins in 2019 highlight Minimum UCAS points or
A levels: ABB
our recognition in the market, and the quality of work trainees are involved in.
Vacation scheme places pa: 50
Trainees are able to choose from a wealth of seats, to work with experts across our trainee practice areas:
banking and finance, competition, corporate, dispute resolution, ETI (energy, transport and infrastruc- Dates and deadlines
ture), private client, PRM (people, reward and mobility), real estate, tax and TMT (technology, media Training contract applications
open : 3rd December 2020
and telecommunications).
Training contract deadline:
Work is also about more than work here. It's about the environment too, and the feeling you get from 30th June 2021
your team, office and beyond. Our teams are also focused on inclusion and diversity, giving back, and 2022 start date: August 2023
on looking forward with innovation Vacation scheme applications
open: 1st October 2020
Training Contract Vacation scheme applications
close: 3rd January 2021
The business of law is changing, and we want you to be right there with it. To take us from largest to
leading, we're looking for our trainees to think big and see the future of law in a new way. Salary and benefits
On top of our existing development program, our market leading training contract includes three new First-year salary: £44,000 (Lon-
don), £31,000 (Milton Keynes),
modules: legal project management, innovation and resilience. All designed to help you become the £24, 000 (Scotland)
lawyer of the future. Second-year salary: £48,000
(London), £34,000 (Milton
Our training contracts consist of four six-month seats, where along with seats in our practice groups,
Keynes), £26,000 (Scotland)
trainees have the opportunity to work in one of our global offices, or directly with one of our clients Post-qualification salary: £75,000
over a six-month secondment. (London), £48,000 (Milton
Keynes), £40, 000 (Scotland)
The modernised training contract marks the first stage in your journey from lawyer to leader. The law-
Holiday entitlement: 24 days
yers of the future start here
Sponsorship
Vacation scheme LPC fees: Yes
GDL fees: Yes
Deciding where to start your career is a big decision. Balance real work with training and networking
Maintenance grant pa: Yes –
on our schemes to see what your career at Dentons could look like. Our two week scheme will give you, amount dependent on location.
and us, an insight into whether we’re a good match.
The True Picture

By attending our Vacation Scheme, you'll automatically be assessed for our Training Contract. This
could be the start of something much bigger.
• Spring (London only) – 6th – 16th April 2021
• Summer (London, Milton Keynes, Glasgow & Edinburgh) – 5th – 16th July 2021
Want to get a feel for what a legal career with us is really like? Our vacation schemes balance real work
with training and networking, to give you a holistic view of Dentons and an insight into our way of life.
We offer two-week long vacation schemes in the below locations:

Recruitment
There is no such thing as a typical solicitor at Dentons, and that’s the way we like it. We want you
to be you, with all your quirks, interests and ambitions. We look for applications to have, or expect
to achieve, a 2:1 degree and a minimum of ABB at A Level (or equivalent).
Application Process: Online application form > Watson Glaser Critical Thinking Test > Behav-
ioural Telephone Interview > Assessment Centre

307
Org ID: 111 4 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................
 D DLA Piper LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

DLA Piper LLP

The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Locations: Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Man- How to get a DLA Piper training
chester, Sheffield, Scotland
Overseas offices: 90+ contract
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 235/609/110
Seats: 4x6 months
First-year salary: £28,000 (£45,000 in London)
Qualification salary: £44,000 (£76,000 in London)

Law firms either head for global markets or regional –one firm does both,
and does it very well.

The Firm outside their own, particularly in Manchester and Liver-

What’s regional and international? Aunt Diane on the Mai pool which are regarded as ‘One North West.’ New start-
Tais on a beach in Corfu? Perhaps, but we were thinking ers pick three seat options for their first seat, and sub-
more along the lines of the enormous global law firm DLA sequent seats are discussed with graduate recruitment
Piper, which has seven UK offices in London, Birmingham, at mid-seat reviews. The process was a bit of a mixed
Manchester, Liverpool, Sheffield, Leeds and Edinburgh. bag: “Some trainees received all four first options; some
Across these bases, trainees found “cross-border oppor- received zero.”
tunities in the regions” as part of a “giant international net-
work that has solid financials.”
The Seats
“We’re all so internationally minded.” DLA’s litigation and regulatory department covers arbi-
trations, corporate crime investigations and commercial
DLA’s global turnover of $3.11 billion makes it the third litigation – “a lot of big, juicy, high-stakes litigation and
largest firm in the world by revenue. And with over 90 cross-border disputes.” The team recently represented re-
offices in 40 plus countries, plus multiple affiliations cycling technology company Renova Industries in multi-
elsewhere, it’s hard to find a major world centre that isn’t jurisdictional proceedings against potash company Em-
graced by its presence (most recently it opened in Dub- merson. Different offices have slightly different flavours
lin). This “breadth of global presence” was a major draw –Manchester for example does a lot of construction work,
factor for trainees: “We’re all so internationally minded.” while Sheffield has an emphasis on telecoms work. The
London team handles a lot of international arbitrations,
Chambers Global recognises the firm as world elite in ar- such as representing the Republic of Kenya in a $2 billion
eas such as commercial contracts, franchising, and TMT, claim brought by mining investor Cortec. Right now, the
and bestows it with rankings in 44 jurisdictions around team is advising clients on a lot of Brexit-related regu-
The True Picture

the world from the US to Timor-Leste. On home soil, DLA latory questions, on topics like disclosure to HMRC and
has so many Chambers UK rankings that you’d get RSI export control. Trainees enjoyed the variety on offer: “One
just scrolling through them all. Among them are top ac- day you can be working on a dispute to do with technology
colades in London in mid-market corporate/M&A and companies and the next a matter to do with soil!” Trainees
IT, while outside the capital it’s a national leader in both can expect to do a lot of research and disclosure tasks, as
those areas, plus banking and finance, litigation, employ- well as court work like preparing bundles. Interviewees
ment, pensions, restructuring and tax. got to draft documents like settlement claims. “I’ve en-
joyed being able to contact the other side to ask them ques-
The firm recruits trainees into all domestic bases. About
half of the 60-odd intake goes to London, with the rest Seat options: corporate; employment; finance, projects
spread between the other offices. A ‘One UK Approach’ and restructuring; intellectual property and technology;
to staffing means trainees can pick up work from offices litigation and regulatory; real estate; and tax.

308
chambersstudent.co.uk DLA Piper LLP D
Chambers UK rankings Over in intellectual property and technology (IPT), train-
Aviation Litigation
ees got to grips with commercial contracts, data protec-
Banking & Finance Media & Entertainment
tion and – of course – IP work. Though trainees primarily
Banking Litigation Outsourcing
work in one sub-stream, they can have a “really varied
Capital Markets Parliamentary &
experience sampling different kinds of work.” The depart-
Commercial Contracts Public Affairs
ment works on many public procurement contracts, with
Competition/European Law Pensions
“massive government clients.” Sheffield is a bit more niche,
Construction Planning
handling pure trade mark, copyright and patents work.
Corporate/M&A Private Equity
The team recently advised Merlin (again, the entertain-
Data Protection Product Liability
ment company) on its partnership with payment company
Employment Professional Negligence
Adyen for its point-of-sale payment system in over 130
Energy & Natural Projects
of its attractions. On the IP side, the firm’s clients include
Resources Real Estate
Nike, Brewdog and Emirates Airlines. “I’ve particularly
Environment Real Estate Finance
enjoyed working on some outsourcing projects with large,
Fraud Real Estate Litigation
recognisable clients and have had the opportunity to hone
Health & Safety Restructuring/Insolvency
my drafting skills,” said one interviewee. Trainees tend to
Hotels & Leisure Retail
conduct diligence: reviewing existing contracts and in-
Information Technology Sports Law
putting changes.
Infrastructure Tax
Insurance Telecommunications “I’ve particularly enjoyed working on
Intellectual Property Transport some outsourcing projects with large,
International Arbitration recognisable clients.”
The real estate group handles a “good mix of corporate
support work and development work with developers and
tions on smaller claims,” one highlighted. Another said: “If lenders on big real estate finance deals.” The team tackles
you’re willing, you get wicked first-hand exposure to the cli- disposals, purchases, rentals, liquidations and restructur-
ent,” which includes attending meetings and mediations, ings for all sorts of commercial properties, with niches
writing letters, and “going to swanky client events.” in certain buildings like student accommodation. The
team recently represented real estate investors Harrison
The prongs on DLA’s corporate trident are M&A, private Street in its £200 million acquisition of five science parks.
equity and public company capital markets. The team In Manchester, the firm advised Downing Developments
deals with a lot of venture capital, fintech investment, on lease acquisitions and agreements in its £225 million
matters in the energy sector, and public sector work. Deals co-living development in the city centre. Trainees here
are typically mid-market, with values in the hundreds of worked on a lot of exhilarating and “very complex” tax cal-
millions – for example, the firm recently advised Merlin culations, but admitted that work such as Land Registry
(the entertainment company that owns Alton Towers) on applications could get “a bit monotonous.” However, they
the sale of two ski resorts and an airport in Australia to a also got drafting experience, and in some offices train-
US buyer for AUD174 million. The team also represented ees might get to run their own “low-risk, low-cost files.” On
consumer goods company Unilever in their acquisition of these, trainees got to “really develop my skills and have a
Graze (which makes those healthy snack boxes). On the level of client contact I wasn’t expecting.”
private equity side, the group recently advised Hyundai in
its €100 million investment in Luxembourg-based Arrival, The chance to go overseas was a big draw for many of our
an electric vehicle company. “I worked on M&A transac- interviewees, but take note: it isn’t guaranteed and “it’s a very
tions, reorganisations and public company work,” one told competitive process.” Hopefuls apply to graduate recruit-
The True Picture

us, “and I had the opportunity to attend client offices and ment with a CV. The list of possible secondments changes
negotiation meetings.” Trainees also drafted consent let- seat to seat (options depend on business need), but recent
ters and house forms, and reviewed shareholder agree- secondees spent time in Dubai, Madrid and Dublin. Trainees
ments and articles of association. Qualifying into this de- also told us that it’s not uncommon for newly promoted sen-
partment is “definitely a lifestyle choice – the team works ior associates to do an international secondment.
extremely hard!” On the plus side, “the training you receive
is exceptional,” according to a Birmingham trainee. “You “One of the big selling points for DLA is the
don’t realise how much you’ve learned until someone asks a range of pro bono opportunities.”
question and you hear yourself explaining the answer.”
The London office offers a pro bono seat to one lucky
individual, who “gets to do a lot of fantastic work with
UNICEF, Save the Children and other incredible charities.”

309
 D DLA Piper LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

But there’s no need for trainees to get too competitive On the social side, “it’s less of a pub culture than I thought,”
over bagging a spot here, as “one of the big selling points one Londoner expressed, instead describing a “family-
for DLA is the range of pro bono opportunities” across of- oriented” atmosphere. That didn’t mean they were with-
fices. That could mean advising on debt, assisting chari- out their fun, as this Liverpudlian explained: “From an in-
ties with corporate work, or even going to Greece to help duction at Sandhurst to Burns Night in Edinburgh and the
refugees. The Manchester office works with anti-slavery Grand National in Liverpool, DLA do a lot to integrate the
charity Hope for Justice. “Supervisors are understanding trainee group and I have made some great friends for life.”
of you doing it,” said trainees, but of course, “you’re not
supposed to do it if you’ve got a tough deadline; it’s down to “From an induction at Sandhurst to Burns
you to be sensible.” Night in Edinburgh and the Grand National
in Liverpool…”
Reviews of trainee support and supervision at the firm
were pretty positive but not everyone was piping the same Interviewees across some of the smaller regional offices
tune. A Manchester source summarised: “There’s a range of described a “tight-knit” feel where “everyone knows eve-
quality of supervisors and I found this directly impacted how ryone.” All offices are stocked with free fresh fruit “to pro-
I experienced the seats. Some were focused on training the mote a healthy lifestyle,” and the Manchester office enjoys
trainee whereas others had little engagement.” The majority “a beautiful view of the city.” We heard London is the “big,
described “fantastic training,” with a Londoner telling us: posh office – they have their own gym!” It’s also home to “a
“Each seat has dedicated training sessions and a knowledge sleeping room if you’re feeling stressed.”
team who help with everything from where to find a particu-
lar resource to how to file a certain type of document.” So how stressful can it get? Well, each seat comes with a
different timetable. Trainees in seats like real estate and
property litigation found themselves leaving by 6.30pm
Trainee Life most nights, with the “rare late night leaving around 9pm.”
Interviewees across offices described a “down to earth” Unsurprisingly, corporate and other transactional seaters
culture. “You expect at a big law firm people will have an were more likely to leave around 8pm, but “you stay as
ego to match,” one recalled, “and some do –but they are few late as you need to around the peaks.” Thankfully “people
and far between!” A couple of trainees pointed out that tell you to go home early the day after,” and a Birmingham
DLA Piper’s company values are “a prominent feature of trainee told us “the team makes an active effort to make
the firm, and everyone will be able to tell you what they are. sure you finish on time on a Friday.”
They’re even on our desktops!” Pro tip – it might be worth
checking these out on DLA’s website if you land an inter- First-year trainees get a salary of £28,000 (£45,000 in
view. A ‘values committee’ in each office even organises London), which trainees felt “is proportionate for what we
activities themed around the values. “We had ‘Be Bold’ do” in most seats. In light of the Covid-19 pandemic, DLA
month, which included wearing bright colours,” one insid- is offering upcoming trainees £10,000 to delay their train-
er told us. “At the moment, it’s geared very much towards ing contract by a year and £5,000 to delay until February
mental health awareness.” 2021. It’s also one of many firms to cut NQ salaries. Lon-
don NQs will start on £76,000 down from £78,000, and
DLA had a “big focus on wellbeing, even before lockdown,” cuts will be proportionate in the regions (£44,000 down
though some felt that the initiatives “don’t squarely ad- from £46,000).
dress some poor attitudes in the workplace.” Elsewhere,
we heard of offices celebrating cultural and religious Qualifiers apply for up to three positions. Those who don’t
holidays, “which feels really thoughtful and touching.” We get their first choice go through “a sort of clearing round”
also heard about the firm’s “very active and well-support- to vie for their other choices. Though the qualification
ed” LGBTQ+ group IRIS, and its social mobility initiative process at DLA usually goes smoothly, remote working
The True Picture

HeadStart, “which helps students from less privileged has meant that “communication this year has been pretty
backgrounds to access work experience.” Interviewees poor, so there’s a lot of anxiety.” In the end, the qualification
were open that “there could be a bigger push to promote process was delayed by two weeks and the firm did not
racial diversity,” but overall they were “really glad that disclose its 2020 retention figure.
DLA is doing things actively to help promote inclusion.”

Put that in your pipe and advise clients about it:

In 2020, the firm launched a global cannabis law team led by
partners in London and Toronto.

310
www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
chambersstudent.co.uk DLA Piper LLP D

DLA Piper
160 Aldersgate St, London EC1A 4HT
Email: [email protected] Twitter: @DLA_Piper_Grads Partners: 1,300
Website: www.dlapipergraduates.com Facebook: dlapipergrads Associates: 4,000
Instagram: @dlapiper Total trainees: 140
Linkedin: dla-piper-uk-graduates UK offices: Birmingham,
Edinburgh, Leeds, Liverpool,
London, Manchester, Sheffield
Firm profile International offices: Dublin
DLA Piper is one of the world’s leading business law firms. With over 90 offices in more than 40
countries, the firm provides seamless local and cross-border advice. The firm believes great busi- Contacts

nesses can make a better world. That's why, every day, DLA Piper helps its clients succeed. Graduate recruitment:
graduaterecruitment@dlapiper.
com
Main areas of work Training partner:
Unlike many law firms, DLA Piper is organised to provide clients with a range of essential business Duncan Mosley
advice, not just on large scale mergers and acquisitions and banking deals but also on people and Training contracts pa: Up to 70
employment, commercial dealings, litigation, insurance, real estate, IT, intellectual property, plans Summer internship places pa:
for restructuring and tax. We have a comprehensive, award winning client relationship manage- Up to 100
ment programme and our brand is built upon local legal excellence and global capability.
Dates and deadlines
DLA Piper has the following practice groups: corporate, employment, finance and projects, Summer internship applications
restructuring, intellectual property and technology, litigation and regulatory, real estate, tax. 2021 open: September 2020
Summer internship 2021 deadline:
Training opportunities 17:00 on 31st December 2020

Our graduates complete four six month rotations, and the majority will undertake an international Salary and benefits
or client secondment. Our industry leading training is designed to equip our graduates to develop First-year salary:
the knowledge, skills and behaviours to become the future leaders of our firm. £28,000 (English Regions and
Scotland), £45,000 (London),
€47,000 (Dublin)
Summer internship
Second-year salary:
Our Summer Internship is designed to give students a real insight into DLA Piper. The programme £31,000 (English Regions and
runs across our eight offices in the UK and Ireland, and is three weeks in duration, commencing Scotland), £50,000 (London)
with a week-long induction programme in our London office. The induction programme gives Post-qualification salary:
students the opportunity to hear from our senior leaders, to participate in professional skills £44,000 (English Regions and
training, to attend networking events and to participate in responsible business activities. Scotland), £76,000 (London)
Holiday entitlement: 28 days
Students spend the second and third weeks of the Summer Internship undertaking work experience
placements across two of our practice groups in their chosen office location. Sponsorship
LPC fees: Yes
Other benefits GDL fees: Yes
Life insurance, private healthcare, cycle to work schemes, gym, restaurant, employee assistance Maintenance grant pa: Yes
programme.
International and regional
Offices with training contracts:
Open days and first-year opportunities Birmingham, Dublin, Edinburgh,
At DLA Piper we offer a three-day Insight Programme specifically for those in their first year of a law Leeds, Liverpool, London, Man-
chester, Sheffield
degree or second year of a non-law degree and who are interested in a career in law. We also host Open
Overseas seats: Multiple
Days in all of our offices in the UK and Ireland for students from any degree discipline
The True Picture

(circa 15 per seat move)

Client secondments: Multiple
University law careers fairs 2020 (circa 10 per seat move)
UK: Aberdeen, Birmingham, Bristol, Cambridge, Dundee, Durham, Edinburgh, Glasgow, King's
College London, Lancaster, Leeds, Leicester, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham, Oxford,
Sheffield, University College London, Warwick, York.
Ireland: Dublin City University (DCU), Maynooth University , National University of Ireland, Trinity
College Dublin,Technological University Dublin, University College Cork , University College Dublin,
University of Limerick, Queen's University Belfast

Org ID: 22401592 4 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................311

 D Dorsey & Whitney chambersstudent.co.uk

Dorsey & Whitney

The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Location: London How to get into Dorsey
Overseas offices: 18
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 14/7/4
Seats: 4x6 months
First-year salary: £43,000
Qualification salary: £79,000

Dorsey & Whitney was born in the USA, but it bucks some of the trends in
its London calling.

The Firm The Seats

In many ways, Dorsey fits the US-firm-in-London bill. It Dorsey has five seat options, which makes seat alloca-
has a small trainee intake (only two a year), a strong in- tion a simple affair. Trainees are required to complete
ternational and US presence (18 overseas offices, 13 of two seats from corporate, capital markets or banking and
which are stateside), and competes in the capital for “in- then one seat in litigation and one seat in real estate/IP.
teresting, complex, top-end work.” These factors were a Despite its respectable overseas presence, there aren’t
big draw for the chosen few who were offered training currently any international opportunities on offer but
contracts, with the caveat that Dorsey seemed “more for- there are potential client secondments available.
giving” to our interviewees than other US firms in London.
“It definitely feels more English in terms of its expectations, “I’ve done deals in the media space, in
like how much you’re expected to bill and how available the tech space, and I’ve even done deals
you should be,” said one trainee. “Things like 11pm finishes
involving other law firms.”
aren’t common,” said another. “The firm respects your life
outside of work.” The firm’s corporate team covers a variety of work, in-
cluding M&A, capital markets, and some leveraged fi-
“It doesn’t feel like a satellite office. The nance matters. Clients are equally varied, both in terms
London office has a lot of homegrown of size and sector: “I’ve done deals in the media space, in
the tech space, and I’ve even done deals involving other
work.”
law firms – like if they’re being sold to other firms or to pri-
In London, Dorsey has a handful lawyers who are Cham- vate equity sponsors.” Others noted doing “work for both
bers UK-ranked in AIM capital markets, corporate/M&A emerging companies as well as bigger clients.” The team
and tax work. The firm also achieves Chambers USA rank- recently advised telecommunications company Liberty
ings in eight different states, with particularly impressive Latin America on its $1.95 billion acquisition of AT&T’s
The True Picture

expertise in its home state of Minnesota. Areas includ- wireless and wireline operations in Puerto Rico and the
ing corporate M&A, litigation, and real estate all achieve US Virgin Islands. Elsewhere, the team worked with long-
top-tier recognition – and these are all prominent parts time client This Is The Big Deal (which owns the energy
of Dorsey’s offering in London too. In this vein, trainees auto-switch company Look After My Bills) on its sale to
added: “What also separates us from some other US firms Go Compare for £12.5 million. Interviewees were able to
here is that we’re really big on both corporate and litigation.” gain experience in “drafting ancillary documents, reviewing
Despite the London office’s small headcount of around 30 share purchase agreements and investment agreements,
lawyers (including trainees), insiders also asserted that “it and making amendments to partnership agreements.” On
doesn’t feel like a satellite office. The London office has a lot the capital markets side, trainees worked on several sec-
of homegrown work.” International work from the US does
come through from time to time, though most sources Seat options: corporate; capital markets; banking;
reckoned “it’s not the majority of our work.” commercial litigation; and real estate/IP.

312
chambersstudent.co.uk Dorsey & Whitney D

ondary issues – at the time of research, they noted: “IPOs opportunity to increase their responsibility.” On the real es-
are a bit dead at the moment.” The team generally does tate side, trainees had mostly dealt with Land Registry
a fair bit of work on the Alternative Investment Market, matters.
though sources also got the chance to do a couple of mat-
ters on the Main Market as well. Similar to M&A tasks,
sources got stuck into working on ancillary documents, Trainee Life
doing verification, and “helping with closing agreements.” With around 14 partners, seven associates and four train-
Overall, trainees felt “the team is good at holding your ees, Dorsey certainly sits on the teenier end of the scale
hand in the beginning, then once you show a semblance of in terms of office headcount. “On one hand you get the
understanding they let you go for it. It’s a good balance.” advantage of getting more responsibility and you also form
bonds with people more quickly,” sources reflected. But
Over in litigation, interviewees explained “the team is with fewer colleagues, the downside is “there’s not always
quite small, but they make up a substantial portion of firm someone available to go to the pub on a Friday!”   That’s not
revenue compared to how big they are.” Matters them- to say there’s no social side at Dorsey: sources flagged
selves are usually quite commercial in nature: the team Christmas and summer parties as particular highlights,
recently acted for internet company Otello Corporation as well as occasional informal pub trips. “Alcohol isn’t the
in a shareholder dispute with US-based Moore Frères focus though,” they clarified. “We’ve also done things like
& Company worth $70 million. In a high-profile matter, bowling. The firm is progressive in the sense that they re-
the team also defended technology solutions company spect the fact people don’t always want to drink.” In terms
Watchstone Group in a warranty and fraudulent misrep- of diversity and inclusion, interviewees felt “the firm is
resentation claim arising from the sale of the professional good at promoting diversity, but it would be good to see
services division of Quindell (as Watchstone was formerly more in the London office.”
known) to law firm Slater and Gordon. Day to day, the seat
involved “doing research for associates and partners,” as Interviewees also told us about their working hours. “The
well as “putting together bundles.” Sources especially ap- hours aren’t quite as rigorous as other US firms in London,”
preciated the firm’s US presence in this seat, noting that they reckoned. Most often, trainees found they’d start
“we have resources in the States that we can leverage for some time between 9am and 9.30am, and finish between
things like doc review.” They clarified: “We still do some 6.30pm and 7.30pm. Of course, “if you’ve got to work late,
doc review, but more often we do privilege review and letter you work late, but if you don’t have to there’s no pressure
drafting, which is more substantial.” Depending on timing, to stay in the office until a certain time.” Seats like cor-
some were also able to get hefty amounts of experience porate had slightly less predictable hours, which meant
in court, while others weren’t quite so lucky. “you could be leaving at 6pm or 11pm – it just depends on
how busy we are.” Over the course of the training contract,
Trainees usually do the IP and real estate seat last. Dur- trainees reckoned “it averages out to be quite favourable.”
ing this time, trainees are essentially working for both First-year trainees have a salary of £43,000, which is
departments simultaneously, though the split will de- more in line with big UK firms than the mega bucks at US
pend on how busy each department is. For one source, firms in London. This jumps to £79,000 on qualification.
“there was a lot more work in IP than in real estate, so I
probably did 80% IP and 20% real estate.” The IP side is Rather than a super formal process, qualification at
“very trade mark-heavy.” For example, the team recently Dorsey is more of a “discussion about whether you want
worked on trade mark oppositions at the UK and EU Intel- to stay on and whether they want to keep you on.” The firm
lectual Property Offices for Canadian digital media com- has to make a business case to keep trainees on post-
pany Score Media and Gaming. On the opposite side, the qualification which is subject to approval from the US,
team defended brokerage services firm CAMcap Markets though sources added they’ve “not heard of anyone not
in trade mark opposition proceedings brought by finan- getting approved.” Due to the size of the litigation team,
The True Picture

cial services company Capital Group. For trainees, this trainees reckoned “there’s potentially less scope to qualify
typically meant “tasks like IP searches” as well as “writ- there, but it’s not impossible.” In 2020, the firm retained
ing trade mark oppositions.” Sources held particular praise one of two qualifiers.
for the IP partner: “He will give anyone who is willing the

Dorsey & BRITney?

“You’re not hearing American voices all the time,” trainees
reiterated. “You deal with American colleagues now and then
and tech support is American, but the deals we do are mostly
European.”
313
 www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
D Dorsey & Whitney chambersstudent.co.uk

Dorsey & Whitney (Europe) LLP

199 Bishopsgate, London EC2M 3UT
Telephone: 020 7031 3700 Twitter: @DorseyWhitney Partners: 14
Email: [email protected] Facebook: Dorsey & Whitney LLP Associates: 7
Website: www.dorsey.com/careers Linkedin: dorsey-&-whitney-llp Total trainees: 2 x 1st year
2 x 2nd year
UK offices: London
Overseas offices: 19
Firm profile
Dorsey provides an integrated, proactive approach to its clients’ legal and business needs around Contacts
the globe, with locations across the United States and in Canada, Europe and Asia. Industry leaders Graduate recruiter:
and successful companies turn to Dorsey for the edge they need to succeed in a highly competi- Michael Cashman
[email protected]
tive world. We serve clients in nearly all industries, but focus on six key industries — banking and
020 7031 3700
financial institutions; development and infrastructure; energy and natural resources; food, bever-
Training partner:
age and agribusiness; healthcare; and technology — in which we have great depth and a history of Michael Cashman
achieving client success. [email protected]
020 7031 3700

Main areas of work Application criteria

Dorsey is a full-service law firm with an integrated network of practices that routinely work Training contracts pa: 2
with one another. We have more than 60 practice areas including: benefits and compensation, Applications pa: 250-300
corporate, finance and restructuring, health transactions and regulations, labour and employment, Minimum required degree grade:
patent, public finance, real estate, regulatory affairs, tax, trusts and estates, trademark, and trial. 2:1 or other
Minimum UCAS points or A
Training opportunities levels: N/A

The training contract comprises of four six month seats. Two seats are in Corporate/Capital Mar- Vacation scheme places pa: None

kets/Banking with one Litigation seat and one seat in Real Estate/IP. Dates and deadlines
Training contract applications
Vacation scheme open: No fixed date
We do not offer vacation scheme/work placements. Training contract deadline, 2022:
31st July 2021

Other benefits Vacation scheme applications

• Life Insurance open: N/A

• Long Term Disability Open day deadline: N/A

• Private Health Care Salary and benefits

• Employee Assistance Programme First-year salary: £43,000
• Season Ticket Loan Second-year salary: £49,000
Post-qualification salary:
University law careers fairs 2020 Currently £79,000 (under review)
TBD Holiday entitlement: 25

Sponsorship
LPC fees: Yes
GDL fees: No
Maintenance grant pa: £7,000

International and regional

The True Picture

Offices with training contracts:

None
Overseas seats: N/A
Client secondments: N/A

Org ID: 3687

314 0 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................
chambersstudent.co.uk DWF D

DWF
The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Locations: Birmingham, Bristol, Leeds, Liverpool, London, How to get into DWF
Manchester, Newcastle, Scotland, Northern Ireland
Overseas offices: 26
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 232/683/82
(number of trainees in total from February 2021)
Seats: 4x6 months
First-year salary: £22,000 - £38,000
(depending on location)
Qualification salary: undisclosed

After an impressive and “ambitious” run of expansion, DWF is hunkering

down and immersing trainees in its commercial and insurance offering.

The Firm of acquisitions, but perhaps that is just an inevitable part of

Many law firms describe themselves as ambitious, but our maturity as a public business.”
how many of them are ambitious enough to float on the
stock market, acquire an additional law firm and buy a “A reputable firm, while not being too
legal services firm, all in the space of a year? DWF was. much of a corporate beast.”
Its £95 million IPO in March 2019 made it the largest
UK-listed law firm and secured its status as a firm that’s Fortunately, the firm had already achieved many of its
“ambitious and a bit different.” Following this trend, DWF ambitions pre-pandemic – in addition to its ten bases
went on to make a jumbo £40 million acquisition of Span- spread across the UK, DWF has 26 overseas offices and
ish law firm Rousaud Costas Duran, which increased its additional connections with partner firms like LA-head-
headcount by over 400 and added offices in Barcelona, quartered Wood Smith Henning & Berman. Hundreds of
Madrid and Valencia. A year after completing its IPO, lawyers work across DWF’s UK bases, but trainees reck-
DWF acquired Mindcrest, a US-headquartered legal ser- oned the firm “strikes the right balance of having great cli-
vices company. ents and being a reputable firm, while not being too much
of a corporate beast.”
Despite these positive moves, it hasn’t been entirely
smooth sailing. Not long after these developments, the Chambers UK awards the firm top national rankings for
world was plunged into a global pandemic, and unfortu- health and safety, volume claims insurance, personal
nately DWF was not immune to its impact. In cost-cutting injury, and product liability. The firm has several profes-
measures, the firm shut up shop in Brussels and Singa- sional negligence rankings at a regional level, and scoops
pore, and cut jobs in Dubai and Cologne. Here in the UK, high accolades in the North West for its mid-market
The True Picture

trainees who were due to join the ranks in September corporate/M&A, employment, IT, litigation and pensions
2020 have been deferred to February 2021. The firm’s work. The firm was founded in Manchester and this is
39 qualifiers were also hit with the news that the firm where the largest number of trainees can be found today,
would be offering 25 NQ positions. “Our NQ list reflects closely followed by London. Leeds and Liverpool both
the current market,” training principal Carl Graham tells took eight trainees, Birmingham took six, and Newcastle
us. “There’s less activity in corporate and transactional ar- took two. The firm also hires for its Scottish offices.
eas. It’s going to be difficult for people who are determined
to enter the corporate world, but we continue to monitor the
market, and business demand will adapt our trainee seats in
line with this” . Going forward, Graham admits that “we’re
not going to be as ambitious as we have in the past in terms Seat options: various commercial and insurance seats
that vary by office and are subject to business need

315
 D DWF chambersstudent.co.uk

Chambers UK rankings the chance to “manage my own caseloads.” After receiving

Banking & Finance Pensions
the initial claim, this involved “drafting the acknowledge-
Banking Litigation Personal Injury
ment of service, drafting instructions to counsel, and draft-
Competition/European Law Police Law
ing defences.” Once the claim kicked off, trainees were
Construction Product Liability
tasked with “keeping the client updated, reviewing docu-
Consumer Finance Professional Negligence
ments, and filing documents in court.”
Corporate/M&A Real Estate
Employment Real Estate Litigation
With profession indemnity or catastrophic personal inju-
Energy & Natural Restructuring/Insolvency
ry cases, the firm mainly works for insurance companies
Resources Retail
on the defending side. “If, say, there is an accident at work
Health & Safety Sports Law
and the insurance company has to pay out, our main role is
Information Technology Tax
to try and get the best deal possible for the insurer,” train-
Insurance Transport
ees explained. In this seat they’d been able to “speak with
Intellectual Property Travel
witnesses, draft witness statements, and work with experts
Litigation to review evidence.” Writing reports to insurers was also a
Local Government big part of the seat.

In the corporate seat, sources came across “a lot of M&A

The Seats –disposals, acquisitions, management buyouts” – as well as
Seat allocation is largely the same across offices, in that a growing amount of private equity work. A Manchester
trainees’ first seats are decided by the firm, and then for source recalled “working for a lot of private equity houses”
subsequent seats trainees can submit preferences from during their seat. The team recently acted for Inflexion
a list of available options. Seat options vary depending Private Equity on its investment into Grindeys Legal, a
on the office. That said, sources added that core insur- property and conveyancing services company. Elsewhere
ance and commercial seats are available in most offices. the team advised aerospace company Arlington on its
“In theory it’s possible to move between offices too,” one £23 million acquisition of a thermostat business. Some
interviewee noted, “but I don’t know if that really happens had also worked on several restructurings. Typical tasks
in practice.” included drafting ancillary documents, due diligence and
dealing with “day-to-day corporate queries.” In the Bir-
DWF also offers numerous clientsecondment options. It’s mingham office, trainees can also do commercial work
actually a very common undertaking for trainees in Lon- alongside corporate in the same seat. “It tends to be more
don, which sources put down to the fact that “many key ad hoc – I’ve drafted framework agreements for instance,”
clients have their main offices in London.” There are also one source revealed. “It’s usually contract-based, like look-
a couple of options in Manchester, and one source told ing at contracts for clients.” More unusually, some offices
us that a regional trainee had recently been placed with also offer the opportunity for trainees to sit in the firm’s
a client in London, with the firm putting them up in an in-house legal team (known as Group Legal), where in-
apartment. Despite the number of international offices, terviewees got stuck into “drafting lots of different con-
the firm doesn’t currently offer overseas secondments – tractual agreements like sponsorship agreements and legal
“hopefully there will be one in future,” trainees said. We’ll service agreements.”
keep our fingers crossed.
“The claims were more high-value and
“… defending or pursuing claims complex than the small claim matters in
concerning fires, floods, and subsidence.” insurance.”
Insurance is DWF’s biggest department. Depending on Commercial litigation was quite a popular choice for
The True Picture

the office, trainees can sit in sub-groups including com- trainees. Interviewees came across “a variety of commer-
mercial insurance, professional indemnity, catastrophic cial disputes for both claimants and defendants.” These
personal injury and criminal defence. Commercial in- could be typical breach of contract matters, shareholder
surance matters included “defending or pursuing claims disputes, contested probate matters, or copyright/IP dis-
concerning fires, floods, and subsidence.” There were also putes – just to name a few. In a particularly high-profile
“policy coverage issues” to contend with and small claims matter, the Manchester and Liverpool teams have been
track matters, dealing with claims of £10,000 or less. DWF defending Morrisons in a civil claim brought by more than
works with big insurance names like Aviva, NFU Mutual, 8,000 employees and former employees of the super-
and Tesco Insurance on claims including personal injury market whose confidential data was made public by an
matters, fraud recovery, credit hire claims, and motor in- ex-employee. Elsewhere, the team acts for British Air-
surance matters. Although the experience was “a bit of a ways defending civil litigations stemming from the cyber
baptism of fire,” one source was pleased to report getting attack and data theft it experienced in 2018. In this seat,

316
chambersstudent.co.uk DWF D

“the claims were more high-value and complex than the where you just go to work and go home,” they said. “There’s
small claim matters in insurance,” one trainee reflected. always stuff going on after work, whether it’s drinks, tal-
This meant there were fewer opportunities to manage ent shows or pub quizzes.” Along with firmwide events
their own cases, but not zero: “I did have some cases to like summer and Christmas parties, each office has its
manage, but it wasn’t as large in volume.” Trainees still got own social committee. All offices organise “a big social
experience drafting court documents, with the caveat in the kitchen” called Friday Fridge once a month, except
that it’s “heavily supervised – it needs to be.” Sourcesliked for Londoners, who organise a similar get-together on a
being able to attend mediations and hearings as well, and Thursday (which is the new Friday, after all, and is called
appreciated “getting experience with alternative dispute ‘Thirsty Thursdays’). Outside of drinks-related activities,
resolution.” More admin-based tasks like bundling were Manchester sources recalled one team organising a hike
inescapable here, and although interviewees admitted and a “10 km hell run.” See you at the finish line.
the seat generally had a slightly lower level of responsi-
bility, sources still felt “it builds up as you get more com- Another big feature of the DWF culture is corporate so-
fortable with the subject.” cial responsibility (CSR) initiatives. Sources highlighted
the firm’s 5 STAR Futures scheme, which is “a work expe-
In the “busy” real estate team trainees encountered clas- rience programme to help children from low socioeconomic
sic lease agreements and licences, development mat- backgrounds.” DWF also has its own foundation (DWF
ters, and real estate finance work. Similar to insurance, Foundation), which many sources had helped with fund-
trainees are often given their own matters which they’re raising efforts. Other CSR events included organising “a
“trusted to run with.” These often include lease renew- Christmas grotto at a women’s shelter,” and a “fashion show
als, general licences, rent deposits, and other “stand- in partnership with Debenhams.” Trainees emphasised that
ard landlord/tenant real estate documents.” Sources also “the firm is of the attitude that they expect you to be giv-
flagged opportunities to get involved in “more complex ing back,” and thankfully, “the firm gives you time to give
matters, supporting more senior fee earners.” One insider back!”
explained: “On these I would be assisting from a case man-
agement point of view.” Interviewees also noticed a lot of On average, trainees estimated they worked a 40 to 50-
occupier side work “for big, household names,” estimat- hour week, though it would vary depending on the seat.
ing that these types of matters made up “about half the Corporate, for instance, involved “working with companies
work of the team.” Examples includeacting for adidas on from all over the world, which was a bit more gruelling in
the completion of its flagship store on Oxford Street in terms of hours.” In seats like commercial litigation, the
London, and advising Premier Inn on the £35 million de- hours more closely resembled 8.30am to 6.30pm, and
velopment of two new hotels in Manchester and on the most trainees agreed that the latest they’d stayed in the
Isle of Man. The group also acted for Liverpool City Coun- office was 8pm. Others added they’d “never felt the need
cil in relation to its £17 million Park Life community sports to log in at the weekend,” and had enough time for their
development project. private lives away from the firm. Salaries vary by office,
and our interviewees felt adequately compensated.

Trainee Life At the time of research, the qualification process had

A common theme that came up with interviewees across been delayed as a result of Covid-19 and a recent change
all offices was the inclusive, “people-oriented” environ- in management. Usually, a jobs list will come out with va-
ment at DWF. “I always feel able to approach anyone cancies across the firm. Upcoming qualifiers can list two
with questions,” said one. Another source reiterated that choices (in order of preference), and then depending on
“there’s a lot of partner contact – they’re not seen as scary the department, applicants may or may not be required to
people you can’t talk to. They’re willing to have a laugh.” interview. Trainees are also free to “apply for jobs in other
This left most people with the impression that “everyone offices if there’s not a job you want in your home office and
The True Picture

is welcoming, friendly and down to earth.” This atmosphere you’re willing to relocate.” DWF ended up retaining 24 of
also meant regular socialising. “It’s not the kind of firm 39 qualifiers in 2020.

And finally...
The student becomes the master… To help trainees with
career planning in the time of Covid-19, DWF is pairing
trainees with partner mentors who had to navigate their
early careers during the 2008 financial crash.

317
 www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
D DWF chambersstudent.co.uk

DWF Group Plc

1 Scott Place, 2 Hardman Street, Manchester M3 3AA
Tel: 0161 603 5000 Facebook: Partners: 382
Email: [email protected] DWF Graduate Recruitment Associates: 778 (including Senior
Website: www.dwfgroup.com/en/careers/gradu- Instagram: Associates)
ate-recruitment @dwf_graduate_recruitment Total trainees: 86

Twitter: @DWF_Graduate UK offices: Manchester, Liverpool,

Leeds, Newcastle, London,
Bristol, Birmingham, Edinburgh,
Firm profile Glasgow and Belfast
We are a global legal business, transforming legal services through our people for our clients. Led by Overseas offices: 26
managing partner and CEO Sir Nigel Knowles, we have 31 key locations and over 4,000 people deliver-
ing services and solutions that go beyond expectations. We became the first Main Market Premium Contacts
Listed legal business on the London Stock Exchange in March 2019. We have received recognition Graduate recruiter:
for our work by the Financial Times who named us as one of Europe's most innovative legal advisers, Sarah Tucker,
[email protected]
and we have a range of stand-alone consultative services, technology and products in addition to the
Training Partner: Carl Graham
traditional legal offering.
Application criteria
Main areas of work
Training contracts pa: 30
We connect on a global scale, sharing our knowledge and technical expertise to identify and anticipate
Applications pa: 2000
challenges. We are finding new solutions for clients within eight core sectors, including energy and
Minimum required degree grade:
industrials, financial services, insurance, public sector, real estate, retail, food and hospitality, technology 2:1 or other
and transport. Minimum UCAS points or A levels:
Good A-levels/Scottish Highers (or
Training opportunities equivalent qualification)
At DWF, we use our values to help define and reinforce our culture, enabling us to recruit, retain and Vacation scheme places ps: 25
develop the highest quality people. This is reflected in our training contract, where our future trainees
are made to feel part of the DWF team from the initial offer. Once within the business, our trainees Dates and deadlines
get a high level of responsibility in terms of legal work, exposure to business development and CSR. Training contract applications
Many of our trainees have the opportunity to undertake a client secondment. There are opportunities open: 3rd September 2020

to learn from leading legal, technical and sector experts, and all our trainees are supported to go beyond Training contract deadline 2023:
25th June 2021
their full potential with a range of training, practical day-to-day working and in-house learning and
Vacation scheme applications
workshops. open: 3rd September 2020
Vacation scheme Vacation scheme 2021 deadline:
22nd January 2021
The DWF vacation scheme takes place in June, dates of which depend on location. If you are in your
Open day deadline: 13th Novem-
penultimate or final year of a law degree, final year of a non-law degree or a graduate of any degree ber 2020
discipline then you are eligible to apply. Applications will be open from September until January, and
you must make an online application via our application portal, Apply4Law. The business recruits the Salary and benefits
majority of its trainees through the vacation scheme, so it's a good opportunity to get ahead and see First-year salary: Location specific:
why DWF is the right business for you. The two-week vacation scheme gives you the chance to work £22,000 – £38,000

with partners, associates and trainees across two different practice groups. You'll work on live legal Holiday entitlement: 25 days

matters and will be given responsibility right from the start. This is combined with a variety of internal Sponsorship
workshops and presentations, helping you understand DWF as a business. You'll also complete a group LPC fees: Yes
project that's designed to aid your professional development and provide you with some of the essential GDL fees: No
skills of a successful commercial lawyer. As well as gaining fantastic experience, you'll also be paid rea- Maintenance grant pa: No
sonably for your time on the vacation scheme. International and regional
The True Picture

Offices with training contracts:

Other benefits Birmingham, Edinburgh,
Pension, healthcare, childcare vouchers, season ticket loan, life assurance, retail vouchers, employee Glasgow, Leeds,
assistance programme, subsidised staff restaurants in various locations. Liverpool, London and
Manchester
Open days and first-year opportunities
Our open days are open to all first-year students, non-law students, graduates etc. Our application
portal will open in September 2020, and you can apply via our website.
University law careers fairs 2020
Please see our website for the full list of law fairs that we are attending this year.

Org ID: 22635593

318 0 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................
chambersstudent.co.uk Eversheds Sutherland E

Eversheds Sutherland
The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Locations: London, Belfast, Birmingham, Cambridge, Car- How to get into Eversheds
diff, Ipswich, Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham,
Edinburgh Sutherland
Overseas offices: 56
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 317/906/110
Seats: 4x6 months; overseas seats; secondments
First-year salary: undisclosed
Qualification salary: undisclosed

Looking for a firm with a national presence, but don’t want to miss out on
what’s going on in the rest of the world? Eversheds has offices all over
the UK and internationally.

The Firm The firm’s departments (and seat options) cover a broad
“I’m pretty sure you’ll get this answer from most, but I was range of commercial practices, and its many Chambers
drawn to Eversheds for its international scope.” In one way UKrankings are about as varied as they come. Some of
or another, all of our interviewees flagged the firm’s in- the highlights include UK-wide top billing for education,
ternational reach as a main reason for picking Eversheds. health and safety, investment funds, pensions litigation,
The firm was already a big deal before its 2017 merger Parliamentary law, public procurement, retail and rail
with US-based Sutherland to form a mammoth global franchising work; Eversheds also earns national leader
firm with nearly 70 offices across almost every continent. status outside London for banking, construction, corpo-
The combined Eversheds Sutherland now stands as one rate, employment, IT, litigation, pensions, real estate, re-
of the ten biggest law firms in the UK, and the top 50 in structuring and planning. Trainees in the City said they
the world. were initially drawn to Eversheds by the prospect of “a
global firm with down-to-earth people,” more frequently
“I think one of the goals of the merger was to become a citing culture than work quality as a motivation for sign-
global giant firm, and I think they’ve achieved that,” sourc- ing on here. The firm does score strong London rankings
es said. “We’ve had quite a few office openings in the last for mid-market M&A, pensions and real estate litigation.
few years and the merger has increased our revenue mas-
sively.” Most recently, the empire has expanded into Oulu Before each rotation, HR releases a list of which depart-
(northern Finland) and boosted its presence in Chicago ments have room for a trainee. They all then rank three
and San Diego via lateral hires. This is all excellent news preferences that the firm takes into account when allo-
for applicants who want an international reach, without cating who goes where. Not every department (and seat)
The True Picture

having to sacrifice regional roots: Eversheds has 11 bases is available in every office, but “trainees can apply to seats
across the UK and hires trainees in Birmingham, Cam- in any office in the UK.” (At least one trainee per rotation
bridge, Cardiff, Leeds, London, Manchester, Newcastle goes to another office, so it’s not super common but pos-
and Nottingham. “It’s a big firm with a great reputation,” sible). There’s a separate system to manage international
sources reflected. “I felt like there were lots of opportu- seats and client secondments: “You apply almost as if
nities available to me here, and that I could maximise my you’re applying for a job – submit your CV, then there will
potential.”
Seat options: real estate; commercial; corporate; com-
“I think one of the goals of the merger was petition; banking; tax; restructuring; financial services;
to become a global giant firm, and I think commercial disputes; financial services disputes and
they’ve achieved that.” investigations; real estate litigation; construction litiga-
tion; pensions; and employment.

319
 E Eversheds Sutherland chambersstudent.co.uk

Chambers UK rankings “Corporate sits in the middle of almost

Administrative & Public Law Insurance
every team in the firm, so you’re able to
Banking & Finance Intellectual Property learn massively and get insight into so
Banking Litigation Investment Funds many areas.”
Capital Markets Litigation
Commercial Contracts Outsourcing
In their real estate seat, trainees came across a healthy
Competition/European Law Parliamentary & Public
mix of big deals and lower-value projects where they
Construction Affairs could take the reins. “From the off I was drafting and ne-
Corporate/M&A Pensions gotiating leases off my own back,” one happily recalled.
Data Protection Pensions Litigation Smaller issues could be “retail matters, where a new ten-
Education Planning ant was going into a shopping centre,” whereas larger
Employee Share Schemes Private Equity ones might involve “assisting on major developments by
& Incentives Product Liability reviewing agreements to lease.” On bigger portfolio deals,
Employment Professional Negligence the team often works with “real estate investment funds
Energy & Natural Public Procurement or banks who own property or mortgages of property as
Resources Real Estate investments.” Microsoft, Next, DFS and Sports Direct
Environment Real Estate Finance have all called on the firm’s real estate expertise. Recent
Financial Crime Real Estate Litigation deals include the £120 million sale of Morrisons’ store in
Financial Services Restructuring/Insolvency Camden, and the whopper £1.45 billion sale of Network
Fraud Retail Rail’s 5,200 property commercial estate to Blackstone
Health & Safety Tax and Telereal Trillium. On matters great and small, train-
Healthcare Transport ees were happy to “take client calls to discuss necessary
Information Technology changes to documents.” Other common responsibilities in
a real estate seat include drafting licences, land and title
review, and ordering and indexing property deeds.

usually be an interview with the client or office partner.” If you’d like your property experience to come with con-
Secondments can be competitive, though sources no- tentious elements, the real estate litigation team is the
ticed that among their cohort “everyone who wanted to do place to go. Sources here had come across rent review
one has been able to.” Destinations included Paris, Dubai, cases, as well as clashes born out of the buying and sell-
Shanghai and Hong Kong. ing of properties. In Birmingham, the team worked on a £3
million opposed lease renewal for the Government Prop-
erty Unit over an office building on St Phillips Square.
The Seats Trainees often helped with organisational aspects of
Each office has a slightly different corporate specialism, hearings and arbitrations, and were often able to attend
but the department as a whole handles M&A, capital mar- these to gain valuable court experience. Sources had also
kets, private equity and energy deals. Birmingham sourc- “drafted notices for when landlords want to evict tenants,
es filled their time “primarily with typical M&A transactions prepared reports for clients and drafted letters before ac-
and multi-jurisdictional reorganisations,” while some Lon- tion for claims.” A real estate litigation seat typically calls
don sources were “advising energy companies on buying for plenty of research, which the Covid-19 pandemic only
and selling of rivals in their industry.” Eversheds recently increased: “We took on lots of advisory matters over rent
acted for energy company CGN in its $750 million acqui- payments during the outbreak.”
sition of nine subsidiaries that came with a portfolio of so-
lar and wind power plants in Brazil. Other clients include “There’s been a lot of advisory work related
Shell, Nestlé, American Express and Inflexion Private Eq- to Covid-19.”
The True Picture

uity. Interviewees liked that “corporate sits in the middle of

almost every team in the firm, so you’re able to learn mas- Commercial dispute resolution is another contentious
sively and get insight into so many areas.” Day to day, they option for trainees. Interviewees dabbled in a broad
got stuck into project management as well as drafting range of disputes, from classic breaches of contract and
the required ancillary documents for deals. Sources were international arbitration to more niche product liabil-
also responsible for liaising with foreign counsel on in- ity claims. Eversheds has represented Specsavers, John
ternational deals, sometimes “drafting emails to the other Lewis and Rolls-Royce on the litigation battlefield: in one
side” as well. Regional offices work on local and overseas of its largest recent cases, the firm defended the Nation-
deals – the Birmingham team advised on the non-US ele- al Iranian Oil Company during $15 billion arbitration pro-
ments of a $485 million transaction between American ceedings and ‘satellite’ litigation coming out of it. Closer
life sciences companies LabCorp and Envigo. to home, the team is acting on behalf of The Haemophilia
Society as part of the Infected Blood Inquiry. Sources

320
chambersstudent.co.uk Eversheds Sutherland E

found themselves with “a large volume of work” for online Legal Advice Clinic, “helping whoever shows up on the day
retailers, “responding to claims by individuals who weren’t with their respective legal issues.” Examples range from
satisfied with the service they received.” On bigger cases, customers trying to get a refund from a retailer, to in-
trainees draft advice notes, complete legal research and dividual potential employment disputes. Further north,
dive into classic bundling and disclosure review. Some Leeds trainees sought international pro bono including
also got to help draft witness statements and pre-action helping the Amicus organisation reviewing death row
letters to opposing counsel. A regional source recalled cases in the UK. On the volunteering front, Birmingham
the highlight of their seat as “visiting the Court of Appeal sources “visited colleges to give legal presentations,” while
in London for a larger case and collaborating closely with Cardiff trainees helped at “CV workshops for students
the instructed barrister.” from less privileged backgrounds.”

Trainees who did a seat in employment found they split Looking internally, Eversheds also has initiatives to broad-
their time pretty evenly between litigious and non-con- en its recruitment scope and offer support for diverse
tentious projects. The Cambridge squad recently advised employees. Five firmwide D&I networks have representa-
Urban Outfitters UK on relocating its distribution centre tives in each office. Interviewees highlighted Verve (the
from Rushton to Peterborough, affecting around 300 race and ethnicity network) and Perspective (LGBTQ+)
employees and with £4 million in potential liability; over as particularly active groups, “but all the committees run
in Birmingham, Eversheds was on call for Ideal Standard events throughout the year – everyone at the firm is invited
UK during the closure of their bath manufacturing site and encouraged to attend.” Sources were also pleased
in Hull, resulting in the loss of nearly 100 jobs. The con- to see “a surprising number of senior women” in their de-
tentious side of the practice gave trainees the chance to partments: “The representation has been increasing over
assist on tribunal claims and other litigation by “review- time.” Eversheds aimed to have a minimum 30% female
ing bundles and evidence, then drafting statements of de- partnership by 2020 – at the time of our research it had
fence.” Interviewees were often charged with liaising with reached 28.7%, so the firm was very close to its target.
chambers to instruct barristers too. For most, at least half
of the seat was advisory in nature: “We’ve been advising “I’ve rarely had to work on the weekend.
clients on issues stemming from Covid-19, as well as on oth- Over two years I’ve given up about three
er employment-related questions including data protection
weekends for work, which is not bad at all.”
issues.” Our sources drafted non-disclosure agreements,
terms and conditions of employment and other policies. Reviewing their time at Eversheds, second-years noted
that some seats come with more reasonable hours than
“I feel I’ve got experience of what it’s like others. Transactional departments tend to be more de-
to work in a large commercial firm, even manding, corporate especially: “When we were close to
the exchange, it involved some 14 to 16-hour days.” Former
from a regional office.”
corporate trainees were keen to add that when this hap-
pened, it was always “a team effort and it’s not like you
Trainee Life have to stay while everyone else is in bed! If I have to work
Eversheds may have offices all over the UK, but train- for longer, the associates and partners do too.” Litiga-
ees in most locations described a firmwide “very hard- tion seats generally had “more humane hours,” with the
working culture. Everyone wants to be the best and provide occasional late night if a case went to court. All things
great service to the firm’s clients, but we’re well supported considered, most trainees agreed they had enough time
throughout the training contract by both supervisors and for their private lives away from the firm. “I’ve rarely had
other partners on the team.” Reports from outside London to work on the weekend,” one noted. “Over two years I’ve
were especially positive, as trainees reckoned they’d got given up about three weekends for work, which is not bad
the Hannah Montana best of both worlds: “I feel I’ve got at all.”
The True Picture

experience of what it’s like to work in a large commercial

firm, even from a regional office. It’s like we’re getting the The firm usually releases a list of available NQ positions
City experience.” Sources found it “surprising how inter- around Easter; second-years apply with a CV, cover letter
connected everyone is,” and commented that even in and reviews from each seat. It’s then up to each team to
larger offices like London and Birmingham “it feels like a choose if it wants to interview candidates for jobs (poten-
smaller firm than it actually is, because everyone is friendly tially including a case study or practice-specific skills-
and chatty.” Some admitted the culture can “differ from based questions). Covid-19 disrupted business as usual,
department to department” but emphasised that most are delaying the internal recruitment process. “It’s been a very
“interested in getting junior members of the team involved.” uncertain time, but the firm says they want to make sure
as many of us as possible receive jobs,” trainees told us in
Our sources were especially keen to get involved in pro the midst of the confusion. The pandemic also prompted
bono. Trainees in the capital spent time at the Battersea Eversheds to introduce a ‘flexi-working scheme’ where

321
 E Eversheds Sutherland chambersstudent.co.uk

lawyers and business support staff could opt to reduce

their hours to 80% for 80% pay. The firm ended up retain-
ing 38 of 43 qualifiers on fixed-term contracts in 2020.

Making money moves?

Eversheds trainee and NQ salaries vary sizeably by office.
Though the pay packet is highest in London, sources in the
City were the most likely to suggest their future career
moves may be in search of a higher salary.
The True Picture

322
www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
chambersstudent.co.uk Eversheds Sutherland E

Eversheds Sutherland
One Wood Street, London EC2V 7WS
Tel: 0845 497 9797 Fax: 0845 497 4919 Facebook: @eslegaltrainee Partners: 750
Email: [email protected] Twitter: @eslegaltrainee Lawyers: 3,000+
Website: www.eversheds-sutherland.com Instagram: @eslegaltrainee Total trainees: 110
UK offices: London, Cambridge,
Ipswich, Nottingham, Cardiff,
Leeds, Manchester, Birmingham,
Firm profile Newcastle, Edinburgh
Eversheds Sutherland is one of the world’s largest full-service law firms operating as one team, across Overseas offices: 57
Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and North America. Recognised as the leading innovators in the
Contacts
legal sector, we provide new legal and business solutions to meet the needs of our clients. Eversheds
gradrec@eversheds-sutherland.
Sutherland is about consistently delivering great service whenever our clients need it. com
We are committed to finding and developing talented legal graduates interested in becoming a solicitor.
Our people are valued for their drive and legal expertise but also for their business advice too. We Application criteria
Training contracts pa: 50
develop the same qualities in our trainees. With a structured solicitor training programme, our legal
Minimum required degree
training contracts and graduate jobs allow you to establish the skills you need to achieve your aspirations.
grade: 2:1
The training programme allows you to focus your technical skills in each of the various practice groups Minimum A levels: ABB
as you rotate through four six-month seats. You will also take part in a full programme of personal Vacation scheme places pa: 80
and commercial development skills training too, including finance and business, communication,
presenting, business writing, client care, professional standards and advocacy. From trainee to fully Dates and deadlines
qualified solicitor, Eversheds Sutherland offer an environment for a highly rewarding legal career with Training contract applications
unbounded opportunities for progression. open: 1st March 2021
Training contract deadline, 2023
Main areas of work start: 27th June 2021
Core work: Company commercial, litigation and dispute management, real estate and human resources Vacation scheme applications
(employment and pensions). open: 1st October 2020
Vacation scheme 2021 deadline:
Training opportunities 3rd January 2021
Our firm attracts great people and we’ve created an environment where they can achieve great things.
So it will come as no surprise that Eversheds Sutherland is home to some of the most innovative and Salary and benefits
inspiring lawyers in the industry — or that we look for trainees with the ambition and enterprise to keep Salaries: Competitive

us ahead of the competition in the future. Holiday entitlement: 26 days

True, you will need a strong academic background and proven ability to apply your intellect to complex Sponsorship
problems. But that’s just the start. Our trainees need to be multi-faceted people who combine extreme LPC fees: Yes
professionalism with outstanding expertise, genuine approachability and real personality. GDL fees: Yes
Maintenance grant pa:
Vacation placements £5,000 – £7,000
We run two-week vacation placement schemes in our office. Placements offer you a great opportunity
to get a feel for what Eversheds Sutherland is all about, and most of our vacation students are amazed at International and regional
the variety and level of work they can get involved in. Offices with training contracts:
Dubai, Hong Kong, London,
You will be paid £377 a week (London) or £326 a week (regions). We welcome applications from
Cambridge, Nottingham, Cardiff,
penultimate year law undergraduates, final year non-law graduates as well as candidates who have Leeds, Manchester, Birmingham
already graduated or taken different career paths. and Newcastle, Amman, Abu
Dhabi.
Selected candidates will be shortlisted to video interview. If you pass this interview you will then be
invited to a selection day. If you do well on the vacation scheme, you may be offered a training contract.
The True Picture

Other benefits
Life assurance, private healthcare, cycle to work schemes, gym, restaurant, gourmet card, season ticket
loan, employee assistance programme.
Open days and first-year opportunities
Open days run during autumn term (open to all) and will be advertised online from September.
University law careers fairs 2020
University of York, University of Nottingham, Warwick University, LSE, University of Leeds, Cardiff
University, Bristol University, University of Birmingham, Durham University, UEA, Newcastle
University, UCL, KCL, University of Cambridge, Oxford, University of Manchester, Queen Mary’s,
London, Northumbria, the Legal Cheek.

Org ID: 130 1 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................323

 F Farrer & Co LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Farrer & Co LLP

The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Location: London How to get into Farrer
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 80/214/20
Seats: 6x4 months
First-year salary: £39,000
Qualification salary: £65,000

If you’re judging firms by the calibre of their clients, Farrer is as good as it

gets, and it has a broader practice than you might expect.

The Firm ture, real estate, employment, family, and lower mid-mar-
To the casual observer, Farrer & Co’s lodgings in a Grade ket corporate practices in London. On a national scale the
II listed mansion in Lincoln’s Inn – and its long-established firm’s expertise in art and cultural property, education,
ties with high society – may lead to certain… assumptions. charities, and publishing also earns top rankings. Train-
But trainees were clear that any description of Farrer as ees get the chance to see plenty of Farrer before quali-
old-fashioned “would be a mischaracterisation. The firm’s fying: the training contract is one of the rare six-seaters.
historic roots may be in private client work, and to some
extent Farrer has been built around that, but today we are
very much a broad church with lots of different depart- The Seats
ments and teams.” After their randomly allocated first department, trainees
rotate through one seat each from commercial (employ-
To be clear, the firm remains a go-to service for the world’s ment, financial services, corporate, banking, charities or
uber-wealthy and you can still find oligarchs, prestigious IP); private client (tax, innovation or straight private cli-
institutions like Eton, and royal family members on its ent); property (residential, rural or commercial); and con-
books, but there’s more to Farrer than posh people with tentious (disputes, family or reputation management).
bags of cash. Trainees admitted that “the headline grab- They also get a ‘top seat’ option that they get full say
bers are always going to be those high net worth individu- over. Sources were glad to get a broader experience than
als,” but a training contract here also offers “opportunities the four-seat model could offer but acknowledged that
to engage with universities, galleries, charities, museums more frequent rotations “can be a bit of a rollercoaster and
and sports institutions.” Sources who’d worked in the sometimes it does feel like starting a new job every four
firm’s corporate and commercial arm were eager to point months. Meeting lots of people in different departments is
out that “Farrer has branched out considerably from the exciting, but it can also be exhausting and by the fifth seat
firm’s historic core client base. We’ve even recently held an you’re excited to get settled down.”
entrepreneurs’ week, targeting individuals and small busi-
nesses.” Ultimately, it was the sheer breadth of work on Disputes at Farrer include property, commercial and con-
The True Picture

offer at Farrer that caught the eye of many of our most tentious trusts, as well as more specialist areas such as
recent round of interviewees. international child abduction and a dedicated reputation
management team. “As a junior you tend to remain a gen-
“Farrer has branched out considerably eralist for your first four to five years before specialising,”
from the firm’s historic core client base.” sources pointed out. One newbie reminisced: “In my first
few days in the seat I was asked to go away and do some
If you need evidence of the firm’s breadth of expertise, research for an hour, and then explain it immediately to a
head to chambers.com for a full breakdown of their rank- Russian oligarch over the phone – it was pretty terrifying!”
ings. You’ll find the predictable top awards for private Another confirmed that “you end up working for some bi-
wealth, private wealth disputes, family, and high-value
residential property from Chambers High Net Worth, but Seat options: commercial; property; litigation; private
head to Chambers UK for recognition of Farrer’s agricul- client

324
chambersstudent.co.uk Farrer & Co LLP F
Chambers UK rankings wealthy Irish family with their wills and cross-border suc-
Agriculture & Rural Affairs Employment
cession planning while considering English, Irish, French
Art and Cultural Property Family/Matrimonial
and Finnish law issues.
Law Fraud
Charities Media & Entertainment
In commercial, trainees see a crossroads between the
Commercial Contracts Partnership
activities of the super-rich and the companies they in-
Corporate/M&A Real Estate
teract with. “The scope of the department is super wide-
Data Protection Real Estate Finance
ranging,” one trainee emphasised, adding that “you see
Defamation/Reputation Real Estate Litigation
a lot of interesting clients including universities, galleries
Management and cultural organisations.” The department’s eclectic ros-
Sports Law
Education ter includes the likes of the Natural History Museum, the
National Gallery, Cycling UK and the Henley Royal Re-
gatta. Farrer advises on a range of data, IP, trademark and
zarre people, including Middle Eastern royalty. I spent a lot compliance issues: “There’s a lot of research to be done
of time in mediations with families, trying to work out what on the advisory side of things,” sources highlighted. “If
the other side’s lawyers were doing. In my experience, it a client comes to us with a particular issue, the trainee is
hasn’t been super aggressive litigation, but more strategic, typically tasked with going back to the black-letter law to
like a game of chess.” Farrer works for clients with royal evaluate our position and put together a preliminary note of
connections closer to home too: the firm has regularly ad- advice for the client, which the supervisor reviews.” Insiders
vised James and Pippa Matthews (née Middleton) on the working more on the data protection side told us that the
press interest in their family as well as potential harass- firm “does a lot of data subject access requests. For train-
ment cases. ees that means plenty of due diligence and going through
emails, making redactions where necessary.”
“You end up working for some bizarre
people… it hasn’t been super aggressive “In your second year you can take a much
litigation, but more like a game of chess.” bigger role running smaller transactions
and acting as the contact for the client.”
Trainees also detailed working on “art litigation for big
auction houses,” throwing up opportunities to attend Farrer’s corporate department is “relatively small but
meetings, conduct research and draft letters to court and growing quickly,” sources explained. “It’s a partner-heavy
opposing counsel. “It can genuinely feel like something group” operating in the lower mid-market, “mainly working
from the film Knives Out,” one trainee joked – that doesn’t with smaller private companies on M&A.” The firm recently
mean you get to work opposite Daniel Craig. Sorry. Farrer advised the Open University on the £50 million sale of
also does commercial work for varied clients including a 50% stake in its online degree platform to Australian
the British Airline Pilots Association and the Challenge recruitment business SEEK; and the Japan House Lon-
Network. The firm advised Heartwood Wealth Manage- don Trust on a restructuring involving the acquisition of
ment during the Ingenious film finance multiparty claim the company operating London’s Japan House. “You end
involving over 300 claimants with allegations spanning up working with lawyers from across many departments,”
breach of duty, misrepresentation, potential negligence interviewees told us. “I’ve spoken to colleagues in the IP,
and breach of contract. tax and private client teams, trying to solve an issue from
various perspectives. Companies we work with often have
“The clients are similar to what you’d find in family, but the structures which are interlinked with a client’s trust.” Train-
work is entirely different” in Farrer’s private client de- ees who arrive here early in their training contract tend
partment. Most cases fall under the umbrella of trusts, to handle more administrative tasks, but “in your second
estates and succession planning for international en- year you can take a much bigger role running smaller trans-
The True Picture

trepreneurs with interests in countries across the world. actions and acting as the contact for the client.”
“Day to day, you have a lot of meetings,” trainees told us;
they otherwise kept their schedule busy drafting wills, The residential property team is distinct in “having a lot of
conducting research into trusts, and conducting house partners who aren’t homegrown Farrer lawyers. There are
visits in the form of estate valuations. One source de- a lot of laterals from big City firms, and as a result there’s
scribed things bluntly: “Clients are often rich, middle-aged a bit of a different personality and work drive in this de-
people who have suddenly realised they will eventually die. partment.” Our interviewees flagged its reputation for a
Because of the calibre of the department, it’s always the “higher-hours culture,” but those with experience in the
partner mediating the relationship with the client.” Things department were keen to dispel any rumours. “The qual-
can get complex – recent cases have included provid- ity of the supervision is great, and you’re given your own
ing advice to the trustees of a £1.4 billion landed estate files to run as a trainee which is great,” one told us. “At the
on complex matters of trust law; and assisting an uber- moment I’m handling six different sale and purchases, a

325
 F Farrer & Co LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

couple of refinancings and licences. There’s supervision, of Thanks to a vibrant social calendar, there are many op-
course, but I’m the one expected to know everything that’s portunities to do just that. Highlights include the firm’s
going on.” The department works for clients including the Christmas party, “usually held at a fancy hotel,” and a firm-
Duchy of Cornwall and large landowners with an eye for wide summer BBQ “just in front of the building.” Farrer’s
future residential conversions. Just try not to get house beautiful Lincoln’s Inn surroundings make it quite the
envy: “I haven’t been able to visit any yet, but some of them occasion. When they’re not sharing a bite or a beverage,
look ridiculous in the photos.” trainees get ample contact with senior lawyers during
work hours – they get a partner supervisor for each of
their seats as well as a partner mentor and another part-
Trainee Life ner responsible for the whole trainee cohort.
The firm may represent clients with aristocratic and es-
tablishment ties, but sources emphasised that Farrer Though some seats are more demanding than others –
itself is “a meritocratic environment with responsibility private clients tend to be less likely than businesses and
available for those who can prove themselves.” Many felt commercial clients to need work done late into the night
that the firm is “making considerable efforts to encourage – our interviewees agreed “the hours here are less severe
diverse candidates to apply,” including via outreach pro- than at your typical corporate outfit in the City. There’s no
grammes to state schools in London. “I went to a state expectation to stay longer than needed.” One suggested
school and have never once felt unwelcome,” one source a “bad day” would be working from 8.30pm until 7pm,
confided to us. “Our personal backgrounds have never which they found themselves doing “about once a fort-
been mentioned.” Farrer’s low representation of ethnic night. Most days I finish by 6pm.” Another source weighed
minorities at the partnership level shows work needs to in: “I’ve had maybe two busy periods where I’ve stayed until
be done to boost their diversity credentials, but the firm 9 or 10pm every day for a week, and once until 1am. Howev-
is far above the national average when it comes to gen- er, they were very specific situations and there’s never a sit-
der diversity: 72% of associates and 43% of partners are uation where you finish one huge project and you’re straight
women. onto the next one.” Most happily of all, not one trainee had
pulled an all-nighter or needed to work weekends. “There
“Most days I finish by 6pm...” are sometimes one or two days a week where I’ll eat at my
desk, but on most days I get the chance to go out for lunch,”
“In my intake, almost all of us had done something different one source said. “It doesn’t feel like you’re chained to your
to law before coming to the firm,” an interviewee observed. desk here – people tend to have a coffee break at 11am and
“None of us came straight from university, so I feel we’d had 4pm too.”
more time to develop our interests.” Perhaps it was that
extra life experience that helped “easy conversation” with The lack of late nights was one reason why trainees
partners at Farrer. Another trainee shared: “I’ve had some wanted to stick with Farrer long-term. The firm’s qualify-
long and very casual conversations with individuals in the ing process is, by industry standards, relatively informal.
firm, chatting nonsense before realising they’re senior part- “There are no interviews or tests,” sources explained. “We
ners!” They clarified that “of course, you have some old- have a relaxed series of chats with the training partner, who
school partners who expect deference from trainees, but tells us what jobs are available and asks where we are in-
most are very down-to-earth kind of people who are willing terested in qualifying. What can cause anxiety is that we
to chat and grab a beer.” have no real control over the process beyond that.” Most
were consoled by historically strong retention rates, and
in 2020 the firm retained nineof its ten qualifiers.
The True Picture

From tweed blazer to trailblazer

The London firms with women as managing partners come
top for retaining diverse lawyers. Charity lawyer Anne-
Marie Piper took over as the firm’s first female senior
partner in 2017. Women now make up 43% of partners and
72% of associates; Farrer power is the model to follow.

326
www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
chambersstudent.co.uk Farrer & Co LLP F

Farrer & Co LLP

66 Lincoln’s Inn Fields, London WC2A 3LH
Tel: 020 3375 7000 Fax: 020 3375 7001 Twitter: @Farrer_Co Partners: 80
Email: [email protected] Instagram: @Farrer_Co Associates: 214
Website: www.farrer.co.uk Total trainees: 20
UK offices: London
Firm profile
Contacts
Farrer & Co is synonymous with the highest quality legal advice and service. We advise individu-
Graduate recruiter:
als, families, businesses, financial services, educational and not-for-profit organisations on every Claire Roche,
aspect of the law, wherever the need arises. [email protected]
Graduate recruitment partner:
Our clients present us with complex and varied challenges. Whether that’s a complicated family trust Claire Gordon
issue, a multinational corporate transaction, or an emerging threat to their reputation, they need clear
thinkers who can advise on the best solutions, fast thinkers when speed is of the essence and agile think- Application criteria
ers who can produce a fresh approach to get the job done. Training contracts pa: 10
Applications pa: 1110
Main areas of work Minimum required degree
We provide a range of specialist, high-quality legal services to businesses, charities and institutions, pri- grade: 2:1
vate individuals and families. Our clients include banks, major businesses and media groups, as well as Minimum A levels:
schools, charities, high net worth entrepreneurs and landed estates. We work to provide a seamless and ABB or equivalent

integrated legal service for every client. Our aim is to solve the difficult issues that matter to its clients, Vacation scheme places pa: 30

whether those are complex transactional, reputational, regulatory, constitutional or personal issues, or Dates and deadlines
a combination of them. We pride ourselves not only on our technical ability and commercial acumen, Training contract applications
but on our ability to provide practical, versatile and cost-effective solutions to our clients' legal require- open: 1st November 2020
ments. Our clients operate across the world, with activities and assets in multiple jurisdictions. As a Training contract deadline, 2023
result, the majority of our work has an international element, giving our lawyers worldwide experience start: 9th July 2021
in their specialist areas. Vacation scheme applications
open: 1st November 2020
Training opportunities Vacation scheme 2020 deadline:
Our training programme involves each trainee in the widest range of cases, clients and issues possible in 31st January 2021
a single law firm, taking full advantage of the extensive array of practice areas at Farrer & Co by offering
Salary and benefits
six seats, rather than the usual four. This provides a broad foundation of knowledge and experience and
First-year salary: £39,000
the opportunity to make an informed choice about the area of law in which to specialise. A high degree
Second-year salary: £42,500
of involvement is encouraged under the direct supervision of associates and partners. Trainees attend
Post-qualification salary: £65,000
an induction programme and regular internal seminars. The training partner reviews trainees’ progress
Holiday entitlement: 25 days
at the end of each seat and extensive feedback is given. We have a very friendly atmosphere and host
regular sporting and social events. Sponsorship
LPC fees: Yes
Vacation scheme GDL fees: Yes
We have three vacation schemes: one at Easter for two weeks and two summer schemes for two weeks Maintenance grant:
each. Paid £300 per week. Around half of our trainees are recruited through our vacation scheme. £7,000 per year of study

International and regional

Other benefits
Offices with training contracts:
Flexible benefits scheme, sporting teams/clubs, season ticket loan, 25 days’ holiday, group income pro-
London
tection, group life assurance, company doctor, subsidised gym membership, subsidised yoga/pilates,
Client secondments: There are
pension scheme, private medical insurance after three months, well-person checks.
The True Picture

a number of opportunities for

secondments on qualification.
Open days and first-year opportunities
100 of the best vacation scheme applicants are invited to one of three open days held in late February/
early March each year.

Org ID: 133 3 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................327

 F Fladgate LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Fladgate LLP
The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Location: London  How to get into Fladgate
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 84/81/13
Interview with trainee recruitment
Seats: 4x6 months
First-year salary: £38,000 partner Andrew Bessemer Clark
Qualification salary: £64,000

Full-service Fladgate offers a “rounded training contract with comfort and

familiarity between trainees and partners.” It’s also launched a shiny new
vacation scheme…

The Firm corporate, real estate and litigation,” Others were keen to
Covent Garden shops and restaurants come and go, but be part of the “small intake of trainees,” seeing this as a
there’s one local institution on Great Queen Street that potential path to securing “greater responsibility” early
has stood the test of time. Fladgate’s knack for evolving in their career. Finally, Fladgate’s famed ‘partner-led’ ap-
along with its milieu and client base has kept it thriving proach was another draw for many – “it meant getting the
for 260 years. In the early years, the firm helped make opportunity to work with partners directly from an early
the UK the world leader in railway construction and was stage.”
responsible for the creation of corporations like The Sa-
voy Group. The firm’s advised a whole history textbook’s In 2020 the firm launched its first vacation scheme. Un-
worth of famous names including Winston Churchill, An- fortunately the Covid-19 pandemic meant this largely
thony Eden and even Abraham Lincoln. In the 21st cen- took place remotely, but the programme was still suc-
tury the firm has maintained “interesting clients” on its cessful according to Bessemer Clark: “It involved one
books, but many of those are now of a more “entrepre- day in the office so that we could meet them in person and
neurial” nature. assess them.” He recalls meeting “incredibly impressive”
candidates through the scheme, noting that the new
Trainee recruitment partner Andrew Bessemer Clark regime would make for great experience for potential
summarises Fladgate’s appeal: “We also see ourselves as trainees while also benefiting the firm: “It allows us to be
being attractive to both entrepreneurial clients as well as confident as and when we offer training contracts. Going
institutional clients. We have that real historic quality of ser- forward, we will focus on hiring from the vacation scheme
vice, strength and depth that allows us to act successfully – we feel it gives a more rounded understanding of their
for institutional clients, and so we feel we straddle quite a ability and their suitability and gives them a clear under-
good place in the market.” Prior to the 1980s, the firm’s standing of what it is like to work here.”
focus remained on property and private client law, but it’s
since expanded its reach. Chambers UK now ranks the
The True Picture

firm top in London for lower mid-market corporate/M&A, The Seats

also awarding it strong scores for banking and finance, Fladgate likes trainees to do at least two seats across
mid-market real estate, and real estate litigation. the firm’s core areas: litigation; corporate; property; and
funds, finance and regulatory. This doesn’t mean three
“…the opportunity to work with partners mandatory seats and just one choice: employment; pri-
directly from an early stage.” vate client; and commercial, sports and IP count as cor-
porate options, for example. “I really enjoyed the range of
The breadth of opportunities wasn’t lost on potential
trainees, many of whom arrived at the firm’s doors with Seat options: corporate; dispute resolution; real estate;
an open mind. “I wasn’t sure where I wanted to eventually funds, finance & regulatory; commercial, sports & intel-
qualify,” one such source noted. “Fladgate offered a good lectual property; construction; real estate litigation; pri-
chance of getting seats in multiple core practice areas of vate client; employment

328
chambersstudent.co.uk Fladgate LLP F
Chambers UK rankings Trainees in corporate likewise found they’d enjoyed an
Construction Real Estate
“excellent level of client contact in the department” as well
Corporate/M&A Real Estate Finance
as “lots of time with partners – they are very willing to give
Hotels & Leisure Real Estate Litigation
you interesting duties and explain matters and concepts.”
The mid-market practice draws clients from real estate,
technology and energy backgrounds including Red Ti-
ger Gaming and Black Sheep Coffee. Proving they don’t
work that each seat brought me,” a happy interviewee de- only advise corporations with animal names, the team
clared. The firm allocates trainees their first seat; subse- acted for the Ocado Group on the sale of its entire issued
quent seats are then decided through meetings with HR. share capital in Marie Claire Beauty to Next for £8 mil-
lion. Interviewees warned us that corporate comes with
Dispute resolution was a popular seat with our 2020 in- longer hours than other Fladgate departments. “I worked
terviewees. Fladgate’s team punches above its weight, some heavy hours for a while,” one such source confirmed.
often sparring with larger City and even magic circle “There was a really good team spirit that made all the dif-
firms. Clients include both companies and individuals ference.” They and others were also pleased to receive
who’ve got into hot water: the firm recently represented “quite a lot of responsibility on some decent-sized deals.”
Anthony Wollenberg, the CEO of a large casino, in litiga-
tion brought by the casino’s former chairman and major- “There is no one in the firm I would be
ity shareholder alleging he was the victim of a corporate scared to approach.”
raid and had been defrauded of shares valued at over £30
million. Cases often come with international elements, A key part of Fladgate’s history, the real estate team
such as defending German company Freudenberg in a continues to generate around 32.3% of the firm’s overall
£10 million clash over components for high-end Jaguar revenue.In this seat you’ll find mostly mid-market prop-
Land Rover models. Trainees in this seat were impressed erty deals, as well as some real estate advisory matters.
with the training available, seeing their practice area The seat wasn’t a first choice for many among the recent
knowledge grow nicely over time. “I’ve had a really good cohort, and those we surveyed went on to tell us the work
experience and got to work very closely with the partners was less interesting than in other departments – but they
throughout my disputes seat,” one recalled. The level of were impressed by the extent to which they received cli-
client interaction was slightly less compared with other ent and partner interaction. Fladgate’s recent projects
seats, but this is common of dispute resolution; trainees include advising fund manager Equitix on the £47 mil-
can instead expect to do research and draft documents lion acquisition of the freehold of Crickhowell House in
like claim letters. Cardiff, acting as the administrative offices of the Welsh
Assembly; and acting for magic circle barrister chambers
“There was a really good team spirit that Blackstone on an extensive redevelopment deal with
made all the difference.” Middle Temple.

The firm’s commercial, sports and IP practice revolves

around a smorgasbord of commercial contracts: supply of Trainee Life
goods agreements, licences, management contracts, dis- When quizzed about the distinctive elements of Flad-
tribution and purchasing contracts… you get the picture. gate’s culture, trainees pointed to a “really strong inter-
The practice also includes commercial advisory work: est in who trainees are and what we want to achieve from
the team advised book distributor The Book Service (a people across different levels of seniority.” Terrifying part-
subsidiary of Penguin Random House) on the restructur- ners are clearly not welcome here, as one source told us:
ing of its payment and credit terms as part of the supply “There is no one in the firm I would be scared to approach.”
agreements with relevant bookshop chains to assist with Others were surprised to find that “there is a high level of
The True Picture

cashflow issues, while making sure TBS could recover camaraderie, which can sometimes be hard to find in the
funds in the event of an insolvency situation. Fladgate corporate world,” and credited Fladgate with crafting a
also advises on contracts drawn up between companies “friendly and relaxed” atmosphere.
and public sector bodies, recently acting for the Music
Walk of Fame operators on the necessary planning and For the most part, trainee hours were pretty reasonable.
commercial agreements with Camden Council and TfL, “Although there were some unsociable hours in my funds
preparing for what should be a popular tourist attraction. seat, this was the exception rather than the norm,” one re-
“I absolutely loved my time in CSI,” an interviewee told us. called. Corporate was another seat with slightly heavier
“The team were fantastic and supported me throughout my hours, while sources found dispute resolution and CSII
seat.” This department is a better bet if it’s client contact were more manageable. Respondents averaged a 40-
you’re looking for.  hour working week, which you’ll struggle to find at many
larger outfits.

329
 F Fladgate LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

The firm has recently reaffirmed its commitment to the Trainees chat to HR about their preferred department to
mental health of lawyers and staff, according to our qualify into before a jobs list is released; they can apply
sources. Describing a “real effort to encourage openness,” for more than one, but all require an interview. At the time
they noted that alongside formal initiatives (like a panel of our calls, Fladgate confirmed that it had retained four
event and the contribution from an external consultant)” out of six qualifiers, but that more may potentially be kept
partners have been open about their own struggles, mak- on too.
ing it possible to for us to discuss similar issues.” There’s
an active diversity and inclusion committee that’s “hosted
some impressive lunchtime seminars with speakers from
BAME and LGBTQ+ backgrounds.” Sources felt “the firm is
lacking in diversity but does seem to have a genuine com-
mitment to changing that.”

Crystal ballin’
For more info on Fladgate’s future, see our full interview with
training principal Andrew Bessemer Clark.
The True Picture

330
 www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
chambersstudent.co.uk Fladgate LLP F

Fladgate LLP
16 Great Queen Street, London WC2B 5DG
Tel: 020 3036 7000 Fax: 020 3036 7600 Twitter: @FladgateGrads Partners: 84
Email: [email protected] Facebook: fladgategraduates Associates: 76
Website: www.fladgate.com/graduate-careers/ LinkedIn: fladgate-llp Total trainees: 13 as at
1 October 2020

Firm profile UK offices: 1 - London

Few firms can compete with us in our chosen space – delivering highly personal service for entrepre- Contacts
neurial, ambitious and fast moving clients with complex needs that are often international. HR Team,
Our strategy is to combine brilliant teamwork and a truly personal service; connectivity and under- [email protected]
0203 036 7000
standing across our clients’ worlds; and high quality specialist expertise and products that meet their
Training partner:
needs.
Matthew Williams
For a relatively small firm to deliver the quality of work that we do, the range of expertise that we have
and the depth of our relationships with clients are contributing factors that set us apart from our com- Application criteria

petitors. Training contracts pa: 6-8

Applications pa: 400-500
Minimum required degree
Main areas of work
grade: 2:1
We have a broad skills base covering a wide spectrum of legal services arranged into four main offerings:
Minimum UCAS points or A lev-
Corporate: including capital markets, M&A, tax, private capital, restructuring and employment. els: equivalent of ABB at A Level

Dispute Resolution: which includes regulatory, corporate governance and investigations, banking and Vacation scheme places pa:
up to 25
financial services litigation, international commercial arbitration, insurance, contentious trusts and
family, intellectual property, civil fraud and asset protection. Dates and deadlines
Funds, Finance and Regulatory: including investment funds, private equity, fund managers, asset and Training contract applications
investment managers, promoters, sponsors and investors. open: Autumn 2020
Training contract deadline, 2022
Private Wealth: including contentious trusts, estate and trust administration, family, international start: 31 January 2021
private wealth, immigration, and trusts and tax planning. Vacation scheme applications
open: Autumn 2020
Training opportunites Vacation scheme 2021 deadline:
Typically, you will complete four six-month seats. Each seat will bring you into contact with new clients 31 January 2021
and colleagues, and you can expect to gain real hands-on experience of a variety of deals and projects,
Salary and benefits
both large and small. In each seat you will work alongside senior lawyers who will supervise your
First-year salary: £38,000
development and ensure you are involved in challenging and interesting work. Second-year salary: £40,000
In addition to on-the-job training, each department has a comprehensive training schedule of seminars Post-qualification salary: £64,000
and workshops covering a range of legal and skills training. The firm has a modern culture and an open- Holiday entitlement: 26 days
door policy where trainees are given early responsibility and encouraged to achieve their full potential.
Sponsorship
Seat options include: Corporate; Dispute Resolution; Real Estate; Funds, Finance & Regulatory; LPC fees: Yes
Commercial, Sports & IP, Construction, and Real Estate Litigation. GDL fees: Yes
Maintenance loan pa: £6,000
Vacation scheme within London and £5,000 for
Fladgate recruit trainees solely through the vacation scheme which was launched in 2020. Fladgate regional study

holds four one-week vacation scheme placements across June/July. International and regional
The True Picture

The vacation scheme provides graduate students – our potential future trainees – an opportunity to Offices with training contracts:
gain hands-on experience and a good understanding of life as a Fladgate trainee. Participants will be London
assigned a supervisor, usually an associate, as well as a trainee buddy. Vac schemers will have the op-
portunity to attend departmental introductions, technical presentations and Q&A sessions with vari-
ous partners, senior associates and experts at the firm. Alongside these sessions, vac schemers will be
engaged in discrete tasks, group work, BD activities and networking and social sessions, providing them
with an insight into our practice areas and the trainee role within them.

Other benefits
26 days’ holiday, new business bonus, fee-earner bonus, recruitment bonus, life assurance, YuLife
wellbeing app access, group income protection, private medical insurance, employee assistance
programme, online GP service, contributory pension, season ticket loan, gym membership loan,
cycle2work, private dental, eye test vouchers and weekly personal training/ yoga sessions.

Org ID: 140 3 Out Authorised by: ......................................................................

331
Date: ............................
 F Foot Anstey LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Foot Anstey LLP

The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Locations: Bristol, Exeter, Plymouth, Southampton, How to get into Foot Anstey
Taunton, Truro, London
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 48/210/12
Seats: 6x4 months
First-year salary: £30,000
Qualification salary: £43,500 (£46,000 in Bristol)

South West stalwart Foot Anstey gives trainees a breadth of experience

“without having to go to London.”

The Firm and keep you in the same place for at least eight months.”
Don’t really fancy working with all the stress-heads in Most of the seats were in Bristol, Exeter or Plymouth,
the capital? Ever wondered why you don’t live near the though seats in Truro and Southampton have been avail-
beach? With offices in Bristol, Exeter, Plymouth, Taunton, able in the past.
Truro and Southampton, Foot Anstey’s lawyers get to live
this life. “The fact that it’s a regional law firm outside of In the commercial seat, trainees generally found they
London, but still offers that high-quality work” was a big were “acting for clients in assisting their general counsels
factor drawing trainees from all over the country (how- or in-house legal teams on all sorts of advisory pieces, as
ever, there is an office in London too). Its profile in the well as commercial due diligence and contract reviews.”
South West proves it’s “one of the big regional players” : The team advises Welcome Break on various business
in particular, Chambers UK acknowledges the firm’s re- contracts – most recently on new head office IT provisions
gional expertise in areas including employment, tax, liti- – and also provides GC services for the Royal Shake-
gation, banking & finance, real estate, and construction. speare Company including advice on events contracts,
Sources also flagged “the breadth of experience that the music licensing and new marketing initiatives. Sources
firm offers” as another attractive draw, in particular high- also noted that within commercial the firm has a number
lighting the firm’s Islamic finance team as “quite niche for of specialisms such as data protection, IP and financial
the South West.” services. Trainees got regularly involved in supply and
service agreements, which included “lots of client meet-
“I wanted to get that range of experience ings” as well as actually “drafting them and putting that
of areas before deciding where to qualify.” legal knowledge into practice.” Sources also tried their
hand at “negotiating contracts and contract amendments,”
The Seats which sometimes involved working cross-jurisdiction.
Foot Anstey trainees will usually do six seats of four Corporate support work was also a regular feature of the
The True Picture

months each. “It was another one of the factors that drew commercial seat.
me to the firm – I wanted to get that range of experience
of areas before deciding where to qualify,” one source ex- The commercial litigation team is equally broad in scope.
plained. First years will submit three ranked preferences One trainee found it “interesting doing work for household
for each of their first two seats from a list they receive names – I don’t know if that novelty wears off after you’ve
prior to starting their training contracts. The process is been doing the job for a while, but it feels exciting.” To give
then repeated at the end of the second seat for seats
three to five. The final seat will usually be a repeat of the Seat options: commercial property; property, infra-
seat in which the trainee wishes to qualify. At the time of structure & construction; energy; property litigation;
research, most sources were located in either Bristol or Islamic finance; international succession & tax; UK suc-
Exeter: “We have a one-firm policy – the firm encourages us ession & tax; employment; corporate; banking; restruc-
to move about between different offices, though they try turing & insolvency; commercial; commercial litigation

332
chambersstudent.co.uk Foot Anstey LLP F
Chambers UK rankings and needed their property adapted because of disabilities,
Agriculture & Rural Affairs Information Technology
we were helping do the consultant appointments or pro-
Banking & Finance Litigation
ject manager appointments.” Overall, interviewees were
Banking Litigation Media & Entertainment
pleased with the variety and the level of responsibility on
Clinical Negligence Personal Injury
offer: “There’s no task I’ve volunteered for and been told I’m
Construction Planning
not allowed to do it!”
Corporate/M&A Real Estate
Court of Protection Real Estate Litigation
Similarly, employment also covers “a mix of contentious
Defamation/Reputation Restructuring/Insolvency
and non-contentious work.” Sources reckoned that “espe-
Management Social Housing
cially with the current climate, employment lawyers are far
Employment Tax
busier than other lawyers at the moment.” Advisory work
Environment was particularly hot: “There’s a lot of behind-the-scenes
work, which tends to be negotiating the terms of employ-
ment contracts and drafting settlement agreements.”
Other non-contentious work often involved “responding
you an idea, clients include Signet Jewellers (owners of to various queries that come in from clients” and “sup-
H. Samuel and Ernest Jones), Lloyds Banking Group and port on corporate deals.” The team provides employment
Bank of Ireland. The team also worked with Sky UK on advice to clients including Princess Yachts, Ensono and
multiple broadcast copyright infringement claims re- Reed & Mackay Travel. Contentious work typically took
garding their streaming service. Sources got stuck into the form of working on employment tribunal claims, and
“the normal contentious tasks you’d expect” such as draft- sources noted that the firm is particularly “familiar with
ing and preparing bundles, corresponding with counsel, the regional tribunals in the South West.” For trainees,
and drafting various letters. One source reflected: “I had this meant regularly “preparing trial bundles and drafting
a really good opportunity to attend a mediation with two witness statements.” Clients including Screwfix and W.C.
senior lawyers and the client, as well as the other side and Rowe (Falmouth) turn to the firm for employment tribunal
their solicitors. I was observing and note-taking, but it was cases.
a great learning opportunity.”

“There’s no task I’ve volunteered for and Trainee Life

been told I’m not allowed to do it!” The most striking thing trainees noticed about the cul-
ture at Foot Anstey was that “everyone at every level really
Property, infrastructure and construction covers both makes the effort to speak to you and get to know you.” Mul-
contentious and non-contentious work. On the conten- tiple sources praised the non-hierarchical atmosphere,
tious side, sources were generally “dealing with matters noting that even the “managing partner is very approach-
where someone has been contracted to build a building able when he’s around – he tries to move around each office
and there’s either been issues with the building or it’s been and does trainee lunches every few months.” As a result,
delayed, leading to a dispute.” In these cases, trainees interviewees felt “there is a strong investment in trainees –
could get their hands on “drafting witness statements, they want you to have a good quality experience.” Another
putting bundles together, and liaising with experts on the factor that contributed to this sentiment was the firm’s
case.” Others mentioned drafting various letters, attend- “strong focus on having a healthy work/life balance.”
ing site visits, and attending adjudications and arbitra-
tions – interviewees appreciated being “taken along to “It just gives you that bit of breathing
exciting events.” The team recently advised Acorn Prop- space.”
erty Group on their dispute with the contractor of a resi-
dential development regarding entitlement to payment In this vein, one source reflected: “My hours have been re-
The True Picture

of the final account and rectification of defects. On the ally fine. In my first seat, my supervising partner said: ‘To be
non-contentious side, the work involved more “drafting of clear, if you can leave at 5.15pm, leave at 5.15pm’, so I did!”
construction agreements” as well as the “negotiation and Others agreed and noted they’d “rarely stayed later than
amendments of contracts” and general contract review. 6pm.” Of course, the odd late night isn’t entirely avoid-
The team advised Green Frog Connect on engineering, able, and sources emphasised that “it doesn’t mean you
procurement and construction contracts for the delivery don’t work hard – where you need to put the hours in you
of gas peaking power plants and battery storage in the will put them in,” but the latest any of our interviewees
UK, and also advises Screwfix and B&Q (part of the King- mentioned staying was 7.30pm. To top it off, the firm also
fisher group) on construction contracts to do with distri- offers its employees a ‘lifestyle hour’ where everyone is
bution centres and retail units across the UK. This seat given one hour per week of ‘free time’: “You can use it to
also included the opportunity to work on adaptations of clock off early on a Friday, take a longer lunch one day, or
houses – “where someone had a clinical negligence claim have a lie-in one morning.” Interviewees were certainly a

333
 F Foot Anstey LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

fan of this initiative, noting that “it just gives you that bit fore lockdown began. Consequently, the decision-making
of breathing space.” process was postponed but the same number of NQ posi-
tions was maintained.  Sources felt that “during that time
Under regular circumstances, Foot Anstey usually pub- the firm did communicate with us – they held webinars with
lishes its NQ jobs list relatively early – around February. the training partner and answered our questions. They tried
Second years can apply for up to two roles, then the to keep us updated with the job situation as it was being
teams interview everyone who has applied. Given the tim- decided.”   The firm ended up retaining five of ten quali-
ing of the coronavirus outbreak, this year was slightly dif- fiers (with an additional two being retained on fixed-term
ferent: qualifiers had just had their NQ job interviews be- contracts).

Getting a foot in the door

The firm helps trainees get a foot in the door with clients
through their virtual training scheme: “We’re essentially
a remote secondee for a client for the two years. It’s been
really beneficial to build those relationships with commercial
clients and learn about another business.”
The True Picture

334
www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
chambersstudent.co.uk Foot Anstey LLP F

Foot Anstey LLP

Salt Quay House, 4 North East Quay, Sutton Harbour, Plymouth, PL4 0BN
Tel: 01752 675000 Fax: 01752 675500 Twitter: @joinfootanstey Partners: 48
Email: [email protected] Associates: 210
Website: www.footanstey.com Total trainees: 12
Facebook: @footansteycareers UK offices: Bristol, Exeter,
London, Plymouth, Southampton,
LinkedIn: @FootAnsteyLLP Taunton and Truro

Firm profile Contacts

We are a premier legal practice delivering specialist expertise to an impressive portfolio of regional, Graduate recruiter: Ellen Marsh
national and international clients. An entrepreneurial firm with history and tradition, we are on an [email protected]
exciting journey to become our clients’ most trusted advisor, enabling them to achieve their ambitions. Tel: 0117 915 4665
How we do it is just as important as what we do. Our values of collaboration over convention, champi- Training partner: Martin Hirst
oning aspiration, being refreshingly human, embracing entrepreneurial spirit and delivering integrated [email protected]
thinking guide the way we act, every day, from the way we operate as a business to how we treat our
Application criteria
colleagues and clients.
Training contracts pa: 12
We like to think that our approach to business and developing client relationships makes us distinctly Applications pa: 450+
different to traditional law firms — and also attractive. As does our desire to ensure our lawyers and Minimum required degree grade:
trainees operate in an environment where everything is tailored towards delivering specialist and for- 2:1 or other
ward-thinking advice to our clients. Minimum A levels: BBB
Vacation scheme places pa: 15
Main areas of work
Through our network of offices across the South and South West, we work as one national team offering Dates and deadlines
specialist legal advice and services to regional, national and international clients. We offer expert advice Training contract applications
in Commercial Property, Energy, Projects Infrastructure & Construction, Property Litigation, Islamic open: 1 January 2021
Finance, Planning & Environmental, Commercial, Corporate, Dispute Resolution, Employment and Training contract deadline, 2021/
Private Wealth. 2022/2023 start: 1 June 2021
Vacation scheme applications
Training opportunities open: 1 October 2020
We welcome applications from law and non-law students who have a strong academic background, Vacation scheme 2021 deadline:
exceptional communication skills, and the vision to be part of our future. Our training programme is 1 April 2021
designed to help you reach your full potential. You will undertake 6, four month seats so you experience
Salary and benefits
a greater number of practice areas. One of our significant differentiators is the closeness with which you
First-year salary: £30,000
will work with senior lawyers and partners. We believe being directly in the middle of good quality work
Second-year salary: £32,000
will accelerate your learning and help you to develop into an exceptional advisory lawyer.
Post-qualification salary:
As one of our trainees, you will get exposure to situations to develop your legal and commercial exper- £46,000 (Bristol)
tise, in an environment that is friendly and supportive. This may be through your day to day work with Holiday entitlement: 25 days plus
your team and supervisor, on secondment with a client or as part of our award winning Virtual Trainee bank holidays

programme supporting national and international clients. Sponsorship

Vacation scheme LPC fees: Yes
Our summer vacation scheme offers a week of work experience. Not only will you carry out "real work" GDL fees: Yes
but you will gain valuable insight into our business and the different areas of legal expertise. At the end Maintenance grant pa: £5,000
of the week participants will take part in an assessment day after which successful candidates will be
International and regional
offered a training contract.
Client secondments: Yes, includ-
Other benefits ing the Virtual Trainee programme
The True Picture

All trainees are entitled to our benefits package which includes: 25 days’ holiday, options to buy/sell
holiday, contributory pension scheme, life assurance, cycle scheme, gym membership, discounted shop-
ping, paid sabbaticals, Lifestyle Hour (the chance to take one hour off work each week to promote a
healthy work/life balance) and the opportunity to exchange one day of annual leave for 15 hours holiday.
Open days and first-year opportunities
We offer work experience to 1st year students in the summer. All candidates will need to apply online via
www.footanstey.com or contact [email protected] for information. We hold open evenings
for potential trainees throughout the year which provide an opportunity to find out more about the
firm, the application process and to network with trainees and lawyers.
University law careers fairs 2020
Bristol, Exeter, Cardiff, Birmingham, Southampton, UWE, University of Law, BPP.

Org ID: 13 4 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... 335

Date: ............................
 F Fox Williams LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Fox Williams LLP

The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Location: London Get hired at Fox Williams
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 35/51/6
Seats: 4x6 months
First-year salary: £37,000
Qualification salary: £62,000

This cunning Fox may be small, but it’s got the smarts to match law’s
biggest gingerbread men –and the agility to dive into niches like fashion
and professional services.

The Firm that real estate is a typical first seat: “You get to know
You’re browsing a market stall on a sunny holiday, when the ins and outs of the firm in terms of its billing and client
you suddenly can’t believe your eyes – a designer bag? care.” Qualification is similarly unfussy: trainees tell HR
Then you see the price tag and really can’t believe it. Fast where they’d ultimately like to qualify at the beginning
fashion knock-offs are everywhere, and the industry’s at- of their fourth seat, and heads of department approve
tempts to stop them are big business for lawyers. This is their hiring in a board meeting. Off the back of trainee
one of the many hypermodern areas of law that Fox Wil- complaints in previous years and poor retention figures in
liams excels in. Founded in 1989 by former partners at 2019, the situation looks to have improved in 2020 with all
big firms who wanted to shake things up, FW regularly three qualifiers taking NQ roles at Fox Williams.
outfoxes the competition in the financial services, natu-
ral resources, professional services, fashion technology
and travel practice areas. “The year to April 2020 has been The Seats
FW’s best yet,” senior partner Paul Osborne tells us. “Our Often the first landing point for trainees, real estate
profits are up 30%; we’ve also grown in headcount with offers both transactional and litigious work linked to
some exciting partner hires.” property. The firm’s largely lower mid-market practice
balances residential and commercial property, regularly
Several of the trainees we spoke to had their eye on the bringing in clients from the leisure and hospitality mar-
firm’s quirky specialisms before applying. “The firm is ket. Canadian media company DHX took FW’s advice on
very well known for advising fashion clients, which fits my leases and licences for existing and new space with a
passion outside a work context,” one said. After all, who combined annual rent of £646,875; clients also include
dreams of helping banks move money? Chambers UK the Royal Marsden Foundation Trust, Hill Residential and
grants FW top spots for partnerships and travel law, as international law firm Vedder Price. Trainees here learn
well as strong rankings for financial services, employ- the ropes on “lease extensions, drafting licences and re-
ment, lower mid-market real estate and corporate/M&A. ports of title,” and get litigious experience via drafting
The True Picture

Fox Williams has earned its stripes with a headcount of enforcement actions and statutory demands. Telecom-
little over 100, and just the one office in London. “The munications work adds spice to the pot: “When compa-
small trainee intake and high ratio of partners to other law- nies want to put satellites and masts on top of commercial
yers make for great responsibility and quality of work,” in- properties, we help them with that process.”
terviewees declared.
Trainees can also bounce between elements of the com-
“…fits my passion outside a work context.” merce and technology group; one told us: “You can dic-
tate how you want your seat there to go.” While the depart-
With only six departments, every trainee completes a ment’s four partnersspecialise in commercial law, data
seat in all but two, but none of them are mandatory. Eve-
ryone submits their preferences to HR, who then try and Seat options: corporate; employment; dispute resolu-
align trainees with their choices. Interviewees noticed tion; real estate; commerce and technology

336
chambersstudent.co.uk Fox Williams LLP F
Chambers UK rankings As at many firms, Fox Williams’ employment practice
Capital Markets Intellectual Property
straddles advisory and litigious elements. “The seat is
Commercial Contracts Partnership
what you make of it,” with freedom once again for train-
Corporate/M&A Real Estate
ees to scope out their own interests. Some of the cutting-
Employment Retail
edge work here revolves around advising financial ser-
Financial Services Travel
vices, FinTech, insurance and professional services firms
on regulatory issues. The firm advises both senior execu-
tives and employers – FW recently acted for the London
office of a US law firm after two partners departed, with
protection, IP litigation and travel respectively, fashion is one issuing whistle-blowing proceeding in the Employ-
an umbrella topic here (a designer umbrella of course). ment Tribunal. Trainees recently saw a milestone: the
FW has acted for Tesla, California Pizza Kitchen and team’s first virtual hearing. “It was an interesting experi-
Bentley Clothing, securing a crucial victory for the last of ence,” they said, “especially seeing everyone dressed up
these in IP litigation against Bentley Motors. “There was a in their homes!” More typical tasks include working on
five-day trial; the car company was using the name across settlements with clients and sending out discrimination
their own clothing without the design rights,” a source re- letters. Here too, we heard “partners are happy for you to
vealed. International opportunities come with travel mat- take on a lot of responsibility if you’ve proven yourself.”
ters, requiring trainees to examine travel package regula-
tions and draft settlements. Research is another common “Partners are happy for you to carry out
task in this seat. the most challenging tasks.”
“You can dictate how you want your seat Trainee Life
there to go.” Feedback comes through monthly catch-ups with super-
visors, and other partners tend to “take the time to explain
Packaged within the corporate seat you’ll find the Fox how your work could be better, but don’t completely change
Williams speciality professional practices, providing ad- your drafting style.” When workflow is steady (especially
vice to other LLPs. Typical M&A can also be found in the in property), 9.30am to 6.30pm is a typical day for train-
more ‘general’ corporate offering – FW recently advised ees; the unlucky ones were finishing at 8pm, with corpo-
the digital investment unit of the Allianz Group on its rate and employment tagged as the most “intense” seats.
recent Series B investment in African ride-hailing app Weekend work is possible, but rare. Interviewees didn’t
SafeBoda, and recently-founded publishing house Wel- have too much to gripe about the hours, but some would
beck on its £6 million acquisition of Jonathan Goodman have liked more pay for their efforts. “It’s on the cusp of
Publishing. The department’s grown recently with a lat- market rate and there could also be better benefits,” one
eral partner and several associate hires, but trainees had complained.
plenty of space to carve their path. One recalled a case
of a company in liquidation: “We were doing hybrid inves- “The small size of the firm means everyone knows your
tigation work. My role involved putting together settlement name, so you’re not just another trainee.” That’s helpful giv-
agreements, drafting ancillary documents and taking board en the firm’s full social calendar of events including yoga
minutes.” sessions, monthly breakfast outings, Easter egg hunts
and escape room trips – nothing’s worse than forget-
Dispute resolution splits between commercial litigation ting someone’s name while trapped in a tight space with
and financial services streams. The latter covers invest- them. Fox Williams’ City office is anything but tight, with
ment banking disputes and civil fraud cases; the former an open layout and full wall windows providing a view of
leans towards securities litigation and international arbi- Finsbury Square. The best news for trainees? “There’s
tration. Hertz Europe, Global Risk Partners and a former always lots of free food and drinks!” A generous spirit car-
The True Picture

CEO of Lloyds Bank have all called on Fox Williams’ ser- ries across the firm culture, which insiders summarised
vices – on a recent dispute the firm represented The Soft- as “welcoming, friendly and transparent.” Whether it be
ware Incubator in a £600,000 claim against American during kitchen catch-ups or Friday wine club (starting at
software multinational Computer Associates. “In my first 5.30pm sharp), Fox folks quickly got to know one another.
few weeks I got to run a case,” a trainee revealed. “Partners
are happy for you to carry out the most challenging tasks “The small size of the firm means everyone
and propose the next steps.” Civil fraud was a popular knows your name.”
area: “Multiple claimants bought shares in a company that
had inaccurately published its value,” a source recalled of Fox Williams’ diversity and inclusion committee arranges
one case. They spent their time on document review, or- its own regular events including nutrition webinars, HIIT
ganising client meetings, making applications for admin- workouts and a celebration of World Culture Day. The last
istration and stock market research. of those is one for the foodies: staff and lawyers alike

337
 F Fox Williams LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

contributed to a firm recipe book of dishes from differ-

ent cultures. “Together we celebrate diversity in an exciting
way: through food!” Sources more generally described FW
as an “open and inclusive environment. The firm has made
significant progress within the last year or so in its D&I ini-
tiatives, and I would only expect them to improve further
with time.”

21st century Fox

Who thrives here? “Candidates who demonstrate a real
knowledge of Fox Williams; inclusivity and positivity always
stand out,” managing partner Peter Osborne advises. “We
also look for them to engage with Fox Williams, whether that
be through external outreach, social and charitable events or
our sports teams.”
The True Picture

338
www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
chambersstudent.co.uk Fox Williams LLP F

Fox Williams LLP

10 Finsbury Square, London, EC2A 1AF
Tel: 020 7628 2000 Twitter: @foxwilliams Partners: 36
Email: [email protected] Linkedin: Fox-Williams Associates: 52
Website: www.foxwilliams.com Total trainees: 7
UK offices: London

Contacts
Firm profile Graduate recruiter:
Our story is a little different to other City firms — our founding partners left their respective [email protected]
City practices in 1989 to found Fox Williams. Not only has this been enlightening, it has helped Training partner: Mark Watson
to shape our values and culture. We know, as a professional services firm, that the quality of our
Application criteria
people is what sets us apart — which is why we are so committed to recruiting the best.
Training contracts pa: 4
Applications pa: 250
Main areas of work Minimum required degree grade:
We have departments in the following five areas – corporate, dispute resolution, employment, real 2:1 or equivalent
estate, commerce and technology. Our sectors focus on financial services, fashion, professional Minimum UCAS points or A
services, technology/media/digital, fintech, travel and natural resources. levels: ABB/128 points
Vacation scheme places pa:
12/18
Training opportunities
Training contracts starting in September 2021 and September 2022. During your training contract, Dates and deadlines
you will undertake four seats of six months in different departments. Training contract applications
open: November 2020
Vacation scheme Training contract deadline,
Our one week vacation schemes run in spring/summer and are attended by those who have been 2021/22 start: 31st January 2021
successful at training contract application stage. Our schemes are used to assess the suitability of
Salary and benefits
each candidate and give attendees a real insight into life as a lawyer at Fox Williams. Candidates
First-year salary: £37,000
will be paid £250 for attending the vacation scheme (subject to tax and NI).
Second-year salary: £39,000
Post-qualification salary: £62,000
Other benefits Holiday entitlement: 25
The following benefits are available after six months service: private medical insurance, life assur-
ance, permanent health insurance, salary sacrifice pension, biennial medicals, chargeable hours Sponsorship

bonus, client introduction bonus, season ticket loan, cycle to work scheme, gym discounts. LPC fees: Yes
GDL fees: No
Maintenance grant pa: No

International and regional

Offices with training contracts:
London
The True Picture

Org ID: 144 0 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... 339

Date: ............................
 F Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP

The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Locations: London, Manchester How to get into Freshfields
Overseas offices: 27
More on pro bono
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 128/482/160
Seats: 8x3 months; overseas seats
First-year salary: £45,000
Qualification salary: £100,000

A training contract at Freshfields will set you up for an exciting, border-

crossing legal career. You may not feel so Fresh after a mega-deal, but
the opportunity to develop is first-class.

The Firm rotation system as a real boon for receiving a first-class

“The prestige was a huge draw,” one trainee quickly flagged introduction to practising law: “The eight-seat rotation is
when discussing their reasons for choosing Freshfields (a more beneficial for us than it is for the firm.” In addition, we
very common reason for sources!). If you want prestige, more or less only heard good things about the firm’s cul-
you can certainly get it in spade-loads at this magic circle ture. Again and again we were told how “friendly, down to
outfit, with this interviewee commenting on the acclaim earth and supportive everyone seemed.” And with all those
Freshfields draws from “the work it does with the biggest overseas offices dotted across the globe, isn’t the oppor-
clients, resulting in stories you’d see on the front page of the tunity to work abroad the icing on the cake? Be prepared
Financial Times.” Indeed: where do we even begin when it to put your all into that cover letter though, as Freshfields
comes to top rankings from Chambers and Partners? In receives over 3,000 applications for its 80-odd training
Chambers Global, Freshfields essentially the legal world contracts each year (all of which are London-based).
when it comes to corporate/M&A, competition, dispute
resolution, public international law, employee benefits,
and tax work (these are just the top rankings – there The Seats 
are many more high accolades awarded across several “I wasn’t sure what area I wanted to qualify into, so the
practices and jurisdictions). Closer to home, you’ll find flexibility of the eight-seat contract was great,” enthused
many of these areas top-rated in Chambers UK, along- one trainee. Though, with just three months in each seat
side London-based nods for pristine banking & finance to make an impression, “you’ve got to hit the ground run-
(borrowers), equity capital markets, financial crime (cor- ning,” though doubling up a seat is possible.As part of this
porates), and restructuring and insolvency know-how. On system, “the firm wants all its trainees to do a six-month
a UK-wide basis, Freshfields especially stands out for its secondment, either international or client, in your final two
financial services, private equity, product liability, public seats.” Sources also explained that “you have to do the
procurement and retail expertise. In summer 2020, the compulsory core seats,” which include two in the global
The True Picture

firm sent a bold strategic message when it opened up transactions (GT) area – comprised of corporate, finance
an office in Silicon Valley, becoming the first big UK firm and real estate seats – and one in disputes “within your
to build a presence in California’s tech and life-sciences first 12 months, with the rest entirely at our discretion.” In
hot-bed. terms of choices, “you can put down up to 12 preferences,”
at each rotation, with six dispute resolution options, four
To sum this all up: Freshfields is a high-end, full-service corporate, four finance and five others available (anti-
firm that caters for the legal needs of the world’s biggest trust, competition and trade; tax; IP; people and reward;
corporations and financial institutions. It’s not just about and real estate). Very few reported getting their first
sparkling rankings and headline-generating client mat-
ters, however. Sources also pointed to Freshfields’ “ex- Seat options: dispute resolution; corporate; finance;
cellent reputation” for training its most junior members, tax; antitrust, competition and trade; people and re-
with interviewees pointing to the firm’s unique eight-seat ward; IP/IT; real estate

340
chambersstudent.co.uk Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP F
Chambers UK rankings you can expect the standard bundling and admin work
Administrative & Public Law Infrastructure
on large, ongoing cases. However, on “more bespoke mat-
Banking & Finance Insurance
ters you’d be doing legal research, as well as drafting client
Banking Litigation Intellectual Property
statements, outlines and instructions to counsel.”  
Capital Markets International Arbitration
Competition/European Law Litigation
Cross-border transactions are the deal in the corporate
Construction Pensions
department, where lawyers have recently acted for Flut-
Corporate/M&A Private Equity
ter Entertainment (the parent company of Paddy Power
Data Protection Product Liability
Betfair) on its combination with Canadian company Stars,
Employee Share Schemes & Projects
which created the world’s largest online betting opera-
Incentives Public International Law
tor by revenue. The team were also kept busy by a com-
Employment Public Procurement
bination that spanned over 30 jurisdictions: it involved
Energy & Natural Real Estate
advising the owner of Perform Content (sports media
Resources outfit DAZN Group) on the combination between PC and
Real Estate Finance
Environment a sports company specialising in AI technology, STATS.
Restructuring/Insolvency
Financial Crime Other clients here include Visa, US plastics manufacturer
Retail
Financial Services Berry Global and US toy company Hasbro. Here sources
Tax
Fraud felt there was a “balance of cerebral and process-driven
Telecommunications
Hotels & Leisure work.” Tasks could include “a fair bit of drafting and re-
search,” along with “organising coordination between dif-
ferent offices, liaising with financial advisers, and inputting
choices for the first couple of seats, but we were told that comments into documents.” There’s the requisite trainee
this preference hit rate improved as trainees progressed duty of project management here, which sources con-
in their contract. ducted on both buyer and seller transactions: “It’s nice
to get a perspective on both.” Sources were also happy to
“You would get into work and hear, ‘This “see deals in all stages” and felt that the “team is good
person who has just been on the news has at giving us good responsibility, even if you’ve just joined.”
What’s more, “the team is really nice!”
just instructed us…’”
The firm’s commercial disputes team does “bread-and- Private equity falls under the corporate department’s
butter litigation,” as well as “investigations, crisis manage- umbrella, and – you guessed it – “we represent the big pri-
ment matters and some arbitrations” (although there is a vate equity houses” like Blackstone, Carlyle, Advent and
separate arbitration department).One source relayed KKR. These heavy hitters turn to Freshfields for more
that “Ninety per cent of our clients are firms you’ve heard than just advice on acquisition targets; they also come for
of. Everyone has. I’m talking big names.” Some names are legal wisdom on breaking into new markets and sectors,
certainly recognisable, like Debenhams, Deutsche Bank, as well as for answers to regulatory and antitrust ques-
Sotheby’s and Volkswagen, while others are still a big tions. The group recently advised CVC on its investment
deal but not necessarily household names: South Afri- into Premiership Rugby, which will come as welcome
can multinational telecoms company MTN and US food news to rugby fans wanting to see their favourite sport
conglomerate Cargill, for example. One recent case is fit bolstered with a cash injection. Interviewees who’d sat in
for a screen adaptation: Freshfields successfully repre- this area said that the work was “client-focused,” allowing
sented Sotheby’s in its bid to retrieve the proceeds made them to “deal with the client and local counsel.” We were
by the fraudulent sellers of a fake painting credited to told that the separate finance team handles the financing
Dutch artist Frans Hals (which was sold for close to a aspects of private equity deals, while this team handles
not-so-shabby $11 million). In another high-profile case, “the acquisition and selling work” for clients’ portfolios.
The True Picture

the team has been acting for Volkswagen on a matter As you can imagine, private equity firms want to know
focused on the emissions from certain vehicles that the everything about potential target companies before ac-
company manufactures (the group litigation also involves quiring them, so trainees spent a lot time conducting due
other car manufacturers and currently consists of 91,300 diligence and “know-your-customer (KYC) checks.”
claims, making it likely to be the largest group action ever
seen in English courts). Some interviewees were involved Over in the intellectual property, data and commercial
in “Serious Fraud Office-style investigations for big corpo- seat, trainees told us that it’s all about getting “into the
rates – things like anti-bribery and corruption investigations technical details of the agreements.” These agreements
after journalistic scoops.” On the crisis management side, take place in the context of mega deals, such as Lib-
it was normally “breaking-news stuff. You would get into erty’s (the world’s largest TV and broadband company)
work and hear, ‘This person who has just been on the news €19 billion sale of its German/Eastern European opera-
has just instructed us…’” In terms of trainee tasks, yes, tions to Vodafone, as well as AB InBev (the world’s larg-

341
 F Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

est brewer) on the $11.3 billion sale of its Australian sub- Several people thought that “one of the main perks of be-
sidiary to Japanese food and drinks company Asahi. Such ing here is the people. There’s a range of personalities and
agreements could cover anything related to IP elements most lawyers are very approachable, kind and enthusias-
(such as brand rights and software licences) to commer- tic.” As with any workplace, there are some people who
cial supply arrangements to the transfer of data assets. might not be quite so lovely, but we were told that “HR
“Once you get past the trust barrier,” one source explained, makes valiant efforts to tackle” any poor and distinctly
“then you get good work.” ‘un-Freshfields’ behaviour. In terms of human capital, the
firm’s reputation for training seems well founded, with
When you represent the world’s biggest firms that are most interviewees across seats and departments giv-
looking to make the biggest moves, antitrust, competi- ing it a thumbs-up. In addition to the assistance gained
tion and tradeis an essential practice. The firm acts on from “friendly and helpful” colleagues in various depart-
behalf of clients like Australian investment bank Mac- ments (“people are always open to answering questions” ),
quarie, Tesco, Pret A Manger, insurance outfit AON and trainees also undergo “a fortnight of induction and training
private equity firm CVC. Freshfields recently worked exercises” at the beginning of the training contract. Train-
with tech company Yandex on the European Commis- ees said that while there was “quite a lot of time spent on
sion’s investigation into Google with regard to its Android IT training, there needs to be more.” While there may be lit-
devices, which resulted in a record €4.34 billion fine tle niggles here and there, every person we surveyed felt
for Google. It also advised the London Stock Exchange they had chosen the right firm to train at and no one re-
Group on its proposed acquisition of Refinitiv, which is a ported being unhappy. Around half of our sources did re-
global provider of financial data and valued at $27 billion. port being a bit stressed, but when all was said and done,
We were not surprised to hear that trainees had worked this source encapsulated the overall feeling nicely: “The
“on a very high-profile case for a very large multinational quality and variety of the work, throughout all my seats, has
company that all of us use.” Sources liked that “Freshfields been exceptional and I’ve been encouraged to volunteer for
was instructed because there wasn’t precedence. It was a projects that I’m interested in, with the aim of shaping my
novel matter on both sides, and it was interesting how eve- practice as a lawyer.”
rything was approached.”
Diversity at the firm was also spoke about positively by
our sources. “The firm’s approach to diversity is not a tick-
Trainee Life box exercise; it seems like something the firm has really
As a magic circle firm, Freshfields comes with “high stand- bought into,” one interviewee reflected. The overwhelm-
ards and high expectations.” What this means for prospec- ing majority were encouraging about the firm’s mental
tive trainees is that good academics are a must, as well health initiatives, which have been highlighted by the
as a whole host of other important skills like being able firm’s support of knowledge lawyer Lloyd Rees, who has
to prioritise workload and having the ability to take in a publicly shared his battle with mental ill-health. Sourc-
vast amount of complicated information. In addition, “the es also spoke highly of “Halo, the firm’s LGBT+ network.
hours can be long and intense,” with most sources report- It’s something active that the firm has bought into.” Sev-
ing working (on average) a nine to ten-hour day. There are eral mentioned the firm’s Stephen Lawrence Scholarship,
late nights when deals hit their flow or cases build to a which addresses “the disproportionate under-representa-
crescendo. “The hours in the corporate seats can vary from tion in large commercial law firms and other City institu-
you being able to leave at 5.30pm to you leaving at 11am the tions of black men from less socially mobile backgrounds.”
next morning!” one sleepy source told us. Others added Those who are awarded the scholarship receive career
that on those late nights “people appreciate the work that mentorship from members of the firm and Freshfields
you do, and it does get noticed.” Some flagged that while clients.
there may be a “couple of one-off all-nighters where you
receive little to no thanks for working hard, these are the For those who want to stay as an NQ, the first step in-
The True Picture

exception not the rule.” On the whole, “people wouldn’t ask volves submitting a list of qualification preferences. The
you to stay unless they were staying too.” Those who are teams similarly “rank the trainees in the order they’d like
still toiling away past 7.30pm can expense their dinner to accept them in.” The good news is that “when placing
(up to £15) and also a cab home if they’re still at their desk us for qualification, the firm works off our preferences.”
past 9.30pm. It’s also worth noting that Freshfields was In other words, the “priority is what we want, rather than
the only magic circle firm to keep NQ pay at £100,000 in what the team wants.” Trainees described quite an in-
the wake of Covid-19. formal process, as there’s “no CV required, nothing like
that.” However, we were told that international positions
“The quality and variety of the work, in practice areas trainees haven’t sat in may well require
throughout all my seats, has been an interview and a more formal application. Any concerns
about favouritism were dismissed: “Each team puts their
exceptional.”
preferences down and discusses them among the entire

342
chambersstudent.co.uk Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP F

group, which should shake out favouritism. It’s quite a well-

rounded process.” In 2020, 67 of 77 qualifiers stayed with
the firm.

Searching for seats in fields fresh and new...

International seats are currently available in New York, DC,
Paris, Berlin, Brussels, Vienna, Amsterdam, Hong Kong,
Singapore, Tokyo, Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Better start your
TripAdvisor research now!

The True Picture

343
 www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
F Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP

65 Fleet Street, London EC4Y 1HS
Tel: 020 7785 5554 Twitter: @FreshfieldsGrad Partners: 139
Email: [email protected] Facebook: freshfieldsgraduates Associates: 400
Website: www.freshfields.com/ukgraduates Instagram: @freshfieldsgrads Total trainees: 157
UK offices: London, Manchester
Overseas offices: 26

Firm profile Contacts

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer helps some of the world’s biggest companies to grow, strengthen [email protected]
and defend their operations. If you’re keen to pursue a career in commercial law, we can offer you
Application criteria
some of the most interesting — and challenging — work around. We support clients wherever in
Training contracts pa: up to 80
the world they operate so we must deliver a consistent high-quality service across the globe.
Minimum required degree grade:
None
Main areas of work Minimum UCAS points or A levels:
As a trainee, you’ll work in a team, usually with an associate and a partner. It’s the team’s job to None
work out how we can help clients achieve their ambitions. Is it possible? What’s the best way to Vacation scheme places pa: 60
structure the deal or tackle the problem? What are the risks? You and your team will need to cre-
Dates and deadlines
ate solutions that work in the real, commercial world, not just the ones that reflect what’s right or
Training contract applications
wrong in law. We’ll show you how. Our lawyers focus on at least one industry sector and work
open:
in one of five practice groups: global transactions; dispute resolution; anti-trust, competition and 5th October 2020 (Winter)
trade; people and reward and tax. 1st June 2021 (Summer)
Training contract deadline, 2023
Training opportunities start:
Our unique eight-seat training contract means you can experience a wide variety of practice 7th January 2021 (Winter)
15th July 2021 (Summer)
groups across the two years. You’ll spend at least one seat in dispute resolution, as well as at least
Vacation scheme applications
two seats in our global transactions group (across corporate, finance and real estate). You can
open: 5th October 2020
submit preferences for where you want to spend each seat, and you can decide as you go through
Vacation scheme 2021 deadline
your training contract. During the final six months of your training contract, you’ll also get op- date: 7th January 2021
portunities to apply for international, client and pro bono secondments. Workshop deadline:
Various throughout the year
Other benefits
Salary and benefits
Joining Freshfields opens the door to a comprehensive range of benefits, access to the many social
First-year salary: £45,000
networks that connect people across our 28 offices, and opportunities to take part in our award-
Second-year salary: £51,000
winning pro bono programme. As well as agile remote-working arrangements in response to
Post-qualification salary: £100,000
COVID-19, our new London office at 100 Bishopsgate has been carefully thought-out to facilitate
Holiday entitlement: 26 days
collaboration and innovation, as well as support wellbeing and reduce environmental impact.
Sponsorship
Vacation scheme LPC fees: Yes
Open to penultimate year undergraduate students, our three-week vacation schemes are an exciting GDL fees: Yes
way to find out more about life at Freshfields. You’ll meet and work with trainees, associates and Maintenance grant pa: £10,000
for the GDL and £10,000 for
partners and learn about the market-leading work that we do on a day-to-day basis.
the LPC

Open days and first-year opportunities International and regional

Applications for workshops and other virtual events open 5th October 2020, with various deadlines Offices with training contracts:
The True Picture

throughout the year. We’ll show you what life as an international commercial lawyer is like, and London

what sets us apart from other firms, so you can make a confident decision on whether to apply for
a vacation scheme or training contract.

Org ID: 147

344 2 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................
chambersstudent.co.uk Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP F

Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP

The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Location: London How to get into Fried Frank
Overseas offices: 4
Interview with training principal
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 20/60/5
Seats: 4x6 months Jons Lehmann
First-year salary: £45,000
Qualification salary: £131,000

From new office space in the heart of the City, Fried Frank opens its doors
to “ambitious” trainees looking for fun with funds.

The Firm uity investment funds practice. Lehmann confirms Fried

Explosive growth is exciting, sure, but there’s a reason Frank will offer “a mix of corporate, finance, asset manage-
why most law firms would rather build out slowly. Fried ment and litigation, and we are also going to add a corpo-
Frank is a great example – with a small trainee cohort and rate real estate seat to that rotation.” According to current
well-chosen lateral partner hires, slow and steady is serv- trainees, first years tend to start in finance or M&A, with
ing the firm well. Training principal Jons Lehmann con- second years completing seats in funds and/or litigation.
firms that they’re sticking to the plan: “We are now looking “The firm just decides for you,” one said.
for three trainees for our 2020 and 2021 intakes. We have
increased the number to remain consistent with our growth
in London and what we are planning to achieve.” Describing The Seats
the Fried Frank type as “intellectually capable and ambi- Fried Frank’s funds folks (try saying that fast as you can)
tious,” candidates were attracted to the firm by “the pros- advise private equity firms, financial institutions and
pect of being among the first homegrown talents who could hedge fund managers on massive fund formations. The
rise through the ranks.” UK team advises BlackRock –an investment management
firm with $6.84 trillion in assets – on numerous funds to-
Making room for future arrivals, Fried Frank prepared for talling more than $10 billion in value, as well as other gi-
a 2020 office move to 100 Bishopsgate, a popular City ant investors like Bain Capital and Goldman Sachs. Train-
space that’s also home to magic circler Freshfields and ee responsibilities vary by deal size but in large and small
fellow US firm Paul Hastings. “The new office will be very matters they’ll have project management to contend with.
interactive and a great working environment for everyone,” “You basically manage the whole process and make sure
Lehmann explains. The Covid-19 pandemic and subse- the deals stick to the timeline,” a source explained. “We
quent lockdown put a spanner in the works, but it seems review subscriptions and documents from the investors,
there’s no stopping Fried Frank: the headcount in London and work on the management of agreements via checklists,
grew 17% in one fiscal year, “the highest growth of any incorporating structures and preparing bibles.”
The True Picture

of the firm’s four offices,” according to chairman David

Greenwald. Recent lateral additions include partner hires Hand in hand with funds is the finance department, look-
into the litigation and capital markets departments. ing after the money that backs investment funds as well
as leveraged and real estate finance issues. The client
“We are now going to be looking for three base is similar here, with Bank of America, HSBC and
trainees for our 2021 and 2022 intakes as Wells Fargo all on the books. Trainees here gave a spe-
cial shout out to training principal Jons Lehmann: “He’s
opposed to two.”
excellent at ensuring you have sufficient workload and
Interviewees also highlighted the firm’s targeted strength trusting you with lots of responsibility,” they declared. “It’s
in asset management and funds advice, noting that “a lot
of the work in London flows from the funds practice.” This Seat options: asset management; corporate; finance;
translates to a single Chambers UK ranking for private eq- litigation; corporate real estate

345
 F Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Chambers UK rankings Trainee Life

Investment Funds
Hours vary by department: litigation trainees enjoyed
“more predictable hours with less reactive work, whereas
transactional practices are driven by the clients.” Said cli-
an honour to work with individuals like him who really care ents can be demanding: with a 9.30am start, trainees es-
about your development as a lawyer.” Day-to-day tasks timated an 8 or 9pm finish on average. “When it gets busy
here include managing conditions precedent checklists, it’s seriously busy,” they added. “There have been times
amending security documents, and reviewing and draft- when I’ve regularly worked past midnight for consecutive
ing board minutes and shareholder resolutions. This team months, including a few weekends.” Trainees may have to
is smaller than its funds counterpart but deals with big work these US firm-typical hours, but they weren’t “bitter
money: US-based software development firm Informatica about it. It’s a collaborative effort and when things aren’t as
called on Fried Frank to advise on a $125 million credit hectic, partners are more than happy for you to leave at a
facility extension. Sources suggested: “Finance has more normal time.” One felt the high expectations were proof
of a focus on the training element than the corporate/M&A of being “treated as adults. The firm expects you to take a
department. There’s a healthy balance between teaching us level of ownership to get stuff done on time.”
bespoke points and learning the basics as you go along.”
Long shifts are in fact by design as “the lean staffing on
“You become a transaction magnet with teams is part of Fried Frank’s model. They don’t want to
totally new stuff coming in every day.” work people to an early grave, but the staffing model allows
the firm to make a decent amount of profit.” There’s enough
Trainees in corporate/M&A and private equity suggested cash left over for Halloween and Christmas socials, regu-
“around 60-70% of the work is private equity-related, the lar informal lunch events and other soirees. One trainee
remainder is funds-driven M&A deals.” There’s no escaping described the Fried Frank culture as “a collective part-
funds at Fried Frank! “It makes sense given the firm’s client nership where we all get our heads down and muck in to
relationships with private equity funds and the overall focus get a matter through the door, then grab drinks to reflect
on asset management,” sources agreed. In a typical cross- and pat ourselves on the back before we start again.” An-
border transaction, the firm represented US-based non- other pointed to a (by law firm standards) “flat structure,”
profit Mayo Clinic in its proposed joint venture with Abu thanks to the smaller headcount. “I was accepted as a real
Dhabi Health Services Company. With the transaction member of the team and treated like a proper colleague al-
oven hot, the team also helped deliver a £55 million ac- most immediately.”
quisition of interests in Domino’s Pizza’s main franchisee
in Iceland on behalf of the pizza chain itself. Trainees told “The firm expects you to take a level of
us that “if you can take on high-responsibility work and ownership to get stuff done on time.”
not make a hash of it, they’ll pretty much step back and let
you run with the deal.” In practice their workload included Interviewees emphasised that London “isn’t a satellite of-
typical trainee tasks like due diligence, transaction man- fice for New York. We have our own culture and work stream.”
agement, liaising with the other side and reviewing fund They cited “the surprising amount of formal education and
documents. “You become a transaction magnet with totally training provided” as further evidence. Supervisors make
new stuff coming in every day,” we heard. “We do a lot of efficient use of time by “holding targeted sessions before
cross-office dealings with the New York and DC offices.” a certain transaction kicks off, rather than blocking out an
hour to have an academic discussion.” Though Fried Frank
“There are two different sides to the department” in liti- doesn’t run a formal mentor scheme, there were no com-
gation, one of the firm’s smaller practices. “One partner plaints from our sources. “We have an executive coach
deals with Russian and Commonwealth of Independent who visits once in a while to talk through our personal and
States corruption deals; the other handles commercial professional development at the firm,” they explained.
The True Picture

banking and financial disputes.” An example of the latter

was Perrigo’s $2.44 billion fraud-driven claim following An informal NQ process was similarly popular: “You in-
the €3.9 billion acquisition of shares in Omega Pharma form HR of your preferred department, they talk to the law-
Invest NV. As for the other side, Fried Frank defended Al- yers there and if they’re interested in taking you on, they’ll
exander Katunin in $200 million+ proceedings brought by get back to you and sign you up,” interviewees summa-
Russia’s VTB Bank. “We prepare bundles for case manage- rised. “Since it’s such a small cohort, everyone knows each
ment conferences, make sure hyperlinks work and check other very well – plus there haven’t been any Covid-related
typos,” trainees here said. “It may not sound like much, delays.” Fried Frank retained both of its two qualifiers in
but the documents are usually around 200 pages long and 2020.
we’re left to get on with it.”

346
chambersstudent.co.uk Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP F

Freedom Frank
In the wake of the Black Lives Matter protests in 2020,
trainees were pleased by “the direction coming from the
chairman David Greenwald. The firm hosted videoconference
talks on systemic racism and how to counter it in a
professional capacity.”

The True Picture

347
 www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
F Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson

(London) LLP
100 Bishopsgate, London, EC2N 4AG Partners: 21
Tel: 020 7972 9600 LinkedIn: fried-frank Associates: 55
Total trainees: 5
Email: [email protected] Twitter: @friedfrank
UK offices: London
Website: www.friedfrank.com Instagram: friedfrank
Overseas offices: 4 (London,
Frankfurt, New York, Washington
Firm profile DC)
Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP advises the world’s leading corporations, investment
funds and financial institutions on their most critical legal needs and business opportunities. The Contacts

Firm’s approximately 583 lawyers are based across North America and Europe. Graduate recruiter:
TrainingContractApplications
@friedfrank.com
Main areas of work Training partner:
Antitrust and competition; corporate (asset management, capital markets, corporate governance, Jons Lehmann,
finance, mergers and acquisitions, private acquisitions and private equity); international arbitra- [email protected]

tion; international trade and investment; litigation; pro bono; real estate; restructuring and insol- Application criteria
vency; tax; and white collar defence, regulatory enforcement and investigations. Training contracts pa: 3
Applications pa: 180
Training opportunities Minimum required degree grade:
Fried Frank offers a dynamic and engaging training programme which provides meaningful work 2:1 or other
assignments across UK, US and international mandates. Trainees spend six months working with Minimum UCAS points or A
close-knit teams of partners and associates across four departments in a hands-on learning envi- levels: AAB
ronment. Working closely and socialising with partners, counsel, associates and staff, our trainees
Dates and deadlines
leave the programme with a clear understanding of what Fried Frank can offer them as a place to
Training contract applications
begin their legal careers. open: 1st October 2020
If you are interested in joining an international Firm with quality work and training, please apply Training contract deadline, 2023
by completing our application form, located on our Firm’s careers website. Once complete, please start: 30th June 2021
return your form to [email protected]
Salary and benefits
First-year salary: £45,000
Internship programme Second-year salary: £50,000
Fried Frank offers internships with placements lasting between one and three months in our liti- Post-qualification salary:
gation department. Interns gain experience within the legal industry, while being exposed to top £131,000
quality work and clients. Our internship programme details and application form can be found Holiday entitlement: 25 days
on our careers website. Please note that applications for our internship programme are separate to
Sponsorship
those for our training contract.
LPC fees: Yes
GDL fees: Yes
Other benefits
Maintenance grant pa: £8,000
• Private Medical
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Subsidised gym membership and corporate rates
• Life Assurance
• Group Income Protection
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Mortgage Advice
The True Picture

• Group Personal pension

• Back-up Family Care

Org ID: 3840

348 0 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................
chambersstudent.co.uk Gateley Legal G

Gateley Legal
The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Locations: Birmingham, Bolton, Cambridge, Guildford, How to get into Gateley
Leeds, Leicester, London, Manchester, Nottingham, Read-
ing, Northern Ireland
Overseas offices: Dubai
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 170/241/22 (deferred
first-year trainees will join in March 2021, so the trainee
number will increase)
Seats: 4x6 months; secondments
First-year salary: £35,000 (London); £27,000 (elsewhere)
Qualification salary: £61,500 (London); £41,000 (else-
where)

A trendsetter among national outfits, stock exchange-listed Gateley has

grown as both a law firm and something… more.

The Firm Chambers UK focuses on the firm’s legal successes

The legal industry is moving fast. Organisations with across the UK, with its strongest showings coming from
non-law roots are nudging into the profession, seizing a banking, employment, real estate, litigation, corporate,
slice of the pie. At the same time, law firms are diversi- and restructuring practices in the Midlands; employment,
fying their practices, biting into other professional ser- IP, pensions, and restructuring in the North West; and na-
vices markets. Gateley has been one of the quickest off tional leader rankings outside London for banking and
the mark: with Gateley Capitus (tax advice) and Gateley restructuring. The Manchester office had the most train-
Hamer (property consultants) already in its operation, ees (11) at the time of our calls, just pipping the Birming-
the firm acquired land referencing consultancy Persona ham HQ’s nine. Leeds, Leicester, London and Nottingham
Associates and management consulting group T-three in housed four each. Gateley has a Dubai office, but doesn’t
2019. The following year another consultancy business, offer an overseas seat at present.
The Vinden Partnership, came into the fold as Gateley
Vinden. Our trainee sources explained how these addi- “Rather than solely legal, the firm is law-
tional services overlap with the firm’s legal offering: “We led.”
refer clients to those services, and they come to us with le-
gal issues. It’s definitely been great for increasing our com- Larger offices – like Birmingham and Manchester – offer
mercial understanding as trainees.” trainees a wider range of seat options, whereas smaller
ones have fewer departments. “Some teams and offices
Gateley had already made history back in 2015, becom- are a little more regional,” one trainee shared. “It’s deter-
ing the first firm to float on the London Stock Exchange. mined by the clients instead of an intentional regional fo-
The True Picture

“The IPO set Gateley apart,” a source reflected. “It seemed cus: ultimately this is a national firm and you feel like you’re
forward-thinking then and we’re now offering a diversified a Gateley trainee rather than identifying with a particular
legal business. Rather than solely legal, the firm is law- office.” All newbies complete a two-week orientation in
led.” This unconventional strategy may appear risky, but Birmingham, through which “you make mates across every
recent financials suggest the plan is paying off: results office. Lots of teams are really good with cross-working –
for the six months ending October 2019 saw a revenue in- clients couldn’t tell we didn’t sit together!”
crease of 11.8% to £51.8 million, with 93.7% derived from
legal and 6.3% from non-legal services. To give you some Seat options: banking; commercial dispute resolution;
context, that’s a shift from 94.8% and 5.2% the prior pe- commercial; construction; corporate; ctm; employment;
riod. family; financial dispute resolution; pensions; residential
development unit; real estate; regulatory; restructuring
(advisory); restructuring (project litigation); shipping; tax

349
 G Gateley Legal chambersstudent.co.uk

Chambers UK rankings and enquiries for newly acquired developments, drafting

Banking & Finance Litigation
Land Registry forms, diligence reports on title, shadow-
Banking Litigation Pensions
ing partners in larger contract negotiations and “taking
Construction Planning
the lead” on smaller files.
Consumer Finance Real Estate
Corporate/M&A Real Estate Litigation “I got 20 to 30 matters given to me on day
Employment Restructuring/Insolvency one! Supervision levels were great but
Information Technology Tax there are so many things going on at once.”
Intellectual Property Transport
Advising UK clearing banks (the firm is on the panel for
nine of the 11), corporate groups and asset managers,
Gateley’s banking and finance practice splits broadly
The Seats into real estate and leveraged finance. Big names here
All trainees must do at least one corporate/transaction- include Lloyds, HSBC and Santander, as well as private
al, property and contentious seat at some point in the equity houses and debt funders. The team helped Maven
training contract. First years get very little say over their Capital Partners in the inception of the Midlands Invest-
destinations, with Londoners doing corporate and bank- ment Fund, its first direct lending fund valued at over
ing seats in their first 12 months. Some agreed that “you £250 million; as well as the £85 million management
know that’s the deal when signing up,” but others were buyout of Hammonds Furniture, advising on the funding
more critical. “It’s less flexible than at other firms, but you documentation for facilities provided by Frontier Devel-
can make it known where you want to go,” one said. There’s opment and HSBC. Trainees tucked into “lots of real es-
some flexibility: for example, the corporate seat can also tate finance” linked to the property practice, as well as ac-
be in restructuring, banking or tax. “It’s not as limiting as it quisition finance and “acting for the major clearing banks
sounds,” sources advised. and funds.” Here too, they were happy to handle plenty
of responsibility. “I began drafting ancillary documents but
Gateley’s property reach spans residential and commer- moved up to the key documents on smaller transactions,”
cial development, property finance, real estate invest- one recalled. “You get high-level work with lots of client
ment and portfolio management. Acting for 18 of the contact; the supervision was also really good in that team.”
top 20 largest UK house builders – including Barratt and
Bellway – the firm also represents property investment It may not be a City titan, but Gateley’s corporate depart-
managers. Most trainees found themselves in either ment acts for many of the leading nominated advisers
commercial real estate or residential development unit and brokers in the AIM and London Stock Exchange. Re-
(RDU). Trainees on the commercial side saw a “really good cent deals under the firm’s belt include Paragon Leisure
variety” including property finance, retail and commercial Group’s sale of Notts County FC; and private equity firm
leases, and support on corporate transactional matters LDC’s investment into digital, branding and PR agency
for a “really mixed bag of high-end commercial clients and group MSQ Partners. London trainees found themselves
SMEs.” The firm recently advised developer Barberry on staffed on “mainly mid-tier acquisitions” as well as “some
the £37.5 million land price sale of a 45-hectare site in smaller-scale advisory work. In the smaller offices, every-
Cheltenham to the Borough Council, targeted for a cyber thing is covered by the general corporate department in-
business park. stead of having smaller, defined teams.” Here and in the
larger bases, trainees saw a comprehensive view of the
Trainees in RDU worked with house builders “acquiring firm’s practice. “We’re involved in everything,” one en-
land, dealing with infrastructure and development, and re- thused. “They’re really keen to get you on the phone get-
solving any planning issues.” Several noted that “it’s quite a ting client contact.” Sources also ran through disclosure
full-on department,” with one giving a full account of their letters, board minutes and due diligence reports. “I got
The True Picture

experience: “I got 20 to 30 matters given to me on day one! involved in drafting some ancillary documents,” an insider
Supervision levels were great but there are so many things declared. “There’s no heavy drafting at the start, but I even-
going on at once; I was very much spinning plates.” The firm tually got more input in share purchase agreements and
handles a mix of small and much larger projects, recently helping to draft chunkier documents.”
advising a consortium of seven residential developers on
the Langley Sustainable Urban Extension, valued as one A seat in commercial disputes can cover sectors as
of the largest new housing schemes in the UK at around distinct from one another as healthcare – particularly in
£1.5 billion. All our interviewees highlighted the “good claims brought against NHS trusts – and sports litigation,
exposure afforded by being thrown in the deep end,” and for clients such as Manchester City FC or the UK Cheer-
responded warmly to supervision. “Partners trust you to leading Association. Gateley notably acted for Everton FC
handle things but are always there to fall back on if need- in £5.2 million High Court proceedings seeking damages
ed,” one noted. Trainees worked on conducting searches from alleged breach of a commercial agreement. Variety

350
chambersstudent.co.uk Gateley Legal G

was the name of the game for trainees who saw “general Trainee Life
commercial enquiries,” mark-ups on supplier contracts, If you’ve (for some reason) come looking to work until the
trademark and patent disputes and “quite a few off -he- early hours of the morning, Gateley is not the place for
wall issues.” They typically spent their days working on you. “9pm would be a normal late finish,” one source found,
registrations, advising on commercial contracts and pro- while another concluded that “on the whole hours have
viding “general advice to repeat clients.” Cross-border dis- been good. Naturally it’s going to depend on department
putes are not uncommon here, and Gateley also obtains and workflow, but I’d typically get in around 8.30am and
and defends without notice injunctions for clients includ- leave at 6.30pm; I’ve rarely worked past 10pm.” Corporate
ing search and doorstep delivery-up orders. seats are more up and down and include the occasional
later night: “I had one 3am finish in banking,” a source said,
“An average claim might go on for five but this was the exception to the rule. All agreed they
years and you’re only there for a specific were paid well for their time. “It’s a good life here and I’ve
got no complaints,” one concluded.
six months.”
As at many firms, there’s a balance of disputes and non- Trainees described the firm’s culture as “really sociable
contentious elements in restructuring. The firm acted for – people are decent, friendly and approachable. Everyone
the administrators of the Jamie Oliver Restaurant Group gets on and there are no negative stereotypes.” There were
in the closure and sale of the majority of the restaurant variations by office: Birmingham by virtue of size is “well
portfolio; and for administrators in the disposal of the connected” to the rest of the network with “everything
Patisserie Valerie company group including Philpotts and managed out of this office.” Smaller bases like Leeds
Baker & Spice. On the contentious side, trainees enjoyed tend to gravitate towards whole-office shindigs: “We’re a
dealing with “court and civil procedure rules” and acting very social bunch and it’s not unusual for us to go out for
for “all the major insolvency practitioners.” The London of- Friday drinks,” sometimes kicked off by the legal direc-
fice “does a lot of work for Russian clients or in former So- tor announcing: “‘We’re all going to the Blackhouse [Grill
viet jurisdictions,” whereas trainees in Birmingham acted on the Square], who wants to come?’” In other locations
on cases linked to the Caribbean. “An average claim might too there’s a health social scene with “infamous cock-
go on for five years and you’re only there for a specific six tail events” and escape room trips. Designated CSR and
months,” an interviewee explained. “You might be there social representatives get a budget to run fund-raising
during a hearing and have a lot on, or six months pass and events for an elected charity: “Everyone is encouraged to
you receive only one letter.” Most were far busier than that, nominate suitable charities.” Trainees also donated their
drafting client letters and letters before claim, helping time to “mock interviews for school kids who might never
write preliminary reports to clients, or “setting out a strat- have been exposed to an office environment before.”
egy for litigation with lots of research and drafting some of
the end report.” Most of the non-contentious side is advi- “I’d typically get in around 8.30am and
sory: “We advise companies in financial trouble on their du- leave at 6.30pm; I’ve rarely worked past
ties. It requires quite a lot of research and is very technical
10pm.”
black-letter case law, which I really enjoyed.”
There were some complaints about lack of communi-
The firm’s football club clients including Everton and cation between the firm and trainee cohort – the more
Manchester City are among the most popular options diplomatic voices we heard suggested “firmwide com-
for client secondments. “It’s a fantastic experience,” one munication could be a bit more coherent.” In 2020 the
source found. “Getting a secondment is about business covid-19 pandemic complicated what should be a rela-
need and being in the right place at the right time.” Another tively streamlined NQ process, and at the time of writing
added: “You have to push for it internally and it depends on trainees were unsure of where jobs would be available.
your own feedback,” plus the business case. “Some people “I have lots of faith in the firm,” one declared. “Others feel
The True Picture

go for a spot and don’t get it,” trainees warned, “but the like they’re in limbo; we’ve just got to hang on and see.” As
client partners really like it when you show an interest; ap- we went to press, Gately had not yet confirmed how many
plications are well received.” of its 18 qualifiers would stay on.

Making a merger-er
The firm’s recent additions haven’t all been non-legal:
Gateley acquired Belfast-based media and reputation
management boutique Paul Tweed in spring 2020.

351
 www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
G Gateley Legal chambersstudent.co.uk

Gateley Legal
One Eleven, Edmund Street, Birmingham B3 2HJ
Tel: 0121 234 0000 Twitter: @GateleyLegal Partners: 170
Email: [email protected] LinkedIn: gateley-legal Associates: 122
Total trainees: 38
Website: www.gateleyplc.com/careers/early-careers/trainees/
UK offices: Belfast, Birmingham,
Guildford, Leeds, Leicester,
Firm profile London, Manchester, Nottingham,
Gateley Legal is the legal business at the heart of legal and professional services group, Gateley. Reading
Overseas offices: Dubai
Founded in Birmingham in 1808, we have provided commercial legal services to individuals and
businesses over the last 200 years. Since arriving as the new kids on the block all those years ago, we’ve Contacts
earned our stripes in the legal industry, building a leading name and a revered reputation. Graduate recruiter:
Providing excellent client service to individuals and businesses across the UK is fundamental to our Stefanie Ballmann
Graduate Recruitment Advisor
ethos of being forward thinking and straight talking.
Stefanie.Ballmann@gateleyplc.
We have over 580 professional advisers and employ over 1,000 people across ten offices located in com
Belfast, Birmingham, Guildford, Leeds, Leicester, London, Manchester, Nottingham, Reading and Tel: 0121 212 7935
Dubai. Training partner: Victoria Garrad
Partner & Group HR Director
In 2015, we were the first commercial UK law firm to list on the London Stock Exchange’s Alternative [email protected]
Investment Market (AIM). The bold move to go public embodies our forward-thinking ethos. Our Tel: 0121 234 0040
strategy is to differentiate ourselves in a crowded market, incentivise our people to retain and attract the
best talent in the industry and diversify by acquiring complementary business services. Application criteria
Training contracts pa: 25
Applications pa: 1,000
Main areas of work
Minimum required degree grade:
Our specialist legal teams cover all types of legal services including: corporate, commercial, banking, 2:1
real estate, restructuring, technology, construction, employment, pensions, dispute resolution, regula- Minimum A levels: BBB
tory, private wealth and family, tax, and shipping and transport, as well as global mobility which en- Vacation scheme places pa: 60
compasses the management of the selection and relocation of employees for international assignments.
Dates and deadlines

Training opportunities Training contract applications

• Experience four, six-month seat rotations across a variety of legal practice areas – we also offer open: November 2020
Training contract deadline, 2022
exciting client secondments
start: February 2021
• Gain supervision and mentoring from highly experienced solicitors Vacation scheme applications
• Receive an in-depth and supportive training schedule tailored to your needs and areas of interest to open: November 2020
give you the skills and experiences you need for life as a qualified solicitor Vacation scheme 2021 deadline:
• Gain opportunities to work directly with clients allowing you to build your practical legal February 2021
knowledge, communication, client-care skills and an understanding of the markets within which our
clients operate Salary and benefits

• Study Professional Skills Courses to become a well-rounded solicitor First-year salary: £27,000
(regions), £35,000 (London)
• Attend university law fairs to inspire our future trainees Second-year salary: £28,500
(regions), £35,000 (London)
Vacation scheme Post-qualification salary: £41,000
Our Summer Vacation Placements give you the opportunity to gain paid hands-on legal work (regions), £61,500 (London)
experience in one of our offices and provide a real insight into a future career in law. Holiday entitlement: 25 days
You will work in two legal practice areas during your two-weeks with us. We will provide you with a
The True Picture

trainee ‘buddy’ and organise social events to help you get to know our people well. You will also have Sponsorship

regular contact with our graduate recruitment team. LPC fees: Yes

You can apply if: GDL fees: Yes

• You are in your penultimate or final year of a Law degree, or have graduated after completing a Maintenance grant pa: £5,000
offered if studying LPC full-time
Law degree
• You are in your final year of a non-law degree, or have graduated after completing a non-law International and regional
degree Offices with training contracts:
Birmingham, Guildford, Leeds,
Other benefits Leicester, London, Manchester,
Nottingham, Reading
Our benefits include: private healthcare, Cycle to Work scheme, Sharesave scheme, GymFlex, travel
pass loan.

Org ID: 152

352 2 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................
chambersstudent.co.uk Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP G

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP

The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Location: London Get hired by Gibson Dunn
Overseas offices: 19
The Hong Kong training contract
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 31/61/13
Seats: 4x6 months; overseas seat; client secondment
First-year salary: £50,000
Qualification salary: £120,000

Swipe right on Gibson Dunn, an internationally renowned litigation beast

offering British youngsters a “malleable and tailored” training contract,
top pro bono cases and a considerate culture.

The Firm which was described as “a short replica of being a trainee.

On a day when all the leaves are brown and the sky is You really earn your £500 a week!” Potential trainees are
likely to be grey, law students can turn to Gibson Dunn for assessed using five assignments including a presenta-
their California Dreaming. “There’s something special and tion and a drafting project – “I finished the vac scheme sat-
escapist about being at a Californian firm in London.” Born isfied that even if I didn’t get the training contract, I’d learnt
in LA in 1890, it took just under 200 years for the firm to a huge amount that’d help me in my other interviews.”
leap across the pond, opening in London in 1979. Now a
network of 20 offices across the globe, Gibson Dunn is re- Trainees are told of their first seat during their induction
nowned both in the US and worldwide for its blockbuster week. For subsequent seats, HR hand out a list of avail-
litigation cases: it’s currently representing the founders able seats, trainees give their preferences and HR match
of Tinder in a high-profile breach of contract case worth people up “most of the time.” An overseas secondment
billions of dollars. The firm also covers media and enter- gives one trainee per rotation the opportunity to go to
tainment work that hits the press in big ways. Gibson is Hong Kong. The application process involves either anin-
also working for AMC on the high-profile claim brought formal email or video interview depending on how many
by a former The Walking Dead showrunner who seeks a people go for the opening. “There’s a big trainee commu-
larger share of the profits of the $3.4-million-budget-per- nity in Hong Kong, so it’d be great to go and expand your
episode show. network.”

Chambers Global places the firm in the worldwide top tier

for corporate investigations and anti-corruption, and the The Seats
firm also makes the worldwide shortlists in dispute reso- Gibson’s dispute resolution team has three branches:
lution, competition, corporate/M&A, and private equity arbitration, investigations, and commercial and corpo-
fund formation. The London office receives its strongest rate litigation. Though trainees are assigned to a specific
The True Picture

rankings in international arbitration, both investor-state subgroup, “it’s more fluid than that. You can work across
and commercial, and it also gets nods for its competition all three and dip in and out.” Commercial and corporate
and real estate finance work. litigation covers a lot of big financial clients on litigations
such debt enforcement and competition-based disputes,
“There’s something special and escapist as well as media and energy sector matters. The team
about being at a Californian firm in recently defended mining company Koza from the Turk-
ish state’s attempt to interfere with its operations in a
London.”
way that infringed public policy. Trainees get the unique
First formed in 2015, Gibson’s training contract is “fairly
young and small,” meaning training here is “a malleable Seat options: finance and restructuring; dispute resolu-
and tailored experience, with a lot of learning on the job.” tion; employment; tax; competition; corporate - energy;
Most Dunners arrive through the firm’s vacation scheme, corporate real estate; funds; financial regulatory

353
 G Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Chambers UK rankings within our Gibson network. You get a good sense of how the
Competition/European Law Real Estate Finance
firm all fits together as a machine.”
International Arbitration

Trainee Life
opportunity to get “a bird’s-eye view on these massive, “Pro bono clients are treated the same as fee-paying cli-
sprawling financial cases.” ents, so you can really prioritise pro bono matters.” Gibson
Dunn is a leader in the US for pro bono cases, and a lot of
Arbitration covers “bilateral investment treaty enforce- “high-profile, ground-breaking” pro bono work makes its
ment and interpretation.” The team go through a “long pro- way through the doors here too. London associate Ryan
cess of establishing whether we have jurisdiction to bring Whelan represented the heavily publicised ‘upskirting’
the claim and whether it’s the correct arbitral tribunal.” Due case, which successfully campaigned to outlaw the act
to the ambiguity of the jurisdictions involved in many of in 2019. Partner Penny Madden is currently representing
these cases, “one of the partners calls it the jurisdictional Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a British-Iranian journalist de-
Wild West. It’s super interesting and very technically dif- tained in Iran. Trainees told us about working for clinics
ficult.” The team recently represented Yukos Capital in and charities and on human rights cases and employment
an oil-related investment treaty case against Russia for matters.
$6.24 billion.
“Partner Penny Madden is currently
“...a bird’s-eye view on these massive, representing Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe.”
sprawling financial cases.”
“From my first interview to now, I’ve never felt uncomfort-
The white-collar investigations group primarily works for able at the firm in the slightest.” Gibson Dunn is host to di-
large financial institutions, as well as some large corpo- versity initiatives that are “genuinely enthusiastic and am-
rates in sectors such as media, technology and real es- bitious.” The firm hosts lunches and events and “on Mental
tate. The team recently represented Fender in connection Health Awareness Day they put free fruit out for the day.
with an investigation into the pricing of musical instru- Great! Thanks, just for one day, that’ll make a massive help,”
ments. The group works on a lot of US companies’ UK quipped a trainee. The firm has since made fruit free in-
regulatory work, where they “seek advice from us on po- definitely. Overall, interviewees described the firm’s at-
tential conduct that might lead to a regulatory investigation titude as “affected by our West Coast US roots. It doesn’t
here in the UK.” Trainees get to “see the dynamic between matter who you are at all.” This fed into the feeling that
the client, firm and regulator. You’re all trying to work in the the culture at Gibson Dunn is “certainly very welcoming
same way – so it almost feels not contentious.” Interviewees and supportive. Everyone has that team spirit.” It’s common
liked working with their US counterparts – “it’s a great way for staff to “congregate in the cafeteria in the middle of
to expand your network.” Across the litigation practices, the building,” and the office in general has a “chilled at-
trainees undertake “intellectually challenging” research mosphere.” The small, around-100-attorney-strong office
tasks, writing letters, drafting witness statements, and means that “it’s the sort of place you can stop and chat to
writing presentations and notes of meetings. Trainees anyone.”
also get to go to court and hearings: “We were all in the
war room until 1am every night. It sounds weird, but it was Though there are some drinks and team dinners, there’s
enjoyable.” “not always as much socialising as there might be with oth-
er firms.” Luckily trainees get all their socialising done in
The firm’s corporate seat is great for generalists. Train- one densely packed stint. Each year the firm runs a New
ees get to sample private equity, public M&A, private Lawyers Academy retreat to California for all new start-
M&A and capital markets work (though the last was ers worldwide. Trainees fly to a luxury Cali resort on a
The True Picture

described as a “less essential component to the team” ). Thursday and fly back on the Sunday – “the jet lag was
Typical clients again include large finance and energy immeasurable.” We heard of “karaoke, ridiculous outfits
companies. The team recently represented Marathon Oil and amazing food. We had one dinner overlooking the sea
Company in its sale of UK North Sea to RockRose Energy. and honestly it looked like a wedding. We did a hot-seat-
They also advised Emirates in connection with the initial speed-dating exercise where we got to meet loads of dif-
public offering of Network International, the largest Eu- ferent people.” Trainees realised “just how big the firm is.
ropean IPO in 2019 for £2.2 billion. Trainees here typically We came away from it really invigorated, thinking ‘wow, this
run checklists, liaise the signing process with the other really is a great firm!’”
side, coordinate due diligence, draft diligence reports
and “generally be the point person on the deal.” They also “It’s the sort of place you can stop and chat
get to “communicate with local counsel and specialists to anyone.”

354
chambersstudent.co.uk Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP G

Back home, trainees benefit from “a large system of safety The firm started the qualification process off early this
nets.” As well as their supervisors, trainees have a train- year as “they understand everyone’s nervous given the cli-
ee buddy from the year above, and an associate mentor. mate surrounding the virus,” and management has “made
During lockdown, the firm gave trainees partner bud- a big point that they didn’t let anyone go during the reces-
dies too, “just to keep us connected.” The buddying sys- sion.” HR managers kick off the process by asking where
tem makes trainees feel like a “valued part of the team. trainees want to qualify. Interviewees felt confident as
It goes a long way to making us happy.” Most interviewees the firm has historically enjoyed a 100% retention rate. In
finished work by 8pm each day. Some reported being in 2020, four of five stayed on.
until 11pm “pretty much every night” during busy periods,
especially in groups like litigation and corporate. When it
came to salary, there were “no complaints! Not many firms
pay more.” The firm’s £120,000 qualification salary means
there is only a handful of firms that pay more in the UK.

LA LA Land Lord
Gibson Dunn appears to pull off something quite enviable in
the US: it operates in the same league as the rather intense
New York elite, but pulls it off with a more chilled vibe
and a clear commitment to pro bono. Californian working
culture must be to blame. Take a look at our US review in
chambers-associate.com if you’re researching Gibson Dunn
in detail.

The True Picture

355
 www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
G Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher UK LLP

Telephone House, 2-4 Temple Avenue, London, EC4Y 0HB
Tel: 0207 071 4000 Twitter: @gibsondunn Partners: 31
Email: [email protected] Facebook: GibsonDunnCareers Associates: 61
Website: www.gibsondunn.com Instagram: GibsonDunnandCrutcher Total trainees: 13
UK offices: London
LinkedIn: gibson-dunn-&-crutcher-llp Overseas offices: 19

Firm profile Contacts

Gibson Dunn is one of the top law firms in the world with a London practice established over 35 Graduate recruiter:
years ago. We work on a fully integrated basis with our other offices around the world, offering full Katy Edwards,
Graduate Recruitment and
service capabilities on a wide range of business issues to listed companies, large private companies, Development Manager
investment banks, private equity firms, start-up ventures and many other organisations with inter- graduaterecruitment@
national operations and ambitions. gibsondunn.com
Training partner:
Mark Sperotto
Main areas of work
The London office handles all aspects of corporate work, including public and private M&A, private Application criteria
equity, finance, capital markets, financial regulatory, tax, commercial real estate, energy, funds and Training contracts pa: 6-7
restructuring and insolvency. The office also has an extensive dispute resolution practice, handling Applications pa: 650
Minimum required degree grade:
commercial litigation, regulatory investigations, international arbitration and employment and 2:1 or other
competition law disputes. Minimum A levels: ABB
Vacation scheme places pa:
Training opportunities 16-18
We welcome applications from exceptional individuals, those who are capable of taking the initia- Dates and deadlines
tive, who have strong interpersonal and organisational skills and can rise to the challenge of working Training contract deadline, 2023
directly with partners within small, focused teams and having client contact early in their careers. start: 31st July 2021
Vacation scheme 2021 deadline:
Trainees rotate around four six-month seats with opportunity to spend time in corporate, finance, 1st February 2021
dispute resolution, employment, tax, competition, energy, real estate and funds. We also expect to be Open day deadline:
able to offer secondments to an overseas office of the firm, and with a client. Trainees share a room 22nd November 2020
(General Open Day)
with a partner or senior associate, and work with them on their matters, whilst also having the op- 11th April 2021
portunity to work with the other lawyers in the firm. (First Year Open Day)
Method of application: Online
Gibson Dunn is proud to have a strong, sustained commitment to pro bono work, and our trainees
are encouraged to participate in this tradition and work on local and international pro bono activi- Hong Kong training contract
ties. Vacancies: 1-2 (2021/22 start)
Summer interns: 4-5 per scheme
Please visit our website for more
Vacation scheme information or send enquiries to
• 28 June – 16 July 2021 (three weeks)
th th
Katy Edwards at graduaterecruit-
• Pay: £500 per week [email protected]
Our summer vacation scheme is intended for both law students and students of other disciplines Salary and benefits
in their penultimate and final year of study, recent graduates (in any discipline), and those already First-year salary: £50,000
taking a GDL or LPC course. Gibson Dunn strongly encourages candidates interested in a training Second-year salary: £55,000
contract to apply for a place on our summer vacation scheme, rather than directly for a training con- Post-qualification salary:
£120,000
tract. To date, the majority of our trainees have been recruited from our summer vacation scheme.
Holiday entitlement: 25 days
Early application is advised as places will be allocated on a rolling basis.
Sponsorship
Other benefits LPC fees: Yes
The True Picture

GDL fees: Yes

Full range of benefits including private medical insurance, corporate rates at a gym/fitness chain, life
Maintenance grant pa:
assurance, income protection insurance, travel insurance, pension, employee assistance programme Competitive
and emergency back-up care. You will also benefit from individual annual book, client development
and professional development allowances, attendance at US firm retreats and extensive Professional International and regional
Offices with training contracts:
Development, Diversity and Pro Bono programmes. London and Hong Kong
Overseas seats: Hong Kong
Open days and first-year opportunities Client secondments: Yes
• General Open Day – 8 December 2020
th Hong Kong training contracts pa:
1-2 (2021/22/23 start dates)
Applications are welcome from those who are eligible to apply for our summer vacation scheme.
• First Year Insight Day – 22nd April 2021
Applications are welcome from students of any discipline in their first year of undergraduate study.

Org ID: 3688

356 2 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................
chambersstudent.co.uk Goodwin G

Goodwin
The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Locations: London, Cambridge How to get into Goodwin
Overseas offices: 11
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 37/85/14
Seats: 4x6 months
First-year salary: £46,000
Qualification salary: £125,000

Private equity and funds are the focus of Goodwin’s London office, while
a new Cambridge base adds to its tech and life sciences expertise.

The Firm Goodwin’s training contract was only launched recently

It’s been go go go in London and Europe for US firm in 2018, a decade after the London office, so many of the
Goodwin. In the last five years, the firm’s European lawyer processes are still relatively new and the firm is only just
headcount has grown from 20 to nearly 200. In London, starting to welcome homegrown NQs into the fold. The
total revenue came in at just under $74 million in 2019, a trainee intake of about six a year was a big pull factor
healthy 12% increase on last year. The firm also continues for trainees we spoke to. “When I do a deal I’m the only
to lure in lateral talent, with recent private equity hires trainee,” said one. “There’s scope to have a lot of client con-
coming from CMS and fellow US outfit Kirkland & Ellis. tact.” Goodwin will be expanding its intake to eight-to-ten
Keeping its foot on the pedal, last year Goodwin opened a trainees a year from now on.
Luxembourg office and became one of the first US play-
ers to open a second UK base in Cambridge’s so-called
Silicon Fen, a hub for high-tech businesses and startups. The Seats
Tech and life sciences are major areas for Goodwin in its Trainees indicate their seat preferences before each ro-
native US, so setting up shop in Cambridge (with a team tation (HR emails them before they start their first seat
hired from tech whiz Taylor Wessing) clearly indicates the too) and the firm “tries to accommodate your preferences
firm wants to keep building out its practice here in the as much as possible.” Each trainee does four six-month
UK. seats; newly introduced is a litigation seat (previously
trainees completed a course to get their contentious ex-
“While I’ve been at the firm they’ve perience).
brought in new departments.”
Goodwin’s private equity team covers the life cycle of in-
For now, all trainees are recruited into the firm’s London vestments, with work ranging from “fund formations and
base. Our sources were attracted to Goodwin’s focused buyouts to M&A and restructurings.” The team also han-
approach on private equity, funds and real estate, which dles venture financing and joint ventures. Deals are typi-
The True Picture

sit at the heart of the London operations. “And while I’ve cally worth tens or hundreds of millions, and sometimes
been at the firm they’ve brought in new departments that edge over a billion. The technology and life sciences sec-
fit into the pie,” one trainee pointed out, like a tech M&A tors are a focus, as are healthcare, finance and manufac-
group which focuses on venture capital. Chambers UK turing. Clients include mid-market private equity houses
considers the firm’s mid-market real estate team to be such as Inflexion and Graphite Capital, plus real estate
top-notch in London, and awards further national com- investment firms like Medical Properties Trust, which the
mendations for investment funds and venture capital in- firm recently advised on an acquisition of 30 hospital fa-
vestment. Outside the UK,the firm has 11 offices spanning
the US, Asia and Europe, with bases in Hong Kong, Paris,
Seat options: real estate - corporate; real estate -
Silicon Valley and their initial office in Boston.
transactional; private equity; private investment funds;
finance; tax; corporate technology & life sciences; com-
mercial/IP; litigation

357
 G Goodwin chambersstudent.co.uk

Chambers UK rankings pertise in early-stage financings and capital markets, as

Intellectual Property Private Equity
well as regulatory, IP and data privacy issues.  One source
Investment Funds Real Estate
told us: “I’ve worked with companies at the forefront of new
Life Sciences Real Estate Finance
drug creation, including the development of a coronavirus
vaccine.” Recently, the firm advised Avacta Life Sciences
on a joint venture in South Korea to develop cell and gene
therapies for immune-mediated diseases. Trainees also
cilities, worth around £1.5 billion in total. Trainees were worked on data privacy, IP and software agreements. It’s
kept busy managingdisclosure processes, attending a team where “you’re treated like an NQ,” one source told
meetings and conducting due diligence, and one told us: us, adding: “I was often having a first crack at all the main
“By the end of the seat I was always on calls with clients.” transaction documents.”

“I recently completed a deal at 6am over a

glass of champagne.” Trainee Life
Our interviewees summed up Goodwin’s culture as “dy-
The focus of the private investment funds seat is on fund namic, vibrant andprogressive.” One felt “there’s a real
formation. “You do all kind of funds,” one trainee reported. cosmopolitan feel to the firm – the trainee group is diverse
“I worked on real estate funds as well as private equity in every sense of the word.” Another insider elaborated:
funds.” The team recently advised asset manager MIRA “Everyone here has their own stylistic presence and we’re
on a €6 billion fund-raising. Client contact was good here all very outgoing.” Some felt confident enough to “casually
too: “I sent stuff to our client under the supervision of the have a chat in the toilet with partners,” but not everyone
associates.” Any other highlights? “Probably being allowed was so comfortable. “I would be lying if I said I had a casual
to help update a limited partnership agreement,” said one. relationship with partners,” said one. “I would always ask
“It governs the fund vehicle. Being allowed to draft complex another trainee a question before walking into a partner’s
amendments to that was interesting.” On that note, “it’s office.” However, after a drink (or two) all nerves went out
quite a technical seat. There’s a lot of training involved and the window. “We had a rooftop party last year with a big
a lot of concepts.” barbecue and it was very much the partners leading us to
the next bar!”
Goodwin’s real estate department encompasses both fi-
nance and more conventional real estate work. “A lot of Sources described a variety of diversity initiatives,
the work focuses on M&A where the organisations involved such as the recent celebration of Black History Month
hold a lot of property,” one source explained. We spoke and women’s movie nights. There’s also a pro bono pro-
to trainees who’d worked on everything from the sale of gramme. The firm does a lot of work with the California
hospital portfolios and warehouses to large acquisitions Innocence Project, which trainees can get involved with
of student accommodation. Recently the team advised too. “The project helps inmates who have been wrongly
London Square on an £80 million acquisition of Holloway convicted,” a trainee explained. “They tell us their story,
Prison, set to be redeveloped to create 1,000 new homes. we listen, and then give them guidance.” Goodwin also
Bigger deals such as these see trainees mainly handling chooses a ‘charity of the year’ to support – this year it was
due diligence, but interviewees told us: “There are also children’s charity Impetus.
smaller deals that you’re able to run with.” On those smaller
deals, trainees were able to rack up drafting experience According to our interviewees, a standard working day at
in the form of disclosure letters, leases, registry applica- Goodwin ran from around 9.30am to 7pm, which sounds
tions and press releases. Our interviewees indicated it pretty jammy for a US firm. They clarified that “the hours
was one of the more demanding seats. As one told us: in private investment funds and tech and life sciences are
“I recently completed a deal at 6am over a glass of cham- consistently later.” They’re compensated with the big
The True Picture

pagne.” Chin-chin! bucks synonymous with US firm – incoming trainees start

on £46,000. The NQ salary is a very tasty £125,000. At the
“I’ve worked with companies at the time of writing, our interviewees couldn’t give us much
forefront of new drug creation, including information on how the firm managed the qualification
process, but “because we’re such a small cohort, everyone
the development of a coronavirus vaccine.”
knows who wants to qualify where.” According to the firm,
Sources told us that “there’s been an explosion of work” growing trainee numbers has led to a more formalised
in Goodwin’s tech and life sciences department, under- process, with fourth-seaters submitting applications to
pinned by the new Cambridge office. The team represents any practice area which is hiring; each department then
emerging companies, venture capital firms and investors runs its own process. In 2020, the firm retained five of
on transactions including licence agreements, M&A deals six qualifiers.
and securities offerings. The London team also has ex-

358
chambersstudent.co.uk Goodwin G

Qualifly with Goodwin

Once qualified, associates can celebrate their hard work
by applying to Goodwin’s global rotation programme,
which allows associates to spend two weeks apiece in two
different international offices.

The True Picture

359
 www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
G Goodwin chambersstudent.co.uk

Goodwin Procter (UK) LLP

100 Cheapside, London, EC2V 6DY
Tel: 020 7447 4200 Twitter: @goodwinlaw Partners: 37
Email: [email protected] Facebook: @JoinGoodwin Associates: 85
Website: www.goodwinlaw.com/careers/people-and-culture Instagram: @join_goodwin Total trainees: 14
UK offices: London
Overseas offices: 11
Firm profile
Goodwin is a Global 50 law firm with offices in Boston, Cambridge, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, Contacts
London, Los Angeles, Luxembourg, New York, Paris, San Francisco, Silicon Valley and Graduate recruiter:
Washington, DC. Excelling at complex and sophisticated transactional work and precedent- Kerry Dawson,
[email protected],
setting, bet-the company litigation, the firm combines in-depth legal knowledge with practical
020 7447 4285
business experience to help clients maximise opportunities, manage risk and move their business
Training partner: Ed Hall
forward. We have more than 1,200 corporate and litigation lawyers worldwide. The firm hires
talented, motivated people committed to excellence, innovation, collaboration and client service Application criteria
and believes that every lawyer and staff member deserves a supportive, meritocratic environment Training contracts pa: 8-10
in which people of all backgrounds are given the opportunity to excel and thrive. Our growing Applications pa: 500
London office is home to more than 100 lawyers who provide an integrated legal service offering Minimum required degree grade:
across offices and geographies. 2:1 or other
Minimum UCAS points or A
levels: AAB
Main areas of work
Vacation scheme places pa: 20
Private equity, private investment funds, finance, real estate industry, technology and life sciences,
tax, litigation. Dates and deadlines
Training contract applications
Training opportunities open: 1st January 2021
Goodwin’s London office recruits eight to ten trainees each year and offers a variety of training in Training contract deadline, 2023
our core practice areas including tech and life sciences, private equity, private investment funds and start: 31st July 2021

real estate. Our size and continued growth allow us to offer our trainees and associates increased Vacation scheme applications
open: 1st December 2020
responsibility and meaningful client contact from the outset. We work in small teams, which gives
Vacation scheme 2020 deadline:
our lawyers the opportunity to work directly with, and be mentored by, senior colleagues, and to
15th January 2021
develop a network that will be an invaluable part of their future career development.
Goodwin trainees will complete four 6-month seats. Salary and benefits
First-year salary: £46,000
Second-year salary: £50,000
Vacation scheme
Holiday entitlement: 27 days
The Goodwin summer vacation scheme provides real insight into what it is like to train and work
at Goodwin and gives us a window to get to know students better. Sponsorship
Students will witness first-hand the work we do for our clients by shadowing associates, attending LPC fees: Yes
client and business unit meetings, and attending information sessions focussed on the work of GDL fees: Yes

each practice area in the London office. Maintenance grant pa:

GDL: £8,000
Students will leave our programme with valuable mentors and a large professional and social LPC: £10,000
network.
Goodwin will run two summer vacation schemes, from which we will recruit a proportion of our
2023 intake of trainees. We will be accepting applications for summer 2021 vacation schemes from
1st December 2020 through to 15th January 2021.
The True Picture

To apply please visit www.goodwinlaw.com/careers/people-and-culture

Other benefits
Private medical insurance, dental insurance, life assurance, group income protection, pension
scheme, season ticket loan, Employee Assistance Programme, cycle to work scheme, gym subsidy.

University law careers fairs 2020

• Nottingham University: 19 October 2020
th

• Oxford University: 21 October 2020

st

• Cambridge University: 22 October 2020

nd

• Durham University: 17 November 2020

th

Org ID: 3620

360 0 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................
chambersstudent.co.uk Harbottle & Lewis LLP H

Harbottle & Lewis LLP

The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Location: London  How to get into Harbottle
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 39/38/9
More on the office and hours
Seats: 4x6 months 
First-year salary: £37,000 
Qualification salary: £60,000 

In-house yoga, “Ottolenghi-style” food and some of the best media and

entertainment work you’ll find –welcome to the lives of trainees at
London-based Harbottle & Lewis.

The Firm The Seats 

One way we at Chambers Student kept busy during lock- Trainees submit their seat preferences about a month
down (in our downtime, of course) was by having a little before starting the training contract and for subsequent
peruse of tabloids’ gossip columns. Many of the more rotations find out where they are going about a month
scandalous stories we came across will no doubt provide before moving on. An insider said that whether you get
work for Harbottle & Lewis’ lawyers at some point down your top choice each time is “luck of the draw. You have to
the line. From Kate Moss and the Beckhams to the senior be [sensibly] forceful about it and keep reminding them of
members of The Royal Family and Melania Trump, you’d where you want to go.” Fortunately, “most people get their
be hard-pressed to find a firm that counsels more celeb- first or second choice.”
rity clients through cases against said gossip columns
than this top-ranked defamation-defeating dynamo. “We get to work with household names –
it’s amazing!”
However, trainees didn’t decide to ply their trade at Har-
bottle purely for its media and entertainment expertise The employment seat is “really interesting because it
(it’s nabbed no fewer than five media rankings in Cham- gives you a mix of contentious and non-contentious work.”
bers UK, covering advertising, theatre, publishing, film On the disputes side, newbies get involved in “gearing up
and TV, and gaming and social media). Newbies also for tribunals or settlements” by helping to prepare witness
thought Harbottle’s relatively small size was a good place statements and “going to chambers numerous times for
to cultivate their careers: “I had conversations with abso- conferences with barristers and clients.” A recent tribunal
lutely everyone when I was doing work experience here and case saw the firm successfully defend Harrods against
everyone is happy to get you on board.” Others highlighted an unfair dismissal claim. Drafting experience comes in
Harbottle’s “really fantastic corporate commercial work.” the form of writing employment contracts and consultan-
We’re inclined to agree, given the firm’s also picked up cy agreements using templates and tailoring them “to the
a ranking for its mid-market corporate work in Chambers client’s specific situation.” Because we came calling dur-
The True Picture

UK: “The lawyers have come from the magic circle so they ing the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, non-contentious
have really interesting clients, but it’s not like City firms work had involved related research tasks – namely how
where everything is for banks.” Indeed, Harbottle’s cor- employers should handle the situation. Trainees in this
porate, private equity and IP work typically involves mat- seat are also responsible for organising ‘Know-How’ ses-
ters for media, entertainment, tech and communications sions: “Every other fortnight one department presents on
sectors. Chambers High Net Worth also rates Harbottle’s the biggest cases or goings-on in that area for the rest of
private wealth, defamation/reputation management and the firm.”
family work for HNW individuals.
Seat options: family; private client & tax; litigation
(commercial litigation, IP litigation and media & infor-
mation); employment; property; corporate; media and
entertainment; film, TV and theatre

361
 H Harbottle & Lewis LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Chambers UK rankings “A lot of our deals are for clients in the film and TV sectors,”
Corporate/M&A Intellectual Property
explained one interviewee when discussing the corpo-
Defamation/Reputation Media & Entertainment
rate seat. Here trainees deal with the business mechan-
Management Private Equity
ics behind the scenes, however. “We do a bit of private
Family/Matrimonial Sports Law
equity and venture capital too, like fundraising rounds for
Information Technology small companies – that’s how we differentiate ourselves. We
get to meet the founders and watch the companies grow,
which is nice.” Harbottle recently represented Gordon
Ramsay’s restaurant group on its multimillion investment
from LA-based private equity outfit Lion Capital; the team
TME (technology, media and entertainment) is unsur- also acted for independent film and TV production com-
prisingly the most popular seat “so they usually take pany All3Media Finance on its acquisition of live sports
two trainees at a time to accommodate everyone.” This is programmer Aurora Media Worldwide. High levels of cli-
generally considered “the commercial seat” and “involves ent exposure were reported here: “You take notes and run
a lot of industry-focused matters” in areas such as adver- through the warranties with clients in disclosure meetings.”
tising, sport and video gaming (the work doesn’t involve Irrespective of the type of deal, “we have small teams,
playing FIFA, unfortunately). Trainees had helped with so trainees genuinely play a crucial part. I don’t feel like a
agreements between magazines and for “elite athletes small cog in a giant wheel.” That being said, “we also have
in different types of sports,” plus conducted some work to do a lot of house stuff, like updating spreadsheets, which
with professional football clubs: “It was so exciting!” Non- isn’t as exciting as the client-facing parts.”
sporty types can get involved in work “with production
companies and household names, which was amazing!”
Speaking of which, the firm recently acted as production Trainee Life 
counsel for Netflix as it made its first UK-shot film, Re- “The culture is best demonstrated by our wellness pack-
becca. We got the impression that TME offers the most age,” said one insider, and what a wellness package it is:
varied work: “You work across the whole floor, so you en- daily fitness classes, fortnightly massages, monthly ther-
counter all the sectors.” On the advertising side, the group apy sessions and fortnightly talks on mental health are
advised David Beckham on brand ambassador/endorse- all free. Managing partner Glen Atchison tells us more:
ment deals with the likes of adidas and Haig Club whisky, “We could have fit everyone on two floors in our new build-
while on the gaming side lawyers here represent Micro- ing, but we took four so that we had the room to grow and
soft, The Pokémon Company and games studio Dream could have dedicated wellness and breakout rooms. Our
Harvest. yoga/fitness studio is better than most of London’s, given
our river view.” Can Chambers Student have some guest
“I don’t feel like a small cog in a giant passes please? Interviewees were pleased to report that
wheel.” “the fitness classes break down the barriers between us
and senior people. I’m often doing yoga next to our man-
There isn’t a shortage of “the biggest household names” aging partner, which probably doesn’t happen elsewhere!”
over in litigation, either. This seat is split into two three- Even in the midst of a global pandemic, fitness classes
month stints, between commercial litigation and IP on continued via Zoom to “keep our sense of community.”
the one hand, and MIC (the Media Information Group) on
the other. Commercial litigation “isn’t as hands-on” as the “I’m often doing yoga next to our managing
media half according to a source: “There’s a lot of admin, partner, which probably doesn’t happen
but you do get to draft cease and desist letters.” The media
elsewhere!”
side sees trainees assume a Malcolm Tucker-type role:
“Fundamentally, your job is to keep stories out of the press If yoga isn’t your cup of tea, you can also ‘break down
The True Picture

and to stop potential defamatory broadcasts from happen- barriers’ in Harbottle’s eighth-floor café. There aren’t any
ing.” Case in point: the firm recently acted for none other Mean Girls-style “You can’t sit with us!” vibes here: “In my
than Prince Harry, when LA-based Splash News used second week I was eating lunch with another trainee and
a helicopter to photograph his private home. ‘Nuff said. a partner asked if they could join us, which was a big deal.
Another matter saw the team file a successful complaint There’s no social hierarchy.” It’s also a phone-free zone,
against The Daily Telegraph for Melania Trump over false “so everyone sits together and chats for an hour.” Every
claims made about the First Lady’s past. Naturally, it’s a trainee we spoke to waxed lyrical about the “Ottolenghi-
fast-paced seat: “You’ll get a call from someone saying, style” lunch, which is far from school dinner stodge: “It’s
‘This is being broadcast next week,’ so you have to rush genuinely amazing. It’s on another level. We have an app on
around the clock to shut it down – it’s so exciting!” Train- our phone with three different options every day and it’s
ees thought that “it’s the least legal seat – there’s a lot of all free,” said one trainee, while another added: “I really
screenshotting and monitoring newspapers.” missed it when I was on secondment!”

362
chambersstudent.co.uk Harbottle & Lewis LLP H

Further bonding comes in the form of quarterly inter-de- want to qualify into you chat to them, and if they have room
partmental hiking trips: “They take ten people from differ- and like you they’ll take you. It can be problematic that a
ent levels, including support staff, and we walk through the lot of people come here for TME work, so if everyone wants
Lake District for three days, staying in hotels along the way. to qualify there I would be surprised if they took us all on!”
We don’t have to take annual leave for it and they encour- Both of Harbottle’s spring 2020 qualifiers stayed on at
age us not to take our phones. It’s such a good bonding ex- the firm as NQs, but due to Covid-19 the firm did not re-
perience.” As trainees walk towards qualification, things tain any of its three autumn qualifiers.
tend to remain quite informal: “If there’s a department you

Business Class 
Trainees can get involved in each department’s business
development activities regardless of whether they’re sat
with that group or not: “It’s really fantastic and something
you probably couldn’t do at bigger firms.” The sports
lawyers recently let a trainee attend a conference on their
behalf “because they knew that person was interested in the
area.”

The True Picture

363
 www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
H Harbottle & Lewis LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Harbottle & Lewis LLP

7 Savoy Court, London WC2R 0EX
Tel: 020 7667 5000 Partners: 38
Email: [email protected] Instagram: @Harbottle_Lewis Associates: 60
Total trainees: 12
Website: www.harbottle.com/join-us/ LinkedIn: harbottle-&-lewis
UK offices: London
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Harbottle-Lew-
is-Graduate-Recruitment-606946259405982/ Contacts
Lisa Lacuna,
graduate.recruitment@harbottle.
com,
Firm profile 020 7667 5000
Over the last 60 years, we have acted on behalf of some of the most creative, talented, entrepre- Training partners:
neurial and successful people, businesses and corporates across the Private Client and Technology, Melanie Benson, Mark Irving
Media and Entertainment sectors. Our clients range from start-up businesses to multinational
companies; early stage entrepreneurs to established industry leaders; and household names to pri- Application criteria

vate individuals. We pride ourselves on providing strategic and pro-active legal expertise that is Training contracts pa: 6

delivered with industry insight and a commercial approach. Applications pa: 600
Minimum required degree
Examples of some of our clients include: Working Title; Universal Music; Nissan; Emirates; Magic grade: 2:1
Light; National Theatre; Open Table; Hachette UK; Take-Two Interactive/Rockstar Games; The Minimum UCAS points or A
England Cricket Team; Angelina Jolie; Melania Trump, Niklas Zennström (founder of Skype), levels: AAB or equivalent
CrowdEmotion and Virgin Group.
Dates and deadlines
Training contract applications
Main areas of work
open: 1st March 2021
As a full service firm we provide innovative and specialist advice on corporate, commercial, em-
Training contract deadline
ployment, family, finance, intellectual property, litigation, private wealth, property and tax law.
2022/2023 start: 31st May 2021
We also advise on regulatory matters and the legal issues faced by organisations and individuals
in the media spotlight, such as defamation, information protection, privacy and image rights. Our Salary and benefits
service consists of giving in-depth commercial advice to clients in all areas of the communications First-year salary: £37,000
and creative industries including advertising, broadcasting, charity, digital media, fashion, film, Second-year salary: £39,000
music, publishing, sponsorship, sport, television, theatre and video games. As we have been at the Post-qualification salary: £60,000
centre of many of these industries’ largest and most high profile transactions and cases, we have a Holiday entitlement: 25 days,
strong reputation for our work in these areas. increasing to 26 days after 1 year
of service.

Training opportunities Sponsorship

During your two-year training contract with us, you will be given the opportunity to thrive in LPC fees: Yes
our key practice areas, spending six months in four different seats which include; corporate, GDL fees: Yes
employment, family, tax/private client, litigation (commercial and media and information), Maintenance grant pa: £6,000
each for the GDL and LPC
property and commercial (music, sport, advertising, interactive entertainment, intellectual
property, publishing, broadcasting, theatre, film and television). Our smaller trainee intake
coupled with the firm’s unique positioning to provide clients with an end-to-end service, gives our
trainees quality exposure to many different parts of the business, providing invaluable commercial
knowledge and ensuring they have responsibility for a full range of legal tasks.
Additionally, we host internal weekly seminar programmes in both legal topics and industry
know-how. An open door policy and a pragmatic entrepreneurial approach to legal practice will
The True Picture

provide a stimulating working environment.

Other benefits
Lunch provided daily; season ticket loans; private medical insurance, group personal pension
scheme; 25 days holiday; childcare vouchers; cycle to work scheme; free on-site yoga, massage
therapy and fitness classes; employee assistance scheme.

Org ID: 178

364 3 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................
chambersstudent.co.uk Herbert Smith Freehills H

Herbert Smith Freehills

The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Locations: London, Belfast How to get into HSF
Overseas offices: 24
Breakdown of HSF’s disputes
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 160/476/121
Seats: 4x6 months; overseas seats; client secondments groups
First-year salary: £45,000
Qualification salary: £105,000

HSF proves that full-service magic can come from outside that circle.

The Firm  The Seats  

All that glitters is not gold, so we’re told in Lord of the As a disputes heavyweight, it should come as no surprise
Rings. If any firm challenges the need for the term ‘magic that HSF requires every trainee to complete a conten-
circle’ (and makes it look somewhat outdated), it’s Her- tious stint. Two transactional seats are also compulsory.
bert Smith Freehills. It’s long been considered a quality Before starting the training contract and towards the end
rival to those big five, and in litigation the firm is a true of each subsequent seat, trainees put down six prefer-
leader. Along with the top US firms in London, a group- ences from a list of seats within corporate; finance; real
ing within the global elite would be more fitting for HSF. estate; disputes; employment, pensions & incentives;
Chambers Global identifies the firm as a worldwide leader and competition, regulation & trade. “One thing that’s re-
in business & human rights law (where it is one of just two ally good about the training contract is that you can really
firms with this accolade) and dispute resolution and pro- specialise in what you want,” one trainee explained. “If you
jects. In London, Chambers UK recognises the firm’s prow- absolutely loved real estate, for example, you could do real
ess in various litigious areas, including banking disputes, estate, real estate disputes, real estate finance and a real
commercial & corporate, financial crime, international ar- estate secondment.” That would depend, of course, on
bitration (on the construction end of things), and employ- whether you got your top choices every time. Seat allo-
ment. But disputes know-how isn’t HFS’s one ring to rule cation at HSF involves an algorithm – a system that got
them all: projects & energy is a huge deal here, and HSF mixed reviews. Some thought it “works quite well. Before
also gets top billing in Chambers UK for its construction, it was someone’s full-time job in HR, and people would moan
real estate, administrative & public law, employee share about it anyway!” With the current system, “the algorithm
schemes & incentives, insurance, investment funds, and puts in all the rules, where you’re allowed to be and what
rail transport work. your preferences are. Then HR step in and manually move
people around.” From what we could ascertain, “most peo-
“...genuine commitment to improve ple get their preferences.” However, others thought the
diversity.”  system was “opaque. People have put something down as a
fifth option and others have put it as their first, and those in
For some, the huge draw was the firm’s strong litigation the former category have got it.” The training principal and
The True Picture

and corporate practices, plus its global presence, which HR recently met with trainees to provide them with a bit
makes the work “international in nature.” For others, “the more clarity on how the algorithm system works.
ability to get involved in pro bono as a trainee” and the
firm’s “genuine commitment to improve diversity” were ap- As you might expect from a global outfit like HSF, the
pealing. Others mentioned the firm’s culture, while, for firm offers both international and client secondments.
others, “the firm has a good reputation, the work is interest- Most trainees embark on one of these options during
ing and the money is good.” All trainees are based in HSF’s their contract. Neither are available as first seat options,
London office, which can be found in Exchange House but trainees are asked to put at least one secondment
close to Liverpool Street station in the City.
Seat options: corporate; disputes; finance; real estate;
competition regulation and trade; employment, pen-
sions and incentives; digital law group

365
 H Herbert Smith Freehills chambersstudent.co.uk

Chambers UK rankings bank that alleged breach of duty with regard to advising
Administrative & Public Law International Arbitration
shareholders and sharing information; acting for three
Aviation Investment Funds
defendants (including two individuals) who were accused
Banking & Finance Life Sciences
by online grocery shopping outfit Ocado of plotting to use
Banking Litigation Litigation
the company’s confidential information in order to suc-
Capital Markets Outsourcing
ceed in another similar business.
Competition/European Law Partnership
Construction Pensions “...a lot of responsibility given to us, as we
Corporate/M&A Pensions Litigation drafted emergency documents.” 
Data Protection Planning
Employee Share Schemes & Product Liability
For trainees, disputes seats, whatever their flavour, “tend
Incentives Professional Discipline
to be quite admin-heavy.” Sources explained that a lot of
Employment Professional Negligence
the complex strategising is done “at the senior levels,” so
Energy & Natural Projects
trainees can expect to do “lots of billing and bundling”
Resources alongside a fair bit of project management work on cases.
Public International Law
Environment “Doc review is a huge element of being in disputes,” said
Public Procurement
Financial Crime one source, “so you review thousands of documents to un-
Real Estate
Financial Services derstand the root of the matter.” However, sources inter-
Real Estate Finance
Fraud viewees did say that “the firm tries to balance” the more
Real Estate Litigation
Health & Safety administrative aspects with more substantive work. “To-
Restructuring/Insolvency
Information Technology wards the end of the seat it got more interesting as people
Tax
Infrastructure came to trust me a bit more,” recalled one. Trainees also
Telecommunications
Insurance mentioned “drafting notes and minutes, doing research,
Transport
Intellectual Property and being part of team and client meetings – either in a si-
lent capacity or to take notes.”

Advising major names on their investments and devel-

preference for each remaining stint. We heard that most opments is the name of the game in HSF’s real estate
client secondments occupy the third seat (often with department. Clients include investment companies like
banks or consultancy companies), while “a lot of second- Brookfield and Aberdeen Standard Investments, as well
seaters have done an international secondment.” The lat- as developers like Chinese company Greenland. The team
ter are “competitive,” sources explained, “and the reason recently represented private equity outfit Blackstone and
people get sent to certain locations is because that’s the its partner M7 Real Estate on several UK acquisitions,
best place for them; you get matched based on where you including that of Hansteen, a London-listed warehouse
want to qualify and where you’ve sat.” For example, if you landlord. They’ve also been advising developer and inves-
want to do the “dispute secondment in Tokyo, you probably tor British Land and its joint venture partner on various
would’ve had to have sat in disputes, expressed disputes big development sites in the City, including locations in
as your qualification preference and then have been ear- and around Liverpool Street, Exchange Square and Fins-
marked as someone the firm is likely to retain.” bury Avenue. Like disputes, there’s a “shift from admin
to drafting” as trainees progress in the seat. While our
Talking of disputes, the department is split into seven dis- impression of disputes was of larger matters being the
tinct groups. For example, Group 2 covers general com- norm, “in real estate there are quite a few small matters,
mercial litigation, as well as energy (oil, gas, electricity, which you can handle by yourself.” Trainees added that
natural resources and utilities), media, competition and during the Covid-19 crisis there was “a lot of responsibility
professional negligence disputes. Group 5, meanwhile, given to us, as we drafted emergency documents.” Several
The True Picture

does specialist international arbitration work; investment trainees mentioned having “fantastic client contact,” with
treaty and international commercial arbitrations; public one explaining that they’d been “emailing clients directly
international law and boundary disputes. Clients include and had good opportunities for exposure to the other side.”
governments, state-owned entities, major international Sources admitted the work can be “quite dry in parts and
corporations and financial institutions. For a full run- document-heavy: creating transaction bibles and managing
down of the groups, go online. In addition to the seven documents around completion can be both stressful and
groups, disputes also houses the firm’s IP team. Recent not massively fulfilling.” Despite that, sources were glad to
highlights for HSF’s disputes arm include representing run the smaller matters and said it was a “really support-
Standard Chartered Bank and its Hong Kong subsidiary ive and friendly team; the partners aren’t scary!” Good to
during a series of arbitrations over its investment into a hear. Trainees also enjoyed the “pace of the department.”
power station based in Tanzania; defending Lloyds Bank-
ing Group during a group litigation brought against the

366
chambersstudent.co.uk Herbert Smith Freehills H

Chambers UK notes HSF’s corporate abilities in the tech- which trainees said instilled a “sense of helping each other
nology, financial services and real estate sectors. Public out.” Trainees are my “first port of call for questions on
M&A deals are a notable strength for the department; new tasks,” one added. This is not to say that those higher
recent highlights on this front include acting for Virgin up were unavailable to trainees, as several sources also
Atlantic on the set-up for its consortium bid (via an en- highlighted the “approachability of partners” and the “sup-
tity called Connect Airways) to acquire the airline Flybe, portive” culture at the firm. HSF has a “reputation for hav-
as well as representing telecoms equipment manufac- ing a more compassionate work environment,” and our in-
turer ARRIS International on its mega acquisition by terviewees’ comments go some way to back this up. One
CommScope for $7.4 billion. The latter involved parties in trainee cheerfully admitted that they’d “made some mis-
the US, and many deals here have cross-border elements. takes, and it was good to feel like I could admit that freely
Another international deal saw HSF representing Sky on without being yelled at!”
its acquisition of a stake in video software provider Sy-
namedia (which has a workforce spread across China, Sources added that “when you start, the importance of
Canada, the US, the UK, India, Belgium and Israel). Sourc- mental health is hammered into you. You know where the
es here said they spent a fair amount of time reviewing mental health champions are on your floor.” We also heard
contracts, conducting due diligence and drafting ancil- that the firm leans “heavily into mental health week.” While
lary documents, alongside project managing deals. While respect for mental wellbeing runs throughout the firm,
the department is no stranger to huge deals like those several sources mentioned that the culture was often
mentioned above, there’s still scope for trainees to take “completely different in different teams,” especially when
on smaller transactions, which enabled one interviewee it came to the social life: “Some leaders are great manag-
to run “a couple of signings by myself.” ers of the teams and are good at putting on social events.
And then there are other teams where nothing happens.”
“...pro bono work builds so many skills Despite around half of our respondents saying they were
as you manage the cases yourself.” stressed, they also overwhelmingly said they were happy,
which leads us to speculate that the stress reported is
For those looking for something different to supplement hopefully that of the good, motivational kind.
their work, pro bono was described as “one of the best
things the firm does. Every trainee is required to volunteer In terms of hours, interviewees felt that HSF is better in
for the Whitechapel Legal Advice Clinic.” The firm requires comparison to its competitors, with most sources report-
trainees to “go there once every six weeks to work on a ing working between eight and ten hours a day. Howev-
case or two.” The clinic provides employment, housing er, we were warned that when cases got busy, “that’s…
and consumer advice to those who need it. For HSF train- yeah… very intense, with very late nights.” How late? “Usu-
ees, doing this work led to “so much responsibility. You ally 10pm to midnight, with a week of 2am finishes.” Brace
interview a client and take on their case.” Some attended yourselves for some late nights when deals heat up too.
employment tribunals, where they “stood and represented However, we heard that holidays are “well respected,” ir-
clients.” Overall, sources felt that “pro bono work builds respective of where you are in a matter. Our sources ad-
so many skills as you manage the cases yourself.” Another mitted that “you work incredibly hard on a consistent ba-
commented that the clinic is where they “learnt the most. sis,” but most felt that both the workload and the hours
I want to qualify into disputes because of Whitechapel.” were manageable.
During the Covid-19 crisis, trainees said there was a lot of
work “for people who have lost their jobs during the pan- For those looking to stay on at the firm, sources ex-
demic.” plained that HR “calls you to find out where you want to
qualify and what your second preference is.” Meanwhile,
practice groups meet to figure out how many NQs they
Trainee Life  need. HR “then approach the teams to tell them how many
The True Picture

Trainees felt positive about the level of support they’d want to qualify into that team and find out how many the
received from senior lawyers and felt nurtured by the department can take.” Once HR has had those conversa-
partners. Across the seats, interviewees commented on tions, “it publishes a vacancies list, normally around May.”
the good training they’d had on interesting work. For the Trainees then submit written applications for NQ roles
60-odd first-year trainees, a big plus was that the firm that interest them, with each one consisting of a “cover
requires them to all do their LPC at BPP. With the intro- letter, your performance reviews in a pack and a mini CV,
duction of the SQE, HSF will continue its relationship with which you then send to the team you want to qualify into.”
BPP, and expects its trainees will begin coming through After that there are interviews and trainees usually find
that route from November 2022. “There’s a nice camarade- out what their destiny will be in June each year. In 2020,
rie that comes out of it,” the BPP grads said. “Trainees are 49 of 64 qualifiers took up NQ roles with HSF, with one
social and keen to stay connected.” On top of this histori- fixed-term contract.
cal link, the firm “does quite a lengthy induction process,”

367
 www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
H Herbert Smith Freehills chambersstudent.co.uk

Herbert Smith Freehills LLP

Exchange House, Primrose Street, London EC2A 2EG
Tel: 020 7374 8000 Facebook: HSFgraduatesUK Partners: 160 (London)
Email: [email protected] Instagram: @hsfgraduatesuk 495 (Global)
Website: www.careers.herbertsmithfreehills.com/uk/grads Associates: 476 (London)
Total trainees: 121 (UK)
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/herbert-smith-freehills/
UK offices: 2
Overseas offices: 24
Firm profile
The future of law is here. Contacts
We are Herbert Smith Freehills, a leading, full-service, global law firm working on some of the world’s Graduate recruiter:
biggest cases and deals at the forefront of the world’s most exciting sectors. With an award winning [email protected]
020 7374 8000
depth of expertise across a wide variety of sectors, geographies and legal specialisms, we’re the firm
where you can build your future in law. Application criteria
Training contracts pa: 60
Main areas of work Minimum required degree grade:
Our work is incredibly varied. We provide top-quality tailored legal advice to major corporations, 2:1
governments and financial institutions as well as various commercial organisations. We operate at Vacation scheme places pa: 100
the forefront of many exciting sectors and combine legal expertise with a global perspective and local
Dates and deadlines
insight. Our dispute resolution practice is widely recognised as number one globally and this includes Training contract deadline, 2022
both our leading international arbitration practice and award-winning in-house advocacy unit. We start: 4th December 2020
can therefore offer a complete litigation service and a realistic alternative career to the Bar. We also Winter vacation scheme applica-
specialise in finance, competition, regulation and trade, intellectual property, real estate and more. As tions open: 14th September 2020
Winter vacation scheme 2021
a truly global law firm, we do this by attracting the brightest minds across the world to collaborate on
deadline: 2nd October 2020
work which has an international impact. Spring and Summer vacation
scheme applications open:
Trainee opportunities 14th September 2020
Herbert Smith Freehills’ trainees are a part of it all. The training contract balances contentious and non- Spring and Summer vacation
contentious work with pro bono opportunities and real responsibility. Trainees rotate around four, scheme 2021 deadline:
4th December 2020
six-month seats with the opportunity to go on secondment either to a client or to one of the firm’s
international offices. We only recruit future trainees from our vacation schemes and all candidates are Salary and benefits
guaranteed an interview for a training contract at the end of their vacation scheme. These schemes have First-year salary: £45,000
been specifically designed to build and test the unique skills and knowledge required to succeed at the Second-year salary: £50,000
firm. Total cash potential: £105,000
Holiday entitlement: 25 days

Vacation scheme Sponsorship

We provide paid vacation schemes in winter, spring and summer. LPC fees: Yes
GDL fees: Yes
Application deadlines: – Winter vacation scheme: 14 September - 2 October 2020
– Spring and summer vacation schemes: 14 September - 4 December 2020 International and regional
UK offices with training contracts:
Other benefits London
Herbert Smith Freehills provide a number of employee benefits which include: 25 days’ annual leave, Graduate opportunities also
pension contributions, private medical insurance, life assurance, subsidised gym membership, cycle to available in: Europe, USA, Asia,
Australia and South Africa
work scheme, travel insurance, interest-free season ticket loan, access to a mortgage broker, corporate
discounts and many more.
The True Picture

Open days and first-year opportunities

First Year Workshop: Applications open 1 January – 31 January 2021. The workshops will be held on
29 – 30 March 2021 and 12 – 13 April 2021.
Intellectual Property, Cyber and Technology Open Day: 18 November 2020. Applications open 14
September - 25 October 2020.
Disputes Open Day: 25 November 2020. Applications open 14 September - 11 October 2020.
Innovation Open Day: 11 November 2020. Applications open 14 September – 11 October 2020.

University law careers fairs 2020

We will be attending 25 virtual law fairs in the UK. Details of these can be found on our website.

Org ID: 189

368 5 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................
chambersstudent.co.uk Hewitsons LLP H

Hewitsons LLP
The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Locations: Cambridge, Northampton, Milton Keynes, How to get into Hewitsons
London
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 41/57/9
Seats: 4x6 months
First-year salary: £24,000 (Cambridge, Northampton,
London)
Qualification salary: £40,500 (Cambridge, Northampton,
London)

Property and private wealth-powered Hewitsons hopes to “capitalise on

the Oxbridge corridor” and break into the UK’s top 100 firms.

The Firm ond-years will normally get priority; each office offers a
It might sound like a boat full of boffins, but the Oxford- slightly different palette of seats with the widest variety
Cambridge Arc is in fact a region of the UK that the gov- available in Northampton and Cambridge. Head to our
ernment has committed to invest heavily in, building new website for the full breakdown.
homes and improving local infrastructure and transport
links. Where there’s money, you’ll no doubt find lots of
lawyers – and with offices in Cambridge, Northampton, The Seats 
Milton Keynes and London, Hewitsons is as well placed Sources found their private wealth seat to be “one of the
as any firm to reap the rewards. “We want to make sure busiest of all.” The team works for high net worth individu-
we’re a part of what happens there,” trainees said. “This is als and families including “longstanding clients with a lot
definitely the area we’re looking to grow in and focus on in of existing, long-term work. We do everything from the crea-
terms of both clients and practices.” tion of wills to lasting powers of attorney to the formation
of trusts – everything from the moment someone passes
Hewitsons already represents various Oxford and Cam- away to the distribution of the estate.” Trainees here also
bridge colleges as well as local businesses in the corri- get insight into the firm’s tax practice, advising clients on
dor. Its commercial practice earns impressive Chambers inheritance tax planning. Interviewees agreed that “you
UK rankings in East Anglia covering construction, envi- get a lot of client contact in this seat” – one estimated they
ronment, IP, litigation, planning and real estate; the firm “see clients at least four times a week.” A private client
also scores accolades in Northampton and Cambridge for seat also offers drafting experience. “I drafted an awful
agriculture work. If you’re looking for something more… lot of wills, including interesting ones dealing with property
hush-hush, Hewitsons’ private wealth practice scores abroad,” a trainee said; others drafted letters to clients
rankings in Cambridge, Northampton and Milton Keynes. and “lasting powers of attorney.”
Cambridge housed six trainees at the time of our calls;
The True Picture

five were in the Northampton office; and London was A seat in property tends to focus on mostly commer-
home to three. cial property, sometimes with residential and develop-
ment aspects. Interviewees had a hand in commercial
“This is definitely the area we’re looking to tenancies for shops, factories and offices; landlord/ten-
grow in.”  ant work (“mainly working for the landlord” ); leases and
licence alterations, and leasehold enfranchisements.
The firm sorts new arrivals into their first seat. Before Some worked “on a couple of refinancing matters” too.
each rotation, trainees discuss their preferences with Hewitsons’ team in Northampton recently advised the
HR about halfway through the current seat. “They asked United Church Schools Foundation on the acquisition of
me not only where I’d like to go next, but which seats I was
generally interested in and which ones I’d rather not sit in,” Seat options: agriculture; corporate; employment; con-
one impressed interviewee said. As at many firms, sec- tentious; commercial property; and private wealth

369
 H Hewitsons LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Chambers UK rankings tentious private client, sources enjoyed “a lot of client

Agriculture & Rural Affairs Litigation
contact” as well as experience writing letters and other
Construction Planning
court documents. Over in commercial litigation, trainees
Corporate/M&A Real Estate
juggled various contractual disputes including in the ag-
Intellectual Property Real Estate Litigation
ricultural sector (“the firm has a lot of farming clients and
is on the National Farmers’ Union panel” ), as well as some
probate-linked litigation. The Cambridge office regularly
handles cases linked to the nearby ‘Silicon Fen’ – invari-
independent schools in Hertfordshire and Surrey; in Cam- ably IP and patent litigation for science and tech clients.
bridge the firm acted for Hill Residential in transactions Hewitsons acted for a soft drinks brand in a trade mark
for the University’s North-West Cambridge development dispute involving multiple multimillion-pound proceed-
site. Sources in London dabbled in work on “high-end, ings in the EU and UK trade mark registries. Trainees
high-value residential property, mainly based around Kens- found they were “doing intensive research, as there’s al-
ington and Chelsea.” As in private wealth, sources noticed ways something new in every dispute,” and preparing me-
that the firm has “quite a lot of long-term clients, so we’ll diation bundles and witness statements. The firm’s com-
do renewals of a lease that we’ve worked on previously.” mercial disputes clients include the British Institute of
Day to day, trainee sources handled “lots of Land Registry Interior Design and RSPB.
applications” as well as a fair bit of research and review-
ing agreements. Some had also “tackled the first draft of
a report on title, drafted leases and some small licences.” Trainee Life
All things considered, trainees were pleased with the re- “A lot of people have been here for a very long time,” a train-
sponsibilities available: “If I’m honest, the firm is brilliant at ee told us. “What that means is people know each other
saying ‘have a go at this’.” very well and the firm has more of a family feel.” In North-
ampton, the open plan office ensures plenty of face time
“The firm is brilliant at saying ‘have a go at with your work family, but even in other bases with “more
this’.” split, traditional offices, there’s never an issue of not being
able to knock on someone’s door. Nobody feels intimidat-
Corporate and employment are grouped into one seat ing or unapproachable.” Trainees across Hewitsons told
in Northampton but are separate seats in Cambridge. In us they were “encouraged to visit other offices and meet
London, employment is usually paired with corporate in- people. When a firm is spread out like this, there’s a risk
solvency. Trainees saw a mix of corporate deals includ- that each office becomes its own colony, but Hewitsons has
ing asset sales, company formations and restructurings; done well to prevent that.” The secret to the firm’s suc-
general corporate governance is also par for the course cess? Inter-office rounders matches and a firmwide pub
here. Hewitsons’ mid-market practice scores a top Cham- quiz.In Cambridge, the social scene is largely a sporty
bers UK ranking in Northampton for its work with SMEs one: netball, football and cricket teams participate in local
and owner-managed businesses, recently advising on leagues, competing against other law firms.Northampton
the acquisition of the Lilac Rabbit public house in Isham suggested that “more charity events” are the norm there.
by the local community via a new company, Lilacs Isham
Limited. International businesses like ACF Technologies, “On the rare occasions you have to work
Gambling.com and SMC can also be found on the firm’s late, people check in to make sure you
client roster. In London, sources worked for “a lot of sports
don’t stay too long.” 
clients who need commercial assistance. We might be look-
ing at service-level agreements for these large sports Trainees across the network were please to find their
organisations.” Other common trainee tasks in transac- hours had been “very reasonable” so far. Of course, they
tional matters include managing data rooms, reviewing can “vary depending on how busy you are,” but sources
The True Picture

disclosure requirements, conducting company searches emphasised that “on the rare occasions you have to work
and general deal support research. “What’s interesting is late, people check in to make sure you don’t stay too long.”
I’ve been able to really focus on one area,” an insider said. Most interviewees rocked up to work by 9am and left
“When queries come in from clients, I can deal with them “just before 6pm on an average day.” Several found “the
myself – with supervision – and it’s nice to build those rela- private wealth seat was the busiest –I left after 6 more times
tionships.” in that seat.” On the other hand, trainees in commercial
property were often able to head home by 5.30 – even our
Hewitsons trainees can get contentious experience sources in London were impressed, describing the hours
through a seat in commercial litigation, property litiga- as “one of the perks of working at Hewitsons.”
tion or contentious trusts and probate. The last of those
covers “any dispute that arises after death – often in terms Before qualification season, HR sends round a list of NQ
of people challenging wills for invalidity.” As in non-con- positions available across all four offices. Teams then

370
chambersstudent.co.uk Hewitsons LLP H

hold interviews (“which really feel more like conversations

than interviews” ), and soon let trainees know whether
they’ve been offered the job or not. There was disap-
pointment in London in 2020, as no NQ jobs were avail-
able there. Nationwide, Hewitsons retained four of seven
trainees.

All I want for Christmas is...

Hewitsons holds a firmwide Christmas party every two
years, bringing everybody to one location; on the in-
between years “each department gets some money to go
towards Christmas dinners.”

The True Picture

371
 www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
H Hewitsons LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Hewitsons LLP
Shakespeare House 42 Newmarket Road, Cambridge CB5 8EP
Tel: 01223 461155 Partners: 41
Email: [email protected] Associates and solicitors: 61
Website: www.hewitsons.com/careers/trainees Total trainees: 14
UK offices: Cambridge, London,
Northampton, Milton Keynes
Overseas offices: None
Firm profile but a founder member of
Established in 1865, the firm handles a range of work for businesses, public sector clients and LawExchange International.
private individuals. The firm has offices in Cambridge, London, Northampton and Milton Keynes.
Contacts
Sally Denton, Senior HR
Main areas of work Executive
The firm has six business units which are agriculture, corporate and employment, private wealth, [email protected]
real estate, residential property and contentious. 01604 463122

Application criteria
Training opportunities Training contracts pa: 12
Training is provided over four six-month seats and the firm is generally supportive of those train- Applications pa: 500
ees who are able to reduce their training time. The firm works closely with the trainees so that they Minimum required degree grade:
can train in areas of their interest. 2:1 minimum

Trainees will be supervised by a partner and their professional development is monitored through- Minimum A levels: AAB minimum
Work experience:
out.
June, July, August

Work experience Dates and deadlines

The firm operates a vacation scheme in June, July and August for undergraduates. A selection Training contract applications
process with interview applies. open: 1st July 2021
Training contract deadline, 2023:
Application is by way of letter and CV to [email protected] 31st August 2021

Other benefits Salary and benefits

22 days holiday rising to 27 days, Death in Service – three times salary, income protection insur- First-year salary: £24,000

ance, private healthcare (subject to eligibility period), cycleShare scheme. Second-year salary: £24,500
Post-qualification salary: £40,500
Holiday entitlement: 22 and bank
holiday and extra Christmas day

Sponsorship
LPC fees: No
GDL fees: No
Maintenance grant pa: No

International and regional

Offices with training contracts:
Generally Cambridge and
Northampton with placements in
London and Milton Keynes
The True Picture

Org ID: 191

372 2 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................
chambersstudent.co.uk HFW H

HFW
The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Location: London How to get into HFW
Overseas offices: 19
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 67/113/26
Seats: 4x6 months; overseas seats
First-year salary: £41,000
Qualification salary: £66,000

If shipping and logistics float your boat, then set a course for the shining

shores of HFW.

The Firm HFW typically recruits around 15 trainees a year. “I wasn’t

Yo ho, me hearties! Raise anchor and pipe up the crew, sure whether I wanted to be a litigator, a corporate lawyer or
we’re entering the stormy waters of maritime law. “HFW a finance lawyer when I first applied,” one told us. Keeping
is one of the first names to pop up when you Google ‘ship- an open mind is great, but it’s hard to avoid litigation work
ping law’,” trainees recalled of their time researching po- at HFW, and trainees are likely to do three of their four
tential employers. “Before arriving, I knew the reputation seats in contentious departments. If a trainee is particu-
of the firm, particularly the piracy stuff…” That doesn’t larly interested in transactional work, the firm tells us it
mean HFW’s lawyers are swigging rum and talking to will try to accommodate their preferences.
parrots: the firm’s one of the pre-eminent names in piracy
law, even though it’s a fairly small chunk of its practice. Applicants should also prepare for some travel: “I real-
Recent cases include helping to secure the release of ly wanted to work abroad so I only applied for firms that
37 hostages from seven different vessels in the Gulf of provided the option of an overseas seat,” a source said.
Guinea area in 2019, and working pro bono to secure the “HFW went one better: the overseas seat is guaranteed for
release of Mohammad Sharif Panahandeh after his kid- all trainees.” The firm expects this will resume as normal
napping by pirates and four-year captivity. once government guidelines allow. The mandatory trip
was a big hook for many of our interviewees, alongside
Casting eyes over the seven seas, HFW boasts 20 offices the firm’s niche practices.
worldwide. Shipping is one of the firm’s strongest suits,
earning it a top national Chambers UKranking, but it’s far
from the whole story: since 2003, HFW’s self-described The Seats
six major areas of business have included shipping; ener- We also heard that “most people do a shipping seat” (fi-
gy and resources; aerospace; insurance and reinsurance; nance and litigation options are available), and everyone
construction; and commodities. It also picks up top prizes will sit in at least one transactional department to meet
in Chambers UKfor aviation, commodities and transport SRA requirements. Before starting, trainees put down
The True Picture

logistics. HFW opened a new office in Monaco last year. “three preferences, and the firm tries to guarantee one first
The Middle East has been a recent focus for growth – the preference across the training contract. It usually works
firm expanded its construction practice there and now out and most people get their second or third choices each
has specialists in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Kuwait City. Latin time.” Litigious seat options include shipping; insurance
America has been another focus in recent years: the firm and reinsurance; energy and resources; commodities;
has a cooperation arrangement with Brazilian firm CAL,
which has offices in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo.
Seat options: aerospace; commodities; commodities
“I only applied for law firms that provided (trade finance); commodities (regulatory); construction;
the option of an overseas seat. HFW went energy & resources; energy & resources (EU, compe-
one better: the overseas seat is guaranteed tition & regulatory); insurance (litigation); insurance
(transactional); shipping (litigation); shipping (finance)
for all trainees.”
373
 H HFW chambersstudent.co.uk

Chambers UK rankings Commodities is another HFW specialism. The firm

represents four of the six supermajors (aka the largest
Asset Finance Insurance privately-owned oil and gas companies) and 14 of
Aviation Litigation the 16 largest commodities trading businesses. HFW
Commodities Shipping represented Turkish bank Garanti in a High Court case
Construction Transport brought against Drum Risk Management, alleging
Fraud Travel the ‘misappropriation’ of millions of dollars’ worth of
coal. Five trainees sit in this big group, usually within
partner-led subgroups, which may focus on a certain
type of commodity such as sugar, grain or general
construction; and aerospace, though several of these de-
shipping commodities. A word of caution: this can be
partments also have a transactional component.
an intense seat as the teams deal with different time
zones. As such, we heard that some partner supervisors
Shipping at HFW comes in wet and dry forms. Wet ship-
in the department have a bit of a reputation for their
ping deals with issues that arise at sea – “collisions, sal-
high expectations of trainees. Drafting opportunities
vages, groundings” – while the dry work involves contrac-
include “contractual terms, claims submissions and letters.
tual disputes, “mostly cargo stuff: bills of lading, loss of
It feels good to get that responsibility.” Many rounded
cargo, non-delivery of goods, etc.” In contrast to some of
things off with public-facing work, “writing client alerts
the more “lawyerly” departments of the firm, interviewees
and promotional materials.” Most trainees enjoyed their
described shipping as “really open door: people just walk
seat here, though a few complained of boredom in
into each other’s offices and you feel free to speak your
their work tasks. These included “managing disclosure
mind.” The firm’s shipping finance practice involves ad-
and document handling,” as well as “going to visit client
vising on offshore contracts, as well as cybersecurity (to
offices. It’s a very document management-heavy seat, with
stop a different kind of piracy!) and shipping technology
some research and client interaction.”
concerns. HFW acted for Riverside Resource Recovery on
construction negotiations for multiple barges in Europe,
and the associated security arrangements. “I don’t think HFW’s dedicated energy and resources seat scored
there’s a more international area of law than shipping, as unanimously good reports from trainees. It handles a lot
goods are moving all around the world,” a trainee reasoned. of corporate work, but this ain’t your average City prac-
tice – deals involve transport, ports, terminals and related
“‘I don’t think you’re going to write infrastructure. “All the training sessions are mandatory in
anything out of this world, so feel free to transactional seats,” interviewees revealed. “We get gen-
eralist training about financial instruments like guarantees,
draft and send it.’”
bonds and indemnities.” Advising funds makes up a sizea-
Insiders said the shipping litigation department “gives ble chunk of the firm’s transactional wing: clients include
you responsibility straight away. You’re not treated as a Thomas Miller Investments, Markerstudy and the Under-
first-seater, but as someone who wants to get to work.” writer Group. HFW recently represented the founder of
HFW has recently acted for shipping giant DFDS Sea- WH Ireland on the establishment of a dry bulk freight
ways during the dispute between Eurotunnel and the UK operator based in Singapore, financed by a $105 million
government after the tendering process for extra ferry fund-raising; and the AIM-listed Regal Petroleum during
capacity in case of a no-deal Brexit; and the wonderfully- its $40 million acquisition of oil and gas production as-
named Norwegian insurance firm Den Norske Krigsfor- sets in Ukraine.
sikring for Skib, after a vessel was attacked in Fujairah
anchorage in May 2019 by hostile forces using explosives. “Getting to grapple with a different legal
One of our sources recalled working on a “grounding case system was very interesting.”
where a ship hit a reef, and the cargo owner sued the ship
The True Picture

owner for the delay.” They helped deal with salvaging is- The majority of our sources enjoyed their international
sues and “the subsequent arbitration, as there was a dis- secondment. “We were really well taken care of in our seat
pute over the cost.” Another trainee outlined the course abroad,” they explained. HFW organises accommodation
of their seat: “Over the first few days you’ll ask supervisors close to their office for travelling trainees and gets them
to check work, but one said: ‘I don’t think you’re going to settled in quickly; most that we spoke to agreed they got
write anything out of this world, so feel free to draft and “so much more responsibility abroad,” which they were
send it.’” Tough love? Day-to-day tasks for trainees in- happy to receive, though there were drawbacks. “The
clude bundling; liaising with counsel; drafting settlement hours have been crazy, to be honest with you,” a trainee
agreements, instructions for experts and advice notes; confided. “I’ve regularly worked 55-to-60-hour weeks.”
and legal research. Others had a very different take: “The secondment has
been too relaxed for me. It got to be mind-numbing at
times.” Weighing up respective pros and cons, everyone

374
chambersstudent.co.uk HFW H

“had a pretty good experience overall. Getting to grapple happy with the initial levels of training; for the majority,
with a different legal system was very interesting.” Scoring “the supervision was fantastic” overall. “When I was super
the international seat of your dreams can require some busy my team would be checking to see if I could leave my
clever negotiation: “You have an initial chat with HR about tasks until the next day or get help from another trainee.” In
preferences and they help you piece together what you addition, the firm runs two trainee technical training pro-
want. As you’re guaranteed one first-choice seat, you can grammes throughout the training contract: one focusing
try to offer to sit in a London department you didn’t want in on transactional law and the other on dispute resolution.
exchange for choice of the international seat.” Very crafty. HFW fared well at keeping trainees in the loop during the
2020 coronavirus lockdown: “We’re on Zoom every bloody
day!” They took that as a good thing, to be clear! “The firm
Trainee Life has run quizzes and team meetings every week; everyone is
“The general trend is that there a lots of explorers here making sure that trainees are okay and even bad news has
– if you don’t like to travel, you’re a bit buggered, actu- been given to us transparently and clearly.”
ally.” Trainees described the folks at HFW as “generally
friendly, approachable and down to earth,” and found they Our interviewees were happy to concede what they didn’t
fit right in. As befits a firm of adventurers, seafarers and know – “as a first-seater you’re still trying to find your arse
explorers, we heard tales of colourful language tickling from your mouth” – but all agreed that the firm’s diversity
trainees: “One of the quotes I remember from a senior asso- efforts “could be better. I’m afraid it reflects that of the cli-
ciate was ‘Arses are for sitting, not kissing. If you don’t have ents, and shipping is a male-dominated industry.” Gender
work, go home.’” The hours at HFW are fairly forgiving by diversity levels are “fine at trainee level but there are fewer
City firm standards –“8.45am to 6 or 6.30pm in the office is and fewer women as you look up the ranks.” In 2015, HFW
normal,” and most trainees worked eight-to-ten-hour days set itself a target to hit 30% female partners by 2020;
on average. “If you’ve got something urgent to do, stay, but today women partnership stands at 14%. “It makes a huge
if you’ve got something that can be done tomorrow, then difference for a junior woman to see role models, and more
you can do it tomorrow.” This general attitude might be could definitely be done to encourage women into senior
why HFW doesn’t fork out for “after-hours food or taxis” legal roles.” The picture isn’t much better in terms of eth-
for trainees who dohave to work late. Interviewees had nic or LGBTQ+ diversity, “which makes you wonder how
plenty of time to enjoy a “pretty good social culture. There diverse candidates feel about coming into the firm.” While
are usually midweek drinks down at the Habit wine bar there’s plenty of work to be done here, the firm earned
downstairs.” more positive feedback on its approach to mental health:
“We’re part of the mindful business charter, and HFW does
“‘Arses are for sitting, not for kissing. Go seem to care about the wellbeing of trainees, even if some
home.’” partners still have old-fashioned views.”

Hours and social life got a thumbs up, but trainees gave As qualification approached, most of our interviewees
more mixed reviews on training and supervision at were, however, hoping to stay on with the firm long-term,
HFW. “I spent a lot of time in my current seat twiddling my noting that “as there’s a relatively small trainee cohort,
thumbs, and then went out and got work from other depart- we’re all very close,” so competitive spirit was nowhere
ments,” a frustrated source said. “I have been disappointed to be found. “Although a law firm is hierarchical by nature,
by my supervisors. The first was a brilliant lawyer at the top HFW doesn’t always feel like that.” HFW retained 12 of 17
of their game but they gave me no feedback for six months; qualifiers in 2020, but the firm usually holds on to at least
I didn’t understand why you’d take a trainee but not take 80% of its trainees.
time to train them.” Around one in three trainees were un-
The True Picture

No filter
For a more visual take on trainee life at HFW, check
out the life_at_hfw Instagram account; it’s run by the
trainees themselves, and they’ve given us some real food
envy during our research process.

375
 www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
H HFW chambersstudent.co.uk

HFW
Friary Court, 65 Crutched Friars, London, EC3N 2AE
Tel: 020 7264 8000 Twitter: @HFWGrads Partners: 182
Email: [email protected] Associates: 302
Website: www.hfw.com/graduate-recruitment Total trainees: 35
UK offices: London
Overseas offices: 19

Firm profile Contacts

We are a sector-focused, entrepreneurial law firm. But there’s more to us than that. We have a Graduate recruiter: Sarah Burson
passion for the sectors we work in — whether we are solving complex issues across construction, [email protected]
aviation and shipping, or providing advice across insurance, commodities and energy. We’re 0207 264 8293
people who like to get things done. Our clients say ‘less traditional’ – ‘progressive’, even. We say Training partner: Nigel Wick
we’re specialist lawyers here to add value to our clients.
Application criteria
Training contracts pa: 15
Main areas of work Applications pa: 1000
Aerospace, commodities, construction, energy, financial institutions, insurance and reinsurance, Minimum required degree grade:
logistics, mining, ports and terminals, shipping, space, yachts, travel, cruise and leisure. 2:1 (mitigating circumstances
considered)
Vacation scheme places pa: 35
Training opportunities
Every year we recruit only a small number of trainees — around 15 per year split across a September Dates and deadlines
and a March intake. This enables us to give every trainee our full attention, and means that your Training contract applications
individual contribution makes a real difference. A training contract at HFW consists of four six open: 1st October 2020
month seats — very often three contentious seats and one transactional seat. Typically trainees Training contract deadline
spend at least one seat outside of London in an international office. Overall, we aim to provide you 2023/24 start: 31st July 2021
with a dynamic, supportive and varied environment in which you are challenged to become the Vacation scheme applications
best lawyer you can be and encouraged to contribute to the success of our global business. open: 1st October 2020
Vacation scheme 2021 deadline:
31st January 2021
Vacation schemes
Our vacation schemes are a key part of our recruitment process for trainees and we interview all of Salary and benefits
our vacation scheme participants for a training contract. Completing a vacation scheme provides First-year salary: £41,000
you with a valuable insight into our industry sectors, our global reach and our culture. Post-qualification salary: £66,000
We typically recruit around 85% of our trainees from our vacation schemes. Holiday entitlement: 25 days

Sponsorship
Other benefits LPC fees: Yes
Study assistance and grants; generous contributory pension; optional season ticket loan; group life GDL fees: Yes
cover, personal accident insurance and income protection; non-contributory medical insurance; Maintenance grant pa: £7000
private GP scheme; other voluntary benefits including gym membership, cycle to work scheme,
dental insurance, dining card, home insurance, travel insurance, Give as You Earn. Music lessons International and regional

and on-site massage. Offices with training contracts:

London and Hong Kong
Overseas seats: Varies – recent
Open days and first-year opportunities secondment locations have
We run an open day for individuals who are in at least their penultimate year of a law degree/final included Abu Dhabi, Dubai,
year of a non-law degree in the winter of each year. Geneva, Hong Kong, Melbourne,
Monaco, Piraeus, Singapore
The True Picture

We run an insight day aimed at first year students in the spring. Client secondments: Vary

University law careers fairs 2020

We will be attending a number of virtual law fairs and events in 2020. Please see our website for
details.

Org ID: 197

376 3 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................
www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-ZHill
of Law Firms
chambersstudent.co.uk Dickinson H

Hill Dickinson
No. 1 St Paul’s Square, Liverpool, L3 9SJ
Tel: 0151 600 8000 Twitter: @HD_Trainees Partners and legal directors: 185
Email: [email protected] Senior associates: 80
Website: www.hilldickinson.com Associates: 135
Total trainees: 30
Firm profile UK offices: Liverpool, Manchester,
London, Leeds
At Hill Dickinson, we understand that our people, our clients and our communities are at the heart
Overseas offices: 4
of everything we do. We are an internationally recognised law firm that delivers advice and strategic
guidance spanning the full legal spectrum across the UK, Europe and Asia. With more than 850 people, Contacts
including 185 partners and legal directors, our trainees gain direct exposure to clients from the start, Graduate recruiter:
Emma McAvinchey-Roberts,
working alongside experienced lawyers and partners as an integral part of the team.
Alex Knight in the Talent &
Development team –
Main areas of work [email protected]
As a full-service law firm, we offer the full range of commercial legal services, from employment, prop- Training partner: Richard Capper
erty and construction, to corporate, commercial and dispute resolution. We have notable strength, ex-
Application criteria
perience and presence in a number of market sectors, including, marine, transportation and logistics,
Training contracts pa: Up to 15
retail, public and private health (including life sciences), international trade, education, and banking Applications pa: Approx. 1000
and financial services. For ease, we arrange all sectors under three broad business groups: marine, health Minimum required degree grade:
and business services. Our client base includes multinational companies, major corporations and pub- 2:1
lic sector organisations, as well as private individuals. Minimum A levels:
ABB or equivalent
Training opportunities Vacation scheme places pa:
Please visit our website for further
• An award-winning mentor – Winner of Best Training Principal 2019 (LawCareers.Net Training details
and Recruitment Awards), our training principal, Richard Capper, is responsible for your overall
training and will ensure that you have a valuable and worthwhile experience with us. Dates and deadlines

• A specialist approach – Our training contracts offer tailored, focused routes, which puts you in Training contract applications
open: 1st November 2020
control of your career from day one. You have the choice to train in the area of law that you want to Training contract deadline, 2023
progress in, allowing you to become a specialised lawyer from the outset. start: 31st January 2021
• Recruit to retain – Our small intake of up to 15 ensures that each trainee has our full attention and Vacation scheme applications
means that we have the resources to give you as much support as you need at the beginning of your open: 1st November 2020
career. Vacation scheme 2021 deadline:
31st January 2021
• Stimulating work – You will be given immediate responsibilities and challenging tasks as you
become a valued and important member of our team. We involve and positively acknowledge the role Salary and benefits
of trainees working with experienced colleagues in large corporate deals and cases. First-year salary: £26,000

• Giving back – Whether it’s volunteering at a charity you wish to support personally, working with Second-year salary: £28,000
First-year salary: (London) £37,000
our community partner charities or getting involved with some of our firm-wide environmental,
Second-year salary: (London)
diversity and inclusion initiatives, we’ve got something for you. £39,000
• Wellbeing – We have a dedicated programme offering a variety of activities and benefits to support Post-qualification salary: Within a
you. We want our people to have a good work life balance and encourage an agile and flexible range, up to £41,000 (Northern) or
approach to working. up to £59,500 (London), depen-
dent on discipline
If you want to find out more, please visit our website at hilldickinson.com/graduate-recruitment where Holiday entitlement: 25 days
you will find all the latest updates on our programme in line with the introduction of the SQE.
Sponsorship
The True Picture

LPC fees: N/A

Vacation scheme
GDL fees: No
Our insight schemes are designed with you in mind to give you the opportunity to see what life is really
Maintenance grant pa: N/A
like at Hill Dickinson. Over the course of the scheme, you will have the chance to immerse yourself in
Hill Dickinson’s culture and experience first hand the welcoming and approachable working environ- International and regional
ment we have built. Please visit our website for further details. Offices with training contracts:
Liverpool, London, Manchester,
Leeds
Other benefits
Our benefits are comprehensive and designed to meet your needs; we regularly benchmark them to
ensure they remain competitive and are always open to new ideas. Some highlights are: pension, travel
insurance, buying and selling holiday entitlement,permanent health insurance and life assurance, bike
to work, season ticket loans, BUPA cover and we’ll even give you your birthday off (paid).

University law careers fairs 2020

Please visit our website for further details.

377
Org ID: 193 0 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................
 H Hodge Jones & Allen Solicitors Limited chambersstudent.co.uk

Hodge Jones & Allen Solicitors Limited

The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Location: London  How to get into HJA
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 47/64/15
The personal injury practice
Seats: 4x6 months 
First-year salary: £26,000 Diversity and inclusion
Qualification salary: £35,000

Hodge Jones & Allen is continuing its fight for justice, which

means trainees here can get plenty of experience on human
rights, criminal, social housing and personal injury cases.

The Firm employment. Everything is broken down into ten depart-

If what motivated you to study law was the prospect of ments and trainees rank all of these in order of prefer-
helping to secure justice for clients, then HJA might have ence when it comes to each seat rotation. There’s “a box
the training contract for you. This has been at the heart where you write comments” next to each option, and once
of what HJA does since its inception in 1977 on Camden you’ve made your choices “HR will try to allocate seats to
High Street: to help individuals in need to bring cases people as fairly as they can. If your first seat is low down
against an opponent no matter how big and powerful. on your preference list, your next will generally be higher.”
Over time, and as Legal Aid budgets fell, HJA evolved to
strike a balance between publicly funded work and mat- “There’s definitely a sense of camaraderie
ters brought in by paying clients. Our interviewees found and that we’re here to fight the fight.”
that balance to be an attractive component to training at
the firm. Raj Chada (HJA’s head of criminal defence, fi-
nancial crime and regulatory) tells us “every citizen should The Seats 
be entitled to the best recourse to the law. The only way to The civil liberties department is “probably the most com-
achieve that is by having lawyers working on top-end cases petitive and popular” option on the list due to its focus on
teaching juniors to do the work. This way the knowledge human rights. HJA’s lawyers bring cases against bodies
filters through and everyone gets the service they need.” including the Crown Prosecution Service, the Ministry of
Defence, immigration detention centres, the prison ser-
Alongside this commitment to training up the next gen- vice, police forces – basically any centre of authority. The
eration is ongoing dedication to the firm’s founding prin- department has been working on a range of matters aris-
ciples, as Chada explains: “We will be developing our work ing from recent protests and actions including “Extinction
on more high-profile cases, more cases that aren’t just Rebellion cases tied to the Section 14 notice– there was a
publicly funded, while maintaining our ethos in the midst judicial review and all the arrests were classed as assaults.
of that: the David versus Goliath approach. We always want There are about 500 people in compensation claims.” The
The True Picture

to be on the side of the underdog and to attract the best team has also worked on cases relating to the Grenfell
lawyers.” Tower inquiry, as well as a case concerning the UK gov-
ernment and its responsibility to protect life in relation
On a UK-wide basis, Chambers UKranks HJA in the top to air pollution, following public outrage at the death
tiers for its police law; civil liberties & human rights; social of a child suffering from asthma. The seat offers a fair
housing; product liability; and administrative & public law amount of “freedom and leeway,” with sources reporting
expertise. Claimant and tenant-oriented work is the name “a lot of responsibility when making decisions and taking
of the game in these areas. In London, HJA picks up nods things forward. It was fantastic and the team’s brilliant!”
for its claimant personal injury and clinical negligence
work, as well as for its general crime and financial crime Seat options: civil liberties; clinical negligence; crime;
practices. In total, HJA covers 14 areas of law, including dispute resolution; employment; family; housing; per-
strands not mentioned above, like industrial disease and sonal injury; private client

378
chambersstudent.co.uk Hodge Jones & Allen Solicitors Limited H
Chambers UK rankings “great work/life culture,” which for some was “formed and
Administrative & Public Law Financial Crime
maintained” in the office’s basement bar. “That’s where
Civil Liberties & Human Personal Injury
you get a real sense of our identity.” Word has it that the
Rights Police Law
bar is the central hub where “you end up mingling with
Clinical Negligence Product Liability
people all across the firm, so you end up chatting with dif-
Court of Protection Social Housing
ferent teams you hardly come across.” HJA also puts on the
Crime usual “Christmas party and summer social. It’s nice to get
to know your team outside of work.” In addition,in-house
events for junior lawyers are held “just for us to build con-
nections and work on networking skills.” Even more skills
The crime seat is well known among trainees for being can be learnt via the fundraising work that the firm gets
“really exciting, really chaotic and really busy.” With mat- involved in. We heard that several teams fundraise for dif-
ters mainly funded through Legal Aid, trainees gain ex- ferent charities and that “juniors are involved in the mar-
perience in “criminal defence work, so we act for clients keting side of things.”
who have been accused. There’s a lot of going to court and
prisons: I had a number of clients in prison who I would go There is “a hierarchy in the firm” but the experience of it
to see to pass on advice.” Trainees again saw work coming “varies from department to department.” At the same time
in from protest matters, which included the defence of sources felt that “we’re transitioning away from the con-
activists who protested at Stansted airport (the ‘Stansted ventional hierarchy through the employee committee we’ve
15’) and the acquittal of activists protesting at the De- set up.” In addition, “we felt like the appraisal system
fence & Security Equipment International Trade Fair (the could be better, so we’re now in the process of drafting one,”
largest arms fair in Western Europe) in London. The de- one interviewee commented. “We feel it could be more tai-
partment also handles cases relating to terrorism, sexual lored to the trainees and could provide a deeper level of
offences, fraud and organised crime; working alongside feedback.” Another source added: “We want it to be more
colleagues in the civil liberties department is common. discussion-based.” The firm tells us the updated system is
One source told us that “whoever you work for will have a still in the works.
specialism, but you will get an opportunity to try everything.
You can also become a police station rep and the firm will “We’re not a corporate firm so I can accept we’re not getting
sponsor you to do that course and get the accreditation.” ridiculous amounts of money,” a trainee stated, represent-
An interviewee highlighted that “there’s definitely a sense ing the opinion of many others in the cohort. Fortunately,
of camaraderie and that we’re here to fight the fight. There HJA trainees don’t have to experience the gruelling hours
have been lots of actions against the police and it really that those at the big City corporate firms do. “I think a good
feels like you’re fighting for justice, as clichéd as it sounds.” day is 9.30 to 5.30,” an interviewee suggested. “That’s not
really unheard of. No one would bat an eye if you left then.”
Sources told us that the clinical negligence seat is “heav- The latest you’re looking at is a 9.30pm finish, though
ily intensive on the medical knowledge front. On top of be- we’re told that’s rare. Sources also mentioned that it’s not
ing in tune with the legal aspects, you have to go to a lot of uncommon for a colleague to give you a friendly nudge
medical seminars. If you’re interested in biology, it’s a very in the direction of home when you’re pulling a late one:
interesting area of law.” The team includes several former “There’s never been pressure for you to stay, in fact there’s
medical and healthcare professionals, who deal with mat- been the opposite!”
ters against prisons, care homes and other institutions.
The department has also recently worked on a number of “I really believe in fighting for people’s
cases related to birth injuries. Other cases concern sur- rights. I’ve really bought into the ethos and
gical errors, GP negligence, neurological issues, ortho-
think we’re the best at what we do.”
paedics and more. The department provides services for
The True Picture

both lower and higher value claims and operates mostly Every trainee we spoke to was keen to stay after their
on conditional fee arrangements alongside some Legal contract ended, largely because of the principles at HJA’s
Aid funding. Pleased to gain experience in “civil proce- core. One trainee put it like this: “I really believe in fight-
dure rules and client care,” trainees gave a big thumbs up ing for people’s rights. I’ve really bought into the ethos and
to responsibility levels: “I was assisting a partner and he think we’re the best at what we do.” We’re told by sources
would regularly give me his cases to look after– off my own “there’s an interview for NQ positions. It definitely is a for-
volition I would take on work that needed to be done.” malised process.” So, if you want to take a shot at a depart-
ment and “you’re in your fourth seat and you know there’s a
job available, you approach the head of department.” From
Trainee Life  then on, you’ll be assessed on the same terms as exter-
Sources agreed that HJA is “a wonderful and fascinating nal candidates. In 2020, five of seven qualifiers were re-
place to work.” Among the reasons for this is the firm’s tained, with one fixed-term contract.

379
 www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
H Hodge Jones & Allen Solicitors Limited chambersstudent.co.uk

Hodge Jones & Allen Solicitors

180 North Gower Street, London, NW1 2NB
Tel: 020 7874 8300 Twitter: @hodgejonesallen Partners: 50
Email: [email protected] Facebook: hodgejonesallen Associates: 61
Website: www.hja.net Total trainees: 15
UK offices: London NW1

Firm profile Contacts

Hodge Jones & Allen was founded in 1977 and to this day remains committed to providing first Graduate recruiter:
class legal help to both individuals and organisations. Leah Gill,
[email protected]
Our philosophy has always been to enable individuals to have access to justice where otherwise
0207 874 8512
they might be denied it and this ethos remains as strong today as it did back then. We strive to
Training partner:
right wrongs, achieve justice for all and get the very best results for our clients. People have always Peter Todd
been at the heart of our firm.
Application criteria
‘We have been on the forefront of the legal sector - changing lives, making headlines and advanc-
Training contracts pa: 5 - 9
ing the law, since our inception and hope to continue this for many years to come’ - Patrick Allen,
Applications pa: 400
Senior Partner.
Minimum required degree
grade: 2:1
Main areas of work
Civil Liberties and Human Rights, Criminal Defence, Employment Law, Family Law, Wills & Pro- Dates and deadlines
bate, Medical Negligence, Personal Injury, Dispute Resolution, Housing and Property, Financial Training contract applications
Crime and Regulatory, Asbestos and Mesothelioma, Mental Capacity & Deputyship. open: 1st November 2020
Closing date for 2022:
30th July 2021
Training opportunities
Applications from both law and non-law graduates are welcome. You should be able to demon- Salary and benefits
strate a consistently high level of academic and personal achievement. We generally expect an First-year salary: £26,010 pa
upper second class degree. Second-year salary: £28,050 pa
Holiday entitlement: 22 days
The firm is looking for people who:
• Communicate clearly and effectively Sponsorship
• Have an excellent academic record LPC fees: No
• Can demonstrate they are interested and committed to the work the firm does GDL fees: No
• Are hard-working and dedicated Maintenance grant pa: No
• Understand and share the ethos of the firm
• Have a record of achievement in extracurricular activities
A two year training programme across four seats. You will be regarded as a fee earning member
of staff during this time, and you will be expected to provide a high quality legal service to all our
clients, under the supervision and training of a qualified solicitor. The firm will also support you
through your Professional Skills Course.

Other benefits
The firm has the following benefits:
• Pension
• Life Assurance
• Permanent Health Insurance
The True Picture

• Birthday leave
• Volunteer Day
• Interest free travel loan in second year
• Piano lessons
• Sports and social committee
• Cycle to work scheme

Org ID: 196

380 2 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................
chambersstudent.co.uk Hogan Lovells H

Hogan Lovells
The facts
Locations: London, Birmingham
Overseas offices: 48
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 139/409/92
Seats: 4x6 months; overseas seats; client secondments
First-year salary: £46,000 (London); £29,000 (Birming-
ham)
Qualification salary: £90,000 (London -£85,000 in 2020);
£46,000 (Birmingham)

Who needs the sorting hat? Trainees say this transatlantic titan is a
“Hufflepuff with a backbone.”

The Firm and life sciences. Visit chambers.com for the full break-
“Today, the most significant factor differentiating firms at down.
the top level is the divide between US and UK firms.” This
was the opinion of trainees at Hogan Lovells. While ac- Six months before starting, incoming trainees are invit-
knowledging the prestige of the magic circle label, they ed to learn about their seat options at a seats fair, after
felt “it’s a label that’s becoming less relevant.” The pres- which they’re required to submit a list of their prefer-
tige of the magic circle firms is beyond doubt, but it’s ences. They can resubmit these preferences six months
also true that over the last ten years big US firms have later, and then they’re locked in for the remainder of the
steadily increased their foothold in the capital. While training contract. Our survey indicated that the majority
more of a transatlantic firm than US firm in its culture, of trainees were content with the system, but some did
Hogan Lovells identifies closer with the emerging global express frustration at not being able “to adjust your choic-
elite than the old-school London pack. It’s been a decade es as your opinion evolves.” Trainees are required to com-
since US firm Hogan & Hartson joined forces with UK plete a seat within each of the firm’s core practice groups:
firm Lovells to create this Anglo-American juggernaut. In litigation, corporate and finance. Sources suggested that
numbers, global revenues of $2.25 billion make Hogan more niche seats including IP and data protection are
Lovells one of the ten biggest firms in the world. “harder to secure,” because they typically house just one
or two trainees at any one time.
“I’ve had contact with people from Mexico
to the Philippines – just about every A range of client and international secondments are also
up for grabs for second-year trainees. To bag a spot, “you
continent to be honest!”
have to indicate your desire to go on a secondment in your
With a network of 48 offices spanning 26 countries, Ho-
gan Lovells appealed to trainees looking for a firm with Seat options: corporate & commercial regulatory; real
The True Picture

“a strong international outlook.” And London’s status as estate; pensions; investment funds & insurance regula-
the firm’s largest office meant even more good news tory; tax; competition, public and EU law & international
for trainees: “I’ve had contact with people from Mexico to trade; business restructuring & insolvency; international
the Philippines – just about every continent to be honest!” debt capital markets; banking & loan finance/banking –
Sources were equally attracted to the firm’s “wide array infrastructure, energy, resources & projects; infrastruc-
of practice areas on offer,” many of which come with top- ture, energy, resources & projects; commercial litiga-
notch Chambers UK rankings attached to their name. In tion, financial services and investigations; commercial
London, the firm’s banking, litigation and pensions teams litigation, product insurance law and regulation; cor-
are top-ranked, while Hogan Lovells boasts a further 14 porate litigation, fraud and investigations; international
top national rankings, including public law, data protec- arbitration and construction & engineering; real estate
tion, trade finance, civil fraud, financial services, infra- – disputes; employment; intellectual property and tech-
structure, product liability, insurance, pensions litigation, nology

381
 H Hogan Lovells chambersstudent.co.uk

Chambers UK rankings very nice.” Sources reported proofreading expert reports,

Administrative & Public Law Intellectual Property
conducting research and drafting notes of advice.
Asset Finance International Arbitration
Banking & Finance Investment Funds
Real estate sits within the firm’s broader corporate and
Banking Litigation Life Sciences
finance group. “Out of my whole training contract, it’s the
Capital Markets Litigation
seat where I had the most responsibility,” one source told
Commercial Contracts Media & Entertainment
us, a sentiment confirmed by our wider survey where real
Commodities Parliamentary & Public
estate scored highest among the seats for client expo-
Competition/European Law Affairs sure. “In my first week I was calling people to complete
Construction Pensions transactions,” another source weighed in. “I was probably
Consumer Finance Pensions Litigation managing 30 or so distinct matters at any one time.” There
Corporate/M&A Planning was a lot of asset management work, “which mainly in-
Data Protection Private Equity volves renewing and drafting leases and licences to alter.”
Employee Share Schemes & Product Liability Our insiders also had chances to work on larger matters,
Incentives Professional Negligence typically working for “major investment institutions such
Employment Projects as pensions funds,” as well as private equity houses and
Energy & Natural Public International Law sovereign wealth funds. For example, the firm recently
Resources Public Procurement ran an auction of offshore wind farm leases on behalf of
Financial Crime Real Estate the Crown Estate. The team also advises clients in the
Financial Services Real Estate Finance hotel sector, and recently acted for Israel-based Fattal
Fraud Real Estate Litigation Hotels on its £1 billion acquisition of four London Grange
Hotels & Leisure Restructuring/Insolvency Hotels.
Information Technology Retail
Infrastructure Tax The corporate group handles everything from M&A to
Insurance Transport private equity and corporate governance, as well as
venture capital and a bit of advisory work. Like real es-
tate, trainees explained that “there are opportunities to
develop an actual relationship with the client,” alongside
initial seat plan.” Trainees find out if they’ll get to go dur- chances “to take a first stab at drafting key and ancillary
ing their first seat and are then asked to rank their pre- documents.” Hogan Lovells was behind the scenes in the
ferred secondments. “There aren’t as many international launch of BritBox, acting for ITV on the joint venture with
secondments as advertised,” one felt, adding that “spots the BBC. The team also recently advised Fortress Invest-
in New York and Singapore tend be very oversubscribed.” ment Group on its £95 million acquisition of Majestic
However, another source felt that “if you’re dead set on Wine (now called Naked Wines).
the idea and make it clear to HR, there’s a very high chance
you will be able to complete a seat abroad.” “… conducting research on the regulation
of cryptocurrencies.”
“I was probably managing 30 or so distinct
matters at any one time.” A seat with Hogan Lovells’ banking and lending team
technicallycounts as another corporate seat, but “also
The Seats overlaps with finance,” sources explained. One insider told
Among the firm’s disputes teams you’ll find the financial us: “Recently, a lot of the work I’ve been on has involved
services disputes group, which represents banks and fi- looking at how products and licences need to be amended
nancial institutions facing contentious regulatory issues, to comply with FCA rules, particularly within the FinTech
investigations by regulators and disputes with borrowers industry.” Sources described it as a research-heavy seat,
The True Picture

– clients and case specifics are kept highly confidential. which for one trainee meant “conducting research on
One trainee told us about their involvement on a “multi- the regulation of cryptocurrencies.” For another it meant
million-pound dishonest assistance claim. I was mainly tak- “working on a research project on the potential regulations
ing notes at witness interviews, one of which started at 4pm facing a loan offering from our client in over 35 jurisdic-
and ended at 11pm!” Another told us the team still does tions.” The team advises both banks (like Lloyds, HSBC
a fair bit of work related to the fallout from the LIBOR and Citibank) as well as non-bank lenders like investment
scandal, which hit the headlines in 2012. Due to the nature company Ares Management, which the team advised as
of the work in this seat, “everything needs to be checked, the lender of £600 million to VetPartners, which operates
checked and checked again,” meaning trainees get quite hundreds of veterinary practices in the UK. On the bank
a lot of oversight from senior associates and partners. “I side, the team acted for RBS and NatWest in connection
didn’t feel micromanaged though,” one told us; “the team is with £115 million of funding for Francisco Partners to ac-
quire software company ByBox.

382
chambersstudent.co.uk Hogan Lovells H

There’s a surprising range of work within Hogan Lovells’ most punishing by our insiders. “At one point during my cap-
tax group (another corporate option), which covers bonds ital markets seat I was leaving at midnight for three weeks
work, transfer pricing and tax litigation, as well as real es- straight,” one shared. Similarly, another source recalled
tate, finance and employment related work. One trainee “finishing at 6am and having to start again at 9am.” Not
explained that “because there’s such a broad spectrum of fun. However, there were also plenty of gentler periods
work, you end up working on all kinds of technical queries where trainees could head out of the door early. “There are
and questions,” adding: “Typically, I’m working on three to times when you’re wired and just running on adrenalin, but
four things in a given day that are all completely different.” importantly, you’re given the time and space to crash,” one
Even though they had a lot on their plates, trainees said explained. “If I’m deemed to have been working too much,
this seat has a slightly slower pace compared to other senior lawyers tell me to stop. My supervisor has recently es-
corporate seats. “It feels good not to just be slogging away tablished clear lines that I wouldn’t work too much after a su-
at one transaction for months on end,” one said. “Here you per busy period.” While a significant number of our survey
have time to get to grips with the details and do some in- respondents did indicate that they were stressed, trainees
depth analysis. There’s a lot less documentation involved praised the firm for being proactive in addressing mental
so you’re doing a lot more research rather than drafting.” wellbeing, explaining that “there are a ton of resources to
Recently, the team advised the Department for Education make use of, including an on-site therapist.” Whether that
on the securitisation of £4 billion of income-contingent inspires comfort or concern is down to you.
repayment student loans.
Trainees can fix themselves an altruistic high through
One finance option is Hogan Lovells’ varied capital mar- engagement with the firm’s rave-reviewed pro bonopro-
kets practice, which deals with high-yield bonds, struc- gramme, singled out for acclaim by nearly all partici-
tured finance, securitisation, derivatives, corporate bonds pants in our trainee survey. The cornerstone of this is the
and equity capital markets. Like tax, the work is “highly HL BaSE programme, a conference over two days for as-
technical and complex.” But unlike tax “it’s very fast-paced, sociates across the firm’s European offices to learn about
commodified work. You’re under a lot of time pressure and social enterprises and get matched up with pro bono as-
often don’t have time to think about the finer details of a signments. Trainees thought “it’s an excellent initiative as
transaction – it can be quite stressful.” Trainees here don’t you can do work you might not experience in your seats,
have to wait long before they’re juggling the drafting of and you realise the firm’s global presence by meeting peers
board minutes and resolutions, alongside proofreading from around the world.”
and inserting amendments into key documents. Recently
the team advised hotel management company Radisson on Having a large trainee intake of around 50 a year, we
its issuance of €250 million high-yield bonds, and advised were unsurprised to hear that informal socialising was
financial institution Urban Exposure on its £150 million ini- frequent, though one source felt “it has petered off since
tial public offering on the Alternative Investment Market. the beginning.” A number of more formal socials through-
out the year tend to draw a bigger crowd, including firm-
wide Christmas and summer parties, the most recent of
Trainee Life        which was held at the Natural History Museum. Practice
One source described Hogan Lovells’ culture as “Huf- groups also organise their own frivolities. For example,
flepuff with a backbone.” As the Hogwarts house known litigators headed to the five-star Ham Yard Hotel in Soho
for being the most inclusive, our sources were certainly for their latest Christmas social.
impressed with Hogan Lovells’ efforts on the diversity
and inclusion front. In our trainee survey, the firm scored In the run-up to qualification, the firm circulates a jobs
highly in all diversity metrics including: efforts in recruit- list. Trainees apply and can rank multiple choices. This is
ing diverse candidates; inclusivity training; diverse staff- then followed by interviews led by the practice groups
ing of teams; and efforts to promote and retain a diverse themselves. “My sense is that the process is quite formal
The True Picture

group of lawyers. Of course, with ethnic minorities ac- compared to other firms,” one source observed. “I was re-
counting for just 17% ofUK associates, the firm still has quired to do a written exercise for mine.” In 2020, Hogan
room for improvement. Lovells retained 40 of 56 of its cohort, with two fixed-term
contracts. Prior to the pandemic, NQs enjoyed a salary of
Hufflepuffers are also revered for being ‘unafraid of toil’ £90,000, which has since been cut to £85,000. Some of
and the hours that the lawyers here work suggest there the firm’s competitors have taken similar decisions.
are no cowards here. Finance seats were flagged as the

The City of a Thousand Trades

Hogan also has a smaller office in Birmingham which takes a
couple of trainees a year.
383
 www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
H Hogan Lovells chambersstudent.co.uk

Hogan Lovells
Hogan Lovells, Atlantic House, London, EC1A 2FG
Tel: 020 7296 2000 Facebook: @hoganlovellsgrads Partners: 155 (London)
Total trainees: 90
Email: [email protected] Twitter: @hlgraduatesuk
UK offices: London, Birmingham
Website: www.hoganlovells.com/graduates Instagram: @hoganlovellsgradsuk Overseas offices: 48
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/hogan-
Contacts
lovells/ Graduate recruiter: Jen Baird
Training partner: Crispin Rapinet
Firm profile
Meet the firm changing the game. Right now, Hogan Lovells lawyers are working worldwide on cases Application criteria
that shape legal precedent; projects that enable innovation for prestigious clients. And across 48 global Training contracts pa: up to 50
Applications pa: 3,000
locations, we’re doing it all seamlessly, as one team.
Minimum required degree grade:
2:1 or above
Main areas of work Minimum A Levels: AAB
When you’ve got the international reach we do, it means your work grabs headlines everywhere, and Vacation scheme places pa: 70

you’ll work with household-name clients on every continent. Plus, within a huge range of practice areas Dates and deadlines
– corporate, finance, global regulatory, intellectual property, and litigation – you’ll learn from a diverse Training contract applications
network of specialists. You’ll develop the agility to adapt with changing industries, discover the interests open: 14th September 2020
Training contract deadline, 2023
that drive you, and develop the commercial edge that sets us apart.
start: 31st July 2021
Vacation scheme applications
Training opportunities open: 14th September 2020
Vacation scheme 2021 deadline:
Part of what makes us game-changers is our ability to stay ahead of the curve in a changing world. That’s
(Winter) 31st October 2020
why this year, for the first time, you’ll find not just traditional opportunities and training contracts, but (Summer) 3rd January 2021
various virtual opportunities to get to know the firm first, including virtual internships, insight events, Open day deadline:
webinars, workshops, law fairs and more. 28th February 2021

Each year, we take on up to 50 graduates (from law and non-law degree subjects) as trainee solicitors. Salary and benefits
Here’s how it works: on a two-year training contract, you’ll do four six-month seats across our different First-year salary: £46,000
practice areas. Plus, for one of those seats, you’ll have the chance to apply for an international or client Second-year salary: £51,000
Post-qualification salary: £85,000
secondment. You’ll also have hands-on support and the expert guidance you need. Holiday entitlement: 25 days

Sponsorship
Vacation scheme
LPC fees: Yes
With the firm’s opportunities always highly regarded, it goes without saying that our vacation schemes
GDL fees: Yes
– designed for penultimate and final-year students, as well as graduates – will be packed with insight Maintenance grant pa:
and experience. What’s more, with around three quarters of trainee solicitors having taken part in a In London: £8,000
vacation scheme with us, it’s fair to say you’ll get a lot from it. You’ll delve into key practice groups, get Outside London: £7,000
Accelerated LPC grants: £10,000
to grips with legal research, meet the team – and imagine your future at Hogan Lovells.
International and regional
Other benefits Offices with training contracts:
Bonus scheme, gym membership, life assurance, pension scheme with company contributions, private London, Birmingham
Overseas seats: Brussels, Dubai,
healthcare, season ticket loan, subsidised restaurant, access to a dentist, doctor and physio-therapist,
Hong Kong, New York, Paris,
discount at local retailers. Singapore
Client secondments: BNP Paribas,
Open days and first-year opportunities British American Tobacco,
Citibank, ExxonMobil, Ford Credit,
For first-year students, our virtual insight events allow us to reach more widely than ever, with 100
The True Picture

Merck and Standard Chartered

places on offer in spring and summer. These events are packed with tailored workshops, presentations Bank
and interactive opportunities to help you find out more about life and work at Hogan Lovells. We’ll
also give you top tips and advice on how to make your application for a vacation scheme or training
contract stand out.

University law careers fairs 2020

Birmingham, Bristol, Cambridge, Durham, City, East Anglia, Edinburgh, Exeter, King’s College
London, Leicester, Leeds, London School of Economics, Newcastle, Nottingham, Oxford, Queen Mary
University of London, Sheffield, SOAS, University College London, Warwick, York.

Org ID: 257

384 5 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................
chambersstudent.co.uk Howes Percival LLP H

Howes Percival LLP

The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Locations: Cambridge, Leicester, Manchester, Milton Get hired at Howes Percival
Keynes, Northampton, Norwich
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 51/59/14
Seats: 4x6 months
First-year salary: £27,000
Qualification salary: undisclosed

At this regional firm, trainees are unleashed in the East on a feast of

seats.

The Firm The Seats

Not many firms can say they were named after a married Trainees wanted to make one thing crystal clear about
couple, but that’s the case for Howes Percival, which got seat allocation: “The firm absolutely expects you to do a
its name thanks to the marriage of Richard Howes (an seat in at least one other office. You’d be naïve to think that
18th century solicitor) and Mary Percival. Howes founded you could stay in one office for two years.” Trainees were
the firm in Northamptonshire well over 200 years ago, “really grateful” to be given three months’ warning before
and today the East Midlands remains a key region for changing offices, but pointed out there’s no financial aid
the firm alongside East Anglia. The firm’s regional ties for moving – meaning trainees may face a mammoth com-
are clear from some of the names on its client list, like mute at some point. “I knew what I was signing up for,” said
Leicestershire Cricket Club and Norwich Cathedral, but one, echoing most interviewees. First seats are allocated
it also works with companies that have a more national at random “like a wild card,” while subsequent seats are
scope, such as HSBC and the Co-op. Chambers UK ranks discussed. Some seats are only available in certain of-
Howes Percival top in East Anglia for its corporate/M&A fices, such as estates in Norwich and IP in Milton Keynes
work with small and medium businesses (it’s also highly or Northampton.
ranked in this category in the East Midlands, a more com-
petitive market). The firm picks up additional high rank- “… immersed from day one in everything
ings in East Anglia in planning, litigation, real estate and from Stamp Duty to registering property at
restructuring.
the Land Registry.”
“Supervisors really care about how you’re Trainees are likely to do a seat in commercial property,
developing.” where interviewees were “immersed from day one in eve-
rything from Stamp Duty to registering property at the
Howes Percival’s headcount has gone up by 21% in the Land Registry.” The firm acts for clients “ranging from
last three years, while its “people-focused strategy” has small businesses to large corporations” – it recently acted
The True Picture

thrown a spotlight on learning and development. The firm for housebuilder Persimmon Homes in the £8.3 million
did bag a top 100 spot on the list of best companies to purchase of a residential development site in Thurston,
work for in 2020 by The Sunday Times, with interviewees in Suffolk. Trainees described working on planning mat-
describing a “warm and caring” atmosphere. “Supervi- ters, leasehold sales and purchases, and developments,
sors really care about how you’re developing,” they told
us, “and partners work hard to make sure you’re getting a Seat options:  corporate (Northampton, Leicester,
good breadth of experience.” Trainees can be found in five Norwich); litigation (Leicester, Cambridge); IP (MK,
of the firm’s six offices – Northampton, Leicester, Milton Northampton); property litigation (Northampton, Cam-
Keynes, Cambridge, and Norwich. The smaller Manches- bridge, Norwich); insolvency (Northampton, Leicester,
ter base, which houses a solvency team, currently doesn’t Norwich); estates (Norwich); employment (Northamp-
offer seats. ton, MK, Norwich, Leicester); and commercial property
(Northampton, Leicester, MK, Norwich, Cambridge).

385
 H Howes Percival LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Chambers UK rankings “Partners always come around and chat

Agriculture & Rural Affairs Planning
– you can see they’re normal people that
Banking & Finance Real Estate joke around.”
Corporate/M&A Real Estate Litigation
Litigation Restructuring/Insolvency
In IP, trainees saw “a real range of clients and topics
that keep the seat really interesting and fun.” The work is
mostly contentious, with the team handling copyright,
trade mark, design rights, patent, defamation and pri-
which meant helping developer clients “go all the way vacy claims. Recently the team represented the Business
from purchasing land to setting it up for the agreement for Software Alliance, acting against UK companies using
lease.” They also had to get to grips with “really interesting software of BSA members (which include Microsoft and
and complex Stamp Duty Land Tax transactions. Some peo- Adobe) without a licence. Trainees worked on trade mark
ple try not to get involved with those but it’s good to know renewals and something called “central trade mark port-
how they work.” Trainees drafted documents like clauses, folio monitoring – relaying any infringements that come up
leases and reports for clients – one of these involved “a to the rest of the team.” They were delighted if they got
review of a lease suggesting amendments.” Trainees got to to see matters go beyond the pre-action stage: “It’s the
talk with clients directly, “and the partner helps if I have absolute best, though clients don’t prefer it!”
questions.”

In contrast to the commercial work in property, trainees Trainee Life

in property litigation had worked more with individuals Trainees reckoned the firm’s salary is “competitive for the
in “neighbour disputes, disputes with builders, and bound- area,” and described average hours of 8.30am to 5.30pm
ary disputes.” This meant client contact from the get-go, with “very occasional evening work.” One reckoned “I can
in “face-to-face meetings or telephone conferences.” Train- count on one hand the times I’ve had to work over lunch.”
ees then wrote letters for clients “to set out what their op- Lunchtimes instead were reserved for hanging out with
tions might be.” The team also has experience working other trainees. It’s completely open-plan in Northampton,
with companies – it recently represented Ford Retail in a which sources felt “makes for a really relaxed environment.
£300,000 dispute over land contamination. Partners always come around and chat –you can see they’re
normal people that joke around.” Leicester is also transi-
Trainees may do a seat with the corporate, commercial tioning to open-plan, which interviewees hoped would
and banking team, which works with clients ranging from “improve cross-team friendship.” Down in Milton Keynes
local businesses all the way up to big banks like HSBC. they’re “a really fun, laid-back, sociable bunch” who “have
Corporate work covers asset sales and purchases, merg- lunches for any arrivals, departures and birthdays.” The
ers and de-mergers, while the commercial side involves Norwich office is “right in the city centre, with a pub next
working on contracts and terms and conditions. On the door.” How convenient!
banking side, the team handles loan agreements and
refinancings. Healthcare and leisure are key industries “The firm notices who willingly gets
for the group – it recently represented Craft Leisure in its involved.”
£14.7 million purchase of Norfolk Broads Holdings, which
provides river trips, boating holidays and boat hire in the Extracurricular activities are a big deal at Howes Per-
Norfolk Broads. Typical trainee tasks involved drafting cival, and trainees are expected to “muck in.” As one put
minutes, resolutions and agreements, as well as commu- it: “You don’t just come in, do the work and go home. The
nicating with lawyers from other firms. There was also a firm notices who willingly gets involved.” This might mean
“nitty-gritty boring side” to the seat (read: doc review), but helping with the firm’s social media, attending university
lucky trainees found more responsibility on smaller deals, law fairs, or preparing seminars. There are also various
The True Picture

“perhaps in the tens of thousands of pounds, or something committees –charity, sports, diversity and social –trainees
for an individual.” can join. One of the most talked-about extracurricular re-
sponsibilities was car park duty, which trainees help out
The estates seat (only on offer in Norwich) covers private with when the firm hosts seminars. “You’re there in your
client and agricultural work. The team advises high net high-vis,” said one. “At least it keeps you humble.”
worth individuals and families on estate planning, wills
and probate matters, tax issues, trusts, and powers of Trainees felt “the firm places value on your personality,
attorney. Lawyers here also help farmers in the buying background and worldview.” Some felt Howes’ “strongest
and selling of land, which trainees said mirrors “all the point” was its representation of women, who make up
normal property work but with extra layers of complexity.” almost a third of the partnership – “women are bossing it
Here trainees conducted a lot of research, drafted appli- here!” In other facets of diversity, trainees acknowledged
cations, and got to interact with clients. there more was to be done, but praised the firm’s empha-

386
chambersstudent.co.uk Howes Percival LLP H

sis on promoting diversity in recruitment and “making

sure we’re approaching all types of students at law fairs.”

In previous years trainees have had some reservations

about qualification feeling too last-minute and “hush-
hush.” This year, the firm resolved to circulate the jobs list
by the end of seat three, “but that’s not happened yet. It
creates a bit of paranoia.”

And finally...
Howes Personal… Trainees can spend ‘charity days’ with
an organisation of their choice. One group chose Leicester
South Foodbank, helping to package boxes for families and
process donations.

The True Picture

387
 www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
H Howes Percival LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Howes Percival LLP

Nene House, 4 Rushmills, Northampton, NN4 7YB
Tel: 01604 230400 Twitter: @HPGradRecruit Partners: 50
Email: [email protected] Facebook: @howespercivalgrad Solicitors: 72
Website: www.howespercival.com Instagram: @HPGrad Total trainees: 14
UK offices: Cambridge,
Leicester, Manchester, Milton
Keynes, Northampton, Norwich
Firm profile
Howes Percival LLP is a leading commercial law firm. Our working environment is progressive, Contacts
focussed but friendly professional and our corporate structure means that fee earners are rewarded Graduate recruiter:
Katy Tebbutt,
on merit and can progress to associate or partner status quickly. [email protected]
01604 230400
Main areas of work Training partner: Simon Murphy,
The firm is a recognised market leader in corporate and commercial, commercial property, plan- [email protected]
ning, employment, commercial and property litigation, construction, IP/IT, insolvency, regula-
Application criteria
tory, family and private client among other things. Training contracts pa: 8
Applications pa: 300
Training opportunities Minimum required degree
Trainees usually complete four six-month seats. They report direct to a partner or director and grade: 2:1
after three months and again towards the end of each seat will be formally assessed by the fee Minimum A levels: BBB
earner training them. Trainees will be given every assistance by the fee earners in their department Vacation scheme places pa: 24
to develop quickly and will be given responsibility as soon as they are ready.
Dates and deadlines
Training contract applications
Vacation scheme open: October 2020
We offer one week placements in June and July at our Leicester, Northampton and Norwich of- Training contract deadline, 2023
fices. Closing date for applications is 31st March 2021. Please apply via the application form found start: 30th June 2021
on the graduate page of our website. Vacation scheme applications
open: October 2020
Other benefits Vacation scheme 2020 deadline:
Staff benefit from a flexible benefits package, including contributing pension, private medical in- 31st March 2021

surance and 25 days holiday per year. Sponsorship

LPC fees: Yes subject to cap
Open days and first-year opportunities GDL fees: Yes subject to cap
We offer open days in Norwich and further details of these are found on our website. Maintenance grant pa: No

International and regional

Overseas seats: None
Client secondments:
Occasionally subject to client
needs
The True Picture

Org ID: 202

388 2 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................
chambersstudent.co.uk Irwin Mitchell I

Irwin Mitchell
The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Locations: Birmingham, Bristol, Cambridge, Chichester, How to get into Irwin Mitchell
Gatwick, Leeds, London, Manchester, Middlesbrough,
Newbury, Newcastle, Reading, Sheffield, Southampton, More on employment and private
Scotland 
wealth seats
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 190/1,560/108
Seats: 4x6 months 
First-year salary: £38,000 (London); £26,500 (elsewhere) 
Qualification salary: For business legal services stream:
£41,500 in the regions and £60,000 in London. For per-
sonal legal services stream: £36,500 in the regions and
£50,000 in London.

It’s an Ir-win-win for incoming trainees curious about both the personal

and business sides of the law at this renowned national outfit.

The Firm service – anything for anybody, that’s us!” one source point-
Emerging from law school, the first real choice you’ll have ed out. On the business side, you’ll find that IM comes
to make is whether you want to represent companies or in for praise for its real estate, planning, restructuring/
individuals. This decision will usually take your career in insolvency, corporate/M&A, employment, IT, banking and
fundamentally different directions, but at Irwin Mitch- litigation expertise. IM’s business hotspots (according to
ell that’s a moot point. When trainees join Irwin Mitchell Chambers UK rankings) include its home turf of Yorkshire
they choose a stream, either personal legal services or and the South (where the firm’s merger with regional out-
business legal services, but for one seat out of four, they fit Thomas Eggar in 2015 brought a range of commercial
now get to experience lawyering on the other side. “It’s an clients and work into the mix).
interesting change,” one source reflected, “as you’re still
doing most of the training contract in your stream, but it IM boasts 15 offices across the UK, with the largest be-
encourages client sharing and growth.” ing Sheffield. Despite this broad presence, we heard that
shared cultural dynamics prevail: “We have a massive ‘one
“Clients talk to a face rather than a job IM’ approach: even in a particular stream within a particular
title. We’re relatable and are bucking office, you’ll work with people across the whole business.”
Another interviewee added: “There are experts in every
traditions for the stereotypes about
single office, so knowledge is equally weighted across the
lawyers.”  whole country.”

Irwin Mitchell was traditionally known for its strength on

The True Picture

the personal legal services side (you may well have seen The Seats 
the firm’s personal injury claim adverts on TV), and this At the time of our calls, most trainees were based in ei-
very much shows in the firm’s Chambers UK rankings. For ther Birmingham, London or Sheffield. The rest of the
personal injury and clinical negligence work, you’ll find trainee cohort were scattered evenly across the remain-
that Irwin Mitchell rules the roost in most of the regions ing bases. Despite the new structure, the offices in Cam-
its ranked in. On a UK-wide basis, the firm is rated as one bridge, Chichester, Bristol and Newcastle only offer PLS
of the best out there for Court of Protection and product routes, while Gatwick, for example, only offers the BLS
liability matters, while its civil liberties and human rights, contract. We’re told moving across offices for seats “isn’t
police law and education work also come highly recom-
mended. You’ll also find IM’s private wealth law capa-
bilities celebrated in Chambers High Net Worth. Though Seat options: visit our website for the full breakdown
it’s not all individual-based at IM. “We’re completely full by office and stream

389
 I Irwin Mitchell chambersstudent.co.uk

Chambers UK rankings “We’ve had lion attacks, a shark

Administrative & Public Law Family/Matrimonial
attack, injuries sustained on boats and
Agriculture & Rural Affairs Information Technology someone getting hit with a canoe on the
Aviation Litigation head.” 
Banking & Finance Personal Injury
Civil Liberties & Human Planning
Our sources similarly commended the variety of work on
Rights Police Law
offer in medical negligence. “There are five or six sub-
Clinical Negligence Product Liability
teams due to the sheer size of the department,” one source
Corporate/M&A Professional Negligence
informed us. “We’re all dealing generally with medical neg-
Court of Protection Real Estate
ligence but within specialist areas, like child abuse, birth
Crime Real Estate Litigation
trauma, diagnosis delays, and cosmetic and dental claims.”
Education Restructuring/Insolvency
Another interviewee added that “it’s a very technical seat
Employment Travel
where you have to get used to the scientific terminology.”
And pretty quickly by this account: “I took a witness state-
ment in my first week!” one trainee enthused. “I also at-
tended joint settlement meetings, went to trial and did
really encouraged, as you apply to a specific office knowing the bundling for that; it was really fun to get stuck in and
what the seats available there are.” prepare everything.” Rookies also celebrated the other
opportunities on offer: “My favourite thing was speaking
The changes don’t stop there. Whereas those previously with experts as a trainee. We get to instruct them, ask them
on the PLS stream would do three four-month seats fol- direct questions and attend all the conferences.” Happily,
lowed by a 12-month qualifying seat, trainees now uni- this source relayed: “I never felt like I wasn’t allowed to try
formly do four six-month seats across the firm. In addi- something.”
tion, PLS trainees used to select their seats in full before
starting their contracts. Now, they have their first two International personal injury sees trainees assisting Brit-
seats allocated from the get-go but submit preferences ish nationals who’ve been injured abroad, as well as for-
for the final two stints like their BLS counterparts. An in- eign citizens who have secured injuries in the UK. Sourc-
formal ‘third branch’ falls under the PLS route as well; it es again highlighted the “broad umbrella of serious injury
covers private wealth, with a focus on family law as well claims” that cover more or less anything you can think
as wills, trusts and estate disputes – the latter is helpfully of, as this interviewee explained: “We’ve had lion attacks,
named WTED. a shark attack, injuries sustained on boats and someone
getting hit with a canoe on the head.” Other matters were
“We have a massive one IM approach: even centred on issues with travel agents, instances of food
in a particular stream within a particular poisoning and gastric injuries. “Legally speaking, it’s quite
substantial” as an area to practise in, owing to the fact
office, you’ll work with people across the
that it’s “more complicated to bring international claims, as
whole business.”  the cases are bigger and more intricate.” So, whether they
were reviewing medical records, making sure evidence
Despite its foreboding title, IM’s serious injury seat was was sufficient enough to be served to defendants, or just
deemed one source’s “favourite, because it was so varied. conducting the run of the mill search to “find experts in
One day it’s a road traffic injury, then another day it’s some- niche areas like safari standards in X country,” trainees
one getting injured in a Zorb Ball or from jumping onto a praised the exposure: “I felt that I was never just some-
trampoline.” Of course, this seat requires someone who one helping a fee earner – you really get involved and I was
can deal with the harrowing details of some injuries and always encouraged to give my opinion and to think outside
maintain a sensitive yet professional approach on mat- the box.”
The True Picture

ters. For example, trainees also reported working on “very

high-value, complex brain injury cases,” serious spinal inju- “I took a witness statement in my first
ries following road traffic accidents, burn injuries and in- week!” 
juries caused by animals. Sources were grateful for “the
good exposure to pretty much everything,” including the For the BLS track, things are more conventionally com-
chance to review medical records, draft letters of claim, mercial. In IM’s commercial litigation team, sources
instruct experts, take witness statements over the phone, found that “one moment you’re doing a big case on a
and attend court hearings and joint settlement meetings. shareholder dispute and then you’re on a contractual dis-
One trainee noted a highlight: “Arguing liability is always pute with a cleaning company the next.” The range is also
interesting. It involves looking at the quantum [value of a there with regard to value: “We could be doing a financing
claim] side of things, as well as determining specialist care dispute over a £12,000 car and then a contractual dispute
and plotting out the costing of everything.” for over £2 million.” Interviewees reported drafting letters

390
chambersstudent.co.uk Irwin Mitchell I

before action, claim forms, court correspondence and op.” IM also established a free helpline for those suffering
settlement agreements, as well as being on phone calls domestic abuse in the time of the Covid-19 lockdown.
with clients. “You might be notetaking on a client call, but
you’re exposed to a lot,” one trainee found. There’s not re- “I can’t think of anyone at the firm who I’d
ally a chance to feel siloed here, as “you work nationally not want to talk to!” 
across the whole firm with other teams. We had a massive
disclosure job, which had three million documents needing Culturally, the emphasis on connection and care is dis-
review and the whole litigation team were doing that.” Cli- cernible in the office: “There’s an underlying sense that
ents across Yorkshire include specialist recruiter Rullion it’s not just about coming into work; it’s about getting stuck
Group, automotive supplier Transcal Group and French in with the firm, owning responsibility and developing re-
company Helis. The firm recently represented Transcal lationships with people.” Another interviewee added: “I
during a case that involved a breach of warranty under a can’t think of anyone at the firm who I’d not want to talk to!”
share purchase agreement. Across the firm, “the culture is so flat” in the sense that
“everyone treats us as equals; you can chat with anyone
The firm’s real estate team is split between transactional without fear.” One trainee nicely summarised the collec-
matters and disputes. Trainees noted that Sheffield, Lon- tive view: “I think generally speaking, people work at IM not
don, Birmingham and Manchester offer both, while the because they want to make the most money, but because
Leeds base is purely transactional. Gatwick, meanwhile, they want to do it for noble reasons, which comes with an
offers real estate, construction and planning. In London, underlying ambition, tenacity, and drive to do the best they
real estate clients include HSBC, iconic department store can for people.”
Liberty London and Honda’s research and development
arm. Lawyers have been advising private bank/wealth Regarding diversity, “they’re putting in so much time and
manager Coutts & Company on several investment loans effort,” with sources highlighting “tons of initiatives” for
worth up to £50 million. On the non-contentious side, “we various causes: IM Respect, IM Equal and IM Age are
worked on an awful lot of landlord/tenant work, with lots examples of such groups. “It feels like a genuine commit-
of portfolio investments, as well as corporate investor/oc- ment and not just window dressing,” one trainee comment-
cupier matters.” The drafting of lease agreements, sale ed. Trainees pointed to the recent shrinking of IM’s gen-
agreements and environmental deeds coloured non- der pay gap (from 12.8% to 10.3%) as an example of the
contentious life for trainees, as did Land Registry work firm’s commitment, alongside a 77% female partner class
and post-completion tasks on deals. “Doing some comple- made in 2019. “The women’s statistics say it all,” a source
tion work by myself was terrifying after drafting docs back enthused. Across the offices, interviewees observed the
and forth for months,” this interviewee recounted, “but celebration of difference: “There’s such a range of people
completion is a monumental moment and it felt amazing!” and no one notices or cares about the differences!”
There’s “lots of clients crossover” with the disputes side,
and trainees found themselves “working for landlord and “There’s always something going on; you’re
tenants, portfolio and asset managers, lots of receivers for never an outcast or alone.”
banks, and individuals in rental disputes.”
Diversity initiatives take on a social element, too. “Our
CSR events focus on things socially. IM Equal putting on
Trainee Life  a drag queen bingo night was an example of these two as-
“From day one we went straight out to help at a local charity pects marrying up.” Beyond this, trainees highlighted a
painting walls –it’s been like that ever since!” Plainly speak- wide array of sports teams, office-wide murder mystery
ing, corporate social responsibility (CSR) work is highly events, pizza and bingo nights, and more occasions for
valued at IM. “There’s an expectation that you’re not just connection: “There’s always something going on; you’re
here for matters, but also business development and CSR never an outcast or alone.” Our interviewees also com-
The True Picture

work,” noted one source. Each office reportedly raises mended the two-week Professional Skills Course (that
money for a specific charity: we heard, for example, that each newbie attends prior to the contract) for being a
the Manchester office ran “a huge stem cell registration great way to connect with the entire trainee cohort (train-
drive and got the whole building involved.” We were also ees spend three days in Sheffield and the complete the
told about the firm’s work with homeless charities like remainder of the course in Birmingham).
The Mustard Tree and Shelter. IM’s lawyers recently did
a 10km ‘sleep walk’ for the latter and have also been con- Hourly demands proved to be another positive talking
ducting mock interviews for those looking to get back point: “They really encourage you to have a life outside the
into employment. The firm gives its lawyers two days of IM walls.” As such, “it’s not all-consuming here, and they’re
paid voluntary leave each year, so you “can get involved always stressing the importance of a good work/life bal-
with an existing CSR relationship or one you’d like to devel- ance.” Slight differences do emerge between the PLS
and BLS streams, however. “It’s very rare that I’ll leave the

391
 I Irwin Mitchell chambersstudent.co.uk

office late. If it’s after six, it’s a rarity,” one PLS trainee com- Speaking of people potentially leaving, IM has a good
mented. For BLS trainees there’s a “more corporate de- track record for holding on to its trainees: 2019 saw
manding hours ethic,” so finishing times tend to fall some- the firm retain an impressive 45 of its 47 qualifiers. Yet
where between 7pm and 8pm. “There was a big job where amidst Covid-based realities, qualification remained a
I had to stay until 10pm once, but that was an anomaly and concern for some: “We’re all a bit worried about qualifica-
they’re so thankful when you do stay late.” tion. Some people qualified six months early because of pa-
ralegalling time brought forward. But for us fresh out of uni,
Further differences emerged when it came to compen- we’re concerned a little bit.” Another added: “It’s a waiting
sation: first and second-year trainees are paid evenly game...waiting for that email to come through.” Despite the
across the firm, but BLS NQs go on to earn more upon uncertainty, trainees commended the firm’s transparency
qualification than their PLS counterparts. For some, “it’s a and thought that “they’ll do everything they can to keep
point of contention” and was said to “divide opinion.” Others as many people as possible.” In 2020, IM retained 47 of 52
had a more measured view and considered the increased qualifiers.
potential for profit-making in the business sphere: “It’s
the nature of the industry.” Another added: “They’re super
transparent and it’s never hidden! If you’ve got an issue, go
elsewhere!”

Patience is a virtue
The global pandemic has caused IM to delay its 2020
training contract start date for six months. 
The True Picture

392
www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
chambersstudent.co.uk Irwin Mitchell I

Irwin Mitchell LLP

Riverside East, 2 Millsands, Sheffield S3 8DT
Tel: 0370 1500 100 Partners: 190
Email: [email protected] Twitter: @IMCareers Associates: 1560

Website: www.graduaterecruitment.irwinmitchell.com/ Total trainees: 108

UK offices: Birmingham, Bristol,
Facebook: www.facebook.com/IrwinMitchellSolicitors/
Cambridge, Chichester, Gatwick,
Instagram: www.instagram.com/irwin_mitchell/ Glasgow, Leeds, London,
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/irwin-mitchell/ Manchester, Middlesbrough
(consulting office), Newbury,
Firm profile Newcastle, Reading, Sheffield,
Southampton
We’re legal experts with a difference.
We’re more than just a law firm – we’re a group of like-minded, friendly people working together to help Contacts
individuals and businesses navigate life’s ups and downs. We are based across 15 offices in the UK and Graduate recruiter:
we focus on what really matters: our clients, colleagues and communities. Marissa Sanders,
[email protected]
Training partner: Emma Rush
Main areas of work
As a full-service law firm, we provide business services for organisations, personal legal services to Application criteria
individuals, and private wealth services to private clients. For business legal services, the firm offers Training contracts pa: 40-50
expertise in: Banking and Finance, Commercial, Commercial Litigation, Corporate, Employment, Applications pa: 3800
Insolvency and Real Estate. Clients can be growing businesses to large companies and come from Minimum required degree
a range of sectors, including: Technology, Consumer, Financial Services, Manufacturing, Media grade: 2:1
and Entertainment, Real Estate and Education. Minimum A Levels: BBB
Vacation scheme places pa: 100
For personal legal services, the firm remains one of the leading practices in the UK. We cover all
the key injury areas, such as: Personal Injury, Serious Injury, International Travel Litigation and Dates and deadlines
Medical Negligence. Within the personal legal services training contract, we also offer a wide range Training contract applications
of services for private clients, including: succession planning, tax, reputation protection and family open: 1st November 2020
matters. Training contract deadline, 2023
start: 4th January 2021
Training opportunities Vacation scheme applications
The firm’s training contracts allow you to see work covered within personal legal services (PLS) stream or open: 1st November 2020
business legal services (BLS) stream, with some trainees having access to experience both divisions where Vacation scheme 2021 deadline:
4th January 2021
possible. You will undertake 4 x 6 month seats.
Open day deadline:
We are known for our Personal Injury work and within PLS most of the seats fall under this area and in Different per office
some locations we also offer Private Wealth options. Within BLS our teams work nationally across seven
locations and each office offers different seat options dependent on departments available and business Salary and benefits

need. Please see our online brochure for further details of which seats are available in which office for First-year regional: £26,500

PLS and BLS. First-year London: £38,000

Second-year regional: £28,500
Vacation scheme Second-year London: £40,000
Our work placements are a vital part of our recruitment strategy and take place during June and July. Newly qualified:
A large proportion of our trainee solicitors have undertaken a work placement with the firm therefore Dependent on office and division
Holiday entitlement: 25 and can
we encourage all those interested in joining us to apply for a legal work placement. Those who are able to
buy 5 days
start in 2023 are eligible to apply. Candidates can apply online from the 1 November 2020. We pay the
national living wage and the scheme is for two weeks. Sponsorship
The True Picture

LPC fees: Yes

Other benefits GDL fees: Yes
25 days holiday, employee assistance programme, online GP service, contributory pension scheme, Maintenance grant pa: £4,500
health plan, death in service cover, critical illness cover, recognition scheme, season ticket loan, two CSR
days a year, sports team sponsorship. International and regional
Offices with training contracts:
Open days and first-year opportunities Birmingham, Bristol, Cambridge,
We offer Open Evenings in all our offices and we are looking to run these virtually to students across all Chichester, Gatwick, Leeds,
London, Manchester, Newcastle,
years. Please check our website for further details and/or click our ‘Get Updates’ button on our website.
Sheffeld, Southampton

University law careers fairs 2020

Individual university attendance TBC.

Org ID: 209 2 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................393

 J Jones Day chambersstudent.co.uk

Jones Day
The facts
Location: London
Overseas offices: 42
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 50/100/31
Seats: non-rotational; client secondments
First-year salary: £52,000
Qualification salary: £100,000

No seats? No way! Yes way if you’re at Jones Day. The only seat on offer
here is the driver’s seat, as trainees are “given free rein to try any practice
area.”

The Firm We can’t go much further without mentioning the most

When you’re fresh out of uni, no one expects you to be distinctive element of being a Jones Day trainee: the
completely clued up on the world of law firms. But “even non-rotational training contract. “When I explain it to my
not knowing a whole lot about the market, you could tell friends who are lawyers, they think it sounds mental,” one
Jones Day was a prestigious firm,” said one trainee at source told us. In short, “you are literally given free rein
this jumbo firm. Indeed, Jones Day is among the world’s to try any practice area and work with anyone you want in
highest grossing law firms, with a presence spanning 18 the firm.” Trainees still have to satisfy SRA requirements
countries. Not bad for a firm that started out in Cleveland, by doing 350 hours in three different departments, but
Ohio. But as we touch on the firm’s US roots, be warned: there are no seats. “It does feel bizarre on the first day,”
“the firm hates being referred to as a US firm.” Interviewees one remembered. “You have to psych yourself up a bit” to
were quick to tell us: “We’re not like many of the US firms in get work. “My strategy was to knock on all the doors of my
London.” How so? “For one, we entered the London market floor and then on all the doors of the practice areas I was
through a merger with an established English firm” – this interested in.” They did reassure us “there’s also nothing
was all the way back in 2003 with a mid-sized City firm, wrong with sending an email rather than bowling up to a
but trainees felt over the years the firm has “retained a lot partner’s door shouting ‘HOW ARE YOU DOING?’ It’s not just
of its older English elements” culture-wise. for extroverted, ‘out there’ geezers.” Out there or not, the
firm recruits pretty much exclusively through its winter,
“When I explain it to my friends who are spring and summer vac schemes to ensure trainees are
lawyers, they think it sounds mental.” suited to the unstructured system.

They also pointed to the firm’s business model as a dis- “There is no one standard experience at
tinguisher. “Unlike most firms which are LLPs, the firm’s Jones Day.”
structure is a general partnership” (the firm refers to it as a
The True Picture

true partnership), which basically means individual part- “Once you introduce yourself to partners, you’ll typically be
ners have more control over the business. The main dif- included on the capacity requests they send out,” trainees
ference trainees felt on the ground was that “it promotes explained. It’s a system “where your reputation and how
an idea of global collegiality.” Cue the firm’s slogan: ‘One you’re perceived means a lot,” one emphasised. “Partners
Firm Worldwide.’ Give or take the odd dissenting voice talk between departments, which can help in securing
(one felt “you can’t get away from the American connec- work.” The biggest challenge interviewees encountered
tion” ) everyone agreed that the atmosphere at Jones Day was managing their workload. “It can be hard to find the
“isn’t what you’d imagine in terms of the stereotypical US middle ground sometimes,” they said. “You need to be or-
firm –there are no obvious pressing obsessions with billable ganised and communicate well. If you can do those two
hours.” things, it’s an amazing system and you’ll be a better lawyer
for it.”

394
chambersstudent.co.uk Jones Day J
Chambers UK rankings consider the sexiest,” one shared. As you can guess from
Competition/European Law Litigation
its name, the department has a distinctly international
Corporate/M&A Private Equity
outlook. “I’ve been working a lot with colleagues in Beijing
Environment Real Estate Finance
and Washington,” one source told us, who relayed ru-
Fraud Restructuring/Insolvency
mours of trainees being sent to locations like Singapore.
The firm recently obtained a $40 million award for Cana-
dian client World Wide Minerals in proceedings against
the Republic of Kazakhstan involving the expropriation of
Given the degree of autonomy trainees have, “there is no its mining assets in the late ‘90s. “In the months I’ve been
one standard experience at Jones Day.” For example, one here, I’ve had good exposure to most stages of a dispute,”
interviewee said: “My time has been more akin to that of one trainee remarked, who was kept busy “attending tri-
a traditional training contract in that I’ve worked in four als, drafting witness statements and maintaining corre-
distinct areas.” Another told us most of their time had spondence with the other side.”
been dominated by a single case, “around which I’ve been
picking up work from other departments.” This trainee felt “I was sitting on live negotiations with the
“one of the best things about the system is that you can see other side alongside the partner for four
cases through from start to finish rather than dropping out
days straight.”
at a certain stage. There’s no sense that you’re part of the
team temporarily.” Jones Day’s corporate team is well known for its mid-
market activity – Chambers UK ranks the firm highly for
Qualification is an informal process at Jones Day with no its work in this space in London. That’s not to say there
interviews. “In the ideal situation, you would have spent aren’t “chances to work on some monster deals every now
your first year and a half sussing out the area you want to and then” too.For example, the firm recently advised on-
qualify into before dedicating your final six months in that line gambling company The Stars Group on its $14 bil-
area,” one outlined. “It’s pretty clear who wants to qualify lion merger with Flutter Entertainment. In the mid-market
where towards the end of second year.” It’s down to train- arena, the team recently advised Blackstone on its €175
ees to keep partners in the loop about their goals, with million investment in Superbet. It was lower-value mat-
some of our sources suggesting the process could use ters that were most coveted by our interviewees. On
“some more transparency.” In 2020, all 20 qualifiers were these types of deals, trainees said “you’re typically staffed
kept on. with a partner and associate and the clients have higher ex-
pectations of you” – probably because trainees on these
types of deals are simply more visible to clients. In one ex-
The Departments ample, “I was sitting on live negotiations with the other side
The firm’s banking and finance team works on both the alongside the partner for four days straight.” Of course, this
lender and borrower side of financings, refinancings and was supplemented by more administrative tasks such as
restructurings. Work falls under two main banners here: due diligence.
leveraged finance and real estate finance. Trainees who
got experience in the latter said: “You spend a lot of time Real estate is another one of the London office’s core de-
managing CP checklists and chasing the insurer brokers, partments, which incorporates construction, environment
real estate lawyers, and the other side to get everything you and planning work too. The team’s focus is almost exclu-
need. You have to have a lot of reminders set in your cal- sively commercial. Recent examples of work in the capital
endar!” Clients include big banks and financial services include representing TV company Pinewood when it let
companies like Wells Fargo, which the firm recently ad- out a couple of studios to Disney and Netflix, and advis-
vised on a £50.4 million agreement to finance part of the ing private equity investor CIT Group Partners on setting
Farringdon Crossrail Station development. On the lever- up a joint venture to invest in the development of Cole-
The True Picture

aged finance side, “you’re often working with other depart- church House in Southwark. The firm has also played a
ments. For example, I’ve done some distress finance work role in advising a client on the £3 billion redevelopment of
so I’ve been working a lot with the insolvency team.” Train- Elephant and Castle. “There are some small leases which
ees racked up drafting experience with loan agreements, trainees can run with,” one source explained. On the con-
letters and security agreements. Refreshingly, interview- struction side, trainees described “making appointments
ees who spent time in this group pointed out that most of with architects and consultants, and then reviewing the
the team is made up of women. comments they’ve made.”

The firm’s global disputes practice has a penchant for Trainees might seek out work in some of the firm’s smaller
white-collar crime, investigations, investor-state arbitra- departments, such as employment, competition or intel-
tions, and civil fraud (which the firm is highly ranked for lectual property. The work is mostly litigation with a mix
by Chambers UK). “The work is what a lot of people would of non-contentious patent and trade mark work thrown in

395
 J Jones Day chambersstudent.co.uk

too, but trainees pointed out they did “exclusively IP litiga- a true open-door culture and makes everything feel quite
tion; you’re not going to be doing filings or trade marks.” informal.” Another agreed: “It feels like everyone is on the
One source said this was “a good area to branch into for same level. For example, trainees and partners share the
someone who enjoys litigation and wants something more same canteen.” That might sound trivial but this isn’t the
technical.” Given the level of technicality, trainees here case at every firm. “The dress code is pretty relaxed” too
spent time conducting research and “trying to get your – jeans are common attire on Thursdays and Fridays, with
head around the issue at hand!” Once up to speed, trainees “some people just wearing sportswear on Friday” (although
might get to draft witness statements as well. we should point out they’re probably not rocking up to
client meetings in their spandex).
“Partners give work to those who perform,
not those who are the loudest.” “I would consider leaving at 8pm to be
standard.”
Client secondments to banks, financial institutions, real
estate firms and regulators are also available to trainees. So, what does this non-rotational malarkey mean for
Overseas seats aren’t so hot, which was a source of frus- trainees’ work/life balance? “It can be hard,” one ac-
tration for some. However, one or two trainees from each knowledged. “When you have seats, you can ride the natu-
intake usually spend six months in the Dubai office. ral peaks and troughs of business, but I feel pressure to
be busy all the time. I would consider leaving at 8pm to be
standard.” Another weighed in that “it can be hard to gauge
Trainee Life what’s the right amount to be working, especially as the
Talking culture, trainees were quick to bring the non-ro- firm is shy about giving a number.” Trainees did their own
tational system back into the conversation. “What should detective work instead: “We’re all on a WhatsApp group in
invite competitive behaviour doesn’t,” one reflected. In- which we compare hours and from there you can start to get
stead of competing with one another, they said “the best a rough average.” We did hear plenty of stories of trainees
support network you have is the trainee cohort. You can being able to get out the door at 6pm, but inevitably the
trust that if you email round the group asking for help on a promise of a six-figuresalary upon qualification means
matter, someone will respond.” So not everyone is a type-A trainees work some pretty long hours here.
schmoozer? Apparently not. “If you’re super competitive,
people will hate you!” trainees told us, with one suggest- When everyone has different schedules, “it can be hard to
ing “maybe in the past there was a typical Jones Day trainee, coordinate socially,” sources reflected, but not “out of an
but not anymore.” Trainees described a more “balanced” unwillingness to do so.” Concrete opportunities to let their
bunch. “I consider myself introverted,” one shared. “I’m not hair down include the firmwide Christmas party (most re-
shy but I don’t like being the centre of attention either.” cently at St Paul’s Cathedral), which is supplemented by
department-led festivities. One source told us they felt
Ultimately, our sources made clear that “partners give the firm had a done a good job of moving “away from a
work to those who perform, not those who are the loudest.” boozy culture of going to the pub to schmooze partners on a
In fact, one even observed that “to some extent the part- Friday. There isn’t pressure to socialise if you don’t want to.”
ners are competing for the trainees’ attention, which breeds

Jones Dayum!
The firm frequently tops Bloomberg’s M&A league table for
The True Picture

doing the most M&A deals worldwide.

396
www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
chambersstudent.co.uk Jones Day J

Jones Day
21 Tudor Street, London EC4Y 0DJ
Tel: 020 7039 5959 Facebook: JonesDayLondonCareers Partners: approx 60
Associates: approx 100
Email: [email protected]
Total trainees: approx 40
Website: www.jonesdaylondon.com
UK offices: London
Overseas offices: 42

Contacts
Firm profile
Rose Taylor -
Jones Day is a global law firm with more than 2,500 lawyers in 43 offices across five continents. The Graduate Recruitment Manager
Firm is distinguished by: a singular tradition of client service; the mutual commitment to, and the Emily Stew - Recruitment Partner
seamless collaboration of, a true partnership; formidable legal talent across multiple disciplines and Adam Brown - Training Partner
jurisdictions; and shared professional values that focus on client needs.
Application criteria
Training contracts pa: 15-20
Main areas of work
Applications pa: 1800
Jones Day’s strengths in London reflect the firm’s rich heritage in M&A and global disputes. Our 200
Minimum required degree
London-based lawyers collaborate within the UK and across our worldwide offices, to guide clients
grade: 2:1
through the most demanding and complex global matters: including cross-border M&A; real estate
Vacation scheme places pa: 70
and finance transactions (including banking, capital markets, investment funds, private equity and
structured finance); global disputes; and regulatory matters involving the UK, US and other authorities. Dates and deadlines
Additional specialist areas include business restructuring; competition/antitrust; corporate criminal Training contract applications
investigations; corporate tax planning; employment and pensions; intellectual property; and projects open: 1st October 2020
and infrastructure. Training contract deadline, 2023
start: 8th January 2021
Training opportunities Vacation scheme applications
open: 1st October 2020
As leaders in cross-border M&A and global disputes, we look to recruit extraordinary people who are
Vacation scheme, 2021 dead-
committed to a legal career; want to work on international matters; and can become part of our future
line: 8th January 2021
— not just qualify with us. Successful candidates have a minimum 2:1 (law or non-law) degree; strong
intellectual and analytical ability; good communication skills; and demonstrate resourcefulness, drive, Salary and benefits (2020)
dedication and the ability to be a team player. First-year salary: £52,000
In our rare and distinctive, non-rotational system of training, you will seek and receive work across all Second-year salary: £59,000
departments at the same time, to provide flexibility, responsibility, faster development of potential and Post-qualification salary:
the opportunity to compare and contrast different disciplines alongside one another. Your work will £100,000

vary from small cases which you may handle alone (under the supervision of a senior lawyer) to larger Holiday entitlement: 25 days

matters where you will assist a partner or an associate solicitor. The firm runs a structured seminar Sponsorship
programme to support the practical teaching you receive from associates and partners with whom you LPC fees: Yes
work. GDL fees: Yes
Maintenance grant pa: £10,000
Placement schemes
We have 70 places for two-week placements in the winter, spring and summer vacations. We pay an International and regional
allowance of £500 per week. Apply for a placement if you want to train at Jones Day. We expect to Overseas offices:
Continental Europe, Asia, USA,
recruit our trainees from our placement candidates. You will see how the firm’s non-rotational training
Latin America, Middle East,
system works in practice by taking on real work from a variety of practice areas and meet a range Asia Pacific
of lawyers at various social events. All our placement schemes are open to final year law and non- Overseas secondments: Dubai
law students, graduates and postgraduates, as well as career changers. Our schemes are also open to
The True Picture

penultimate year students undertaking a qualifying law degree. We recruit on a rolling basis.
Visit the website for more details.

Other benefits
Free gym, subsidised cafe, private healthcare, season ticket loan, group life cover, salary sacrifice
schemes and personal pension.

Opportunities to meet us
All our ‘Question Times’ at our offices or online are open to all, including first year students. Check out
the events page on our website.

Org ID: 8429 2 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... 397

Date: ............................
 K K&L Gates chambersstudent.co.uk

K&L Gates
The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Location: London How to get into K&L
Overseas offices: 43
K&L’s planning seat
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 45/60/14
Seats: 4x6 months
First-year salary: £43,000
Qualification salary: £85,000

A training contract at the London base of this US giant will open the
gates to an internationally flavoured legal career.

The Firm 
Charles and Camilla getting hitched may have dominated The Seats 
the front pages in 2005, but elsewhere in the legal press Newbies are assigned their first seat, but list three pref-
another union was grabbing the headlines: the joining of erences for each of their subsequent seats at mid- and
US mega firm K&L Gates with City outfit Nicholson Gra- end-of-seat meetings with HR. “It’s good that they put you
ham & Jones. From then on it was all engines go, with a outside your comfort zone initially,” thought one insider,
snazzy base in One New Change (complete with “amaz- “and then take into account what you want to do for the
ing views” of St Paul’s) to inspire K&L’s lawyers to pull off rest of your seats so you can shape your career.” Most in-
the firm’s global ambitions. Indeed, law firms don’t get terviewees got their first choice for at least two of their
much more global than K&L Gates, which has 44 offices seats.
spread across five continents. When speaking with our
US sister guide Chambers Associate earlier in 2020 (just “I spent a lot of time with a famous QC, so
before the Covid-19 pandemic took hold), global strategic that was cool!”
growth partner Craig Budner told us that K&L is “a glob-
ally integrated law firm – philosophically, we are a firm that K&L’s white collar crime group is distinct from the broad-
encourages collaborative solutions and alignment across er litigation practice. Here the advice covers the likes of
practices, industries and geography.” insider trading, internal investigations, bribery and cor-
ruption, and anti-money laundering. Clients include the
In London, Chambers UK recognises K&L’s real estate Qatar Free Zone Authority, construction company Laing
expertise especially, awarding it rankings in areas such O’Rouke and public service provider Serco Group. The
as construction (for supplier and purchaser work) and fi- group have been advising the latter since 2013 on various
nance. The firm’s mid-market corporate/M&A capabilities matters, but recently did so on the company’s response to
also feature. On a UK-wide basis, it’s K&L’s insurance poli- the Serious Fraud Office’s criminal investigation into its
cyholder and capital markets AIM work that stands out. alleged overcharging of electronic monitoring contracts
The True Picture

That’s not the extent of K&L’s London offering, though. to the government. Sources told us that this seat is known
One trainee recalled how they were “attracted to K&L’s for high levels of client contact, with one revealing: “I got
white collar crime practice, which only boutiques usually to go to some client meetings alone and talk through docu-
do.” Other sources wanted a London firm with a strong ments which might help with their defence.” Others were
reputation, “but also to be part of a small cohort – it’s easy able to work on a “massive” government inquiry, which in-
to get lost in the crowd otherwise, and here you get better volved “doing some interviews, which was amazing for the
training as a small group.” As you can reasonably expect,
K&L London does a fair bit of international work, which Seat options: real estate; planning; commercial dis-
was another draw for our interviewees. For example, “the putes and litigation; white collar crime; insurance cov-
corporate team does a lot with US and European clients, so erage; employment; competition and regulatory; con-
it doesn’t feel like you’re working in an English firm!” struction; oil and gas; finance; corporate; IP; investment
management.

398
chambersstudent.co.uk K&L Gates K
Chambers UK rankings Trainee Life 
Capital Markets Insurance
Pro bono work is a big deal in the US, and at K&L London
Construction Real Estate Finance
the story’s no different: “Pro bono’s strongly encouraged,
Corporate/M&A
especially among trainees because we don’t have billable
clients.” Some sources had picked up pro bono work from
the seats they’d done: “I was the prime candidate for a cer-
tain matter because I’d done a seat in the area. I was suc-
stage I was at in my training contract!” More desk-based cessful in the case and people were really nice and picked
tasks revolved around drafting witness statements and up on it.” Others went to the Battersea Legal Advice Cen-
taking attendance notes. tre once every few months “to advise as many people as
we can for the evening.” Trainees are expected to do pro
Those who’d sat in commercial litigation told of working bono alongside their usual work “but it’s definitely man-
on energy, bankruptcy/insolvency and tax cases, as well ageable. I had a big case on, so I was hesitant about taking
as assisting with preparations for arbitrations. The firm on pro bono, but the team really encouraged me and helped
also handles construction litigation, aviation litigation, me with it.”
sports litigation and corporate disputes. Trainees spent
a fair few days in court: “I was just observing most of the “...people here really made an effort to
time, but I did get to make an application once.” Others “got train me...”
very lucky” and ended up on a Supreme Court case as
“the team was ramping up for the hearing, which I ended This level of support came up a lot in our interviews.
up attending. I spent a lot of time with a famous QC, so that “They expect a lot of you but not so much that you’re over-
was cool!” Less scintillating work comes in the form of whelmed,” explained one insider. “They also don’t expect
bundling and making court filings. Interviewees found you to know everything from the get-go. Two of the partners
the research side “satisfying because you try to get to the I work with trained here so it’s nice to see that long-term ca-
bottom of legal issues and find a solution.” Some trainees reer development as well.” Training happens in individual
also reported working on more niche matters, and found seats “but the quality depends on how busy the teams are
that on these they got “quite a lot of client contact” and – sometimes you’re just thrown in because they desperately
the chance to produce “a big client memo on a very new need someone to help.” On a “normal day,” however, “peo-
area of law, which was really interesting.” ple would always give me clear instructions, so there’s a
strong support network.” Another agreed and relayed that
Important sectors for K&L’s corporate department in- the “people here really made an effort to train me when I
clude real estate and energy, with Chambers UK highlight- joined and involved me in team meetings –the team took me
ing how the deals often involve jurisdictions in Europe out for coffee too, so it’s an inclusive place.”
and the Middle East. Clients are frequently US companies
looking to establish or enhance their activities in these Although “US firms have a bad rep for scary hours, that’s
regions. Trainees are free to tap into different areas of not the case here,” one source assured us. Another insist-
interest, which for one consisted of “a broad of range of ed that the “late nights aren’t horrendous” and typically
public and private M&A matters, plus capital markets work.” mean a midnight finish during court cases. Wrapping up
On the M&A side, the team recently advised food col- and heading out by 6pm is the norm otherwise, except, of
ouring manufacturer D.D. Williamson & Co on its acqui- course, for those in corporate. Like most firms, corporate
sition of the natural colours business of DuPont, which is known for having the worst hours, with this trainee ex-
involved parties in the US, Chile, the Netherlands and the plaining that they’d “have dinner at the office most nights,
UK. A recent equity capital markets matter, meanwhile, but leave by eight or nine so I’d still get a good night’s sleep
involved advising oil and gas company Faroe Petroleum and go to the gym in the morning.” Fortunately, trainees
on a £650 million hostile takeover by Norwegian operator felt that “compensation is definitely competitive with our
The True Picture

DNO. Trainees were pleased to be exposed to business peer firms.” Trainees start on £43,000, and NQs enjoyed a
development tasks, with one enthusing about how they’d £10k pay bump in 2019, bringing their pay cheque up to
“researched various broadcasters in different countries, £85k for the year: “That definitely boosted morale!”
which we’ll eventually contact about representation – that
was pretty fun.” A favourite trainee task was verification, The NQ process “has been more rigorous since 2019 and
which involved making sure that everything written in a we now have a formal interview process,” according to
document was true at the stage when a company applies trainees. Of course, this year’s process was “pandemic-
to join the Alternative Investment Market (AIM): “That’s a dependent,” but interviewees had still had “conversations
really interesting task because you get to learn about the with various practice leaders.” In 2020, five of eight quali-
industry and the client’s business.” fiers stayed at the firm.

399
 www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
K K&L Gates chambersstudent.co.uk

K&L Gates LLP

One New Change, London, EC4M 9AF
Tel: 020 7648 9000 Fax: 020 7648 9001 Partners: 45
Email: [email protected] Associates: 55
Website: www.klgates.com Total trainees: 14 (1st +2nd years,
as of 1 September 2020)
UK offices: London
Overseas offices: 44
Firm profile
K&L Gates is a fully integrated global law firm with lawyers located across five continents. Our Contacts
broad global platform allows us to guide clients through the legal challenges inherent in the ever- Hayley Atherton
(Recruiting Manager)
changing international landscape. K&L Gates represents leading global corporations in every
major industry, capital markets participants and ambitious middle-market and emerging growth Application criteria
companies. Our lawyers also serve public sector entities, educational institutions, philanthropic Training contracts pa: TBD
organizations, and individuals. We are leaders in legal issues related to industries critical to the Applications pa: 800
economies of both the developed and developing worlds – technology, manufacturing, financial Minimum required degree grade:
services, health care, and energy, among many others. 2:1 predicted or equivalent (or the
relevant academic equivalent)
Main areas of work Minimum UCAS points: 320
K&L Gates is active in the areas of corporate/M&A, capital markets, private equity, restructuring Vacation scheme places pa: 12
and insolvency, banking and asset finance, structured finance, derivatives, aviation, funds, an-
Dates and deadlines
titrust, competition and trade regulation, public policy, real estate, planning and environment,
Training contract applications
intellectual property, media and sport, construction, energy, infrastructure and resources, insur- open: 1st November 2020
ance coverage, regulatory, tax, employment, litigation, international arbitration, investigations, Training contract deadline, 2022
enforcement and white collar crime plus other forms of dispute resolution. start: 31st July 2021
Vacation scheme applications
Training opportunities open: 1st November 2020
The firm ensures each trainee is given exceptional opportunities to learn, experience and develop Vacation scheme 2021 deadline:
so that they can achieve their maximum potential. Trainees spend six-month seats in four of the 31st January 2021
areas mentioned above. Each trainee sits with a supervisor and is allocated an individual mentor to
Salary and benefits
ensure all round supervision and training. The firm has a thorough induction scheme and career
First-year salary: £43,000
development programme. High importance is placed on the acquisition of business and profes-
Second-year salary: £48,000
sional skills, and early responsibility. The training programme consists of weekly legal education
Post-qualification salary: £85,000
seminars, workshops and a full programme of skills electives. Pro bono and corporate social re-
Holiday entitlement:
sponsibility activities are also encouraged. 25 days holidays plus UK bank
and public holidays
Vacation scheme
The firm’s formal summer legal work placement scheme is open to law and non-law students and Sponsorship
other relevant postgraduates. Your two weeks with us in July will provide you with broad exposure LPC fees: Yes
to opportunities in diverse areas. We aim to give you a seat in at least two departments, and wher- GDL fees: Yes
ever possible we will allocate you to a seat of your choice. Maintenence grant pa: £5,000
for GDL maintenance grant and
£7,000 maintenance LPC grant
Other benefits
Subsidised sports club membership, season ticket loan, permanent health insurance, life assur-
ance, GP service, cycle to work scheme, employee assistance programme and pension.
The True Picture

Open days and first-year opportunities

Open days are held monthly from December through to May each year. Please express your inter-
est in attending an open day when applying for a training contract or a legal work placement, and
we will respond accordingly.

Org ID: 3581

400 2 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................
chambersstudent.co.uk Kennedys K

Kennedys
The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Locations: Belfast, Birmingham, Cambridge, Chelmsford, Get hired at Kennedys
Edinburgh, Glasgow, London, Manchester, Sheffield and
Taunton
Overseas offices: 39
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 131/424/44
Seats: 4x6 months
First-year salary: £27,500 (£38,500 London)
Qualification salary: undisclosed

Insurance litigation –disputes about things that went wrong –is a big deal
at Kennedys; the irony is trainees find life here very agreeable.
trainee cohort was based in London; Birmingham, Cam-
The Firm bridge, Chelmsford, Manchester, Sheffield and Taunton
Next time you’re watching an explosion-filled blockbust- also welcome newbies. Everybody completes four six-
er, take yourself out of the action for a moment and im- month seats, which are split into three main categories:
agine the insurance claims that such devastation could insurance, liability and commercial. “There are techni-
cause. If your brain already works like that, Kennedys cally no compulsory seats, but you’ll definitely do a liability
might just be the firm for you: a global outfit with 39 of- seat or two in your first year, because the teams are big and
fices spanning 22 countries, it’s capitalised from two big insurance seats typically go to second years,” insiders re-
mergers in the last few years to register turnover north vealed.
of £210 million a year, putting it comfortably in the UK’s
top 30 firms by revenue. That’s an empire built on insur-
ance and litigious expertise: Chambers UK ranks the firm The Seats
top nationwide for clinical negligence, contentious insur- In the liabilitycategory, you’ll find seats in regulatory,
ance, personal injury, product liability, and travel. travel and (funnily enough) liability; insuranceoptions
include aviation, marine, casualty coverage, property/en-
Perhaps surprisingly, Kennedys’ rapid expansion began in ergy/construction, professional liability, product liability
2008 and 2009. Aggressive expansion in the middle of and life sciences (“I’ve no idea why they’re not liability…”
a global recession suggests a firm that doesn’t over-lev- ) and financial and political risk. Kennedys’ commercial-
erage itself (their insurer clients must be delighted) and seats are corporate, employment, insolvency, property,
indicates that Kennedys could be in for a period of rapid and international arbitration and commercial litigation.
growth in the post-pandemic economy as the insurance From September 2021, some incoming trainees will join
market goes into overdrive. Though the firm is sizeable, a team within one of the firm’s specific divisions (like
it takes on just over 20 trainees nationally each year, and healthcare, liability, insurance or commercial) through a
The True Picture

our interviewees confirmed “you don’t feel like you’re just new SQE training programme. Trainees on the traditional
a number.” A small handful already had history with the training contract route will still do seats across the firm’s
firm, having started there as paralegals before applying. offering.

“Kennedys is planning to sponsor the LPC. Trainees also have the options of client and international
In the past it didn’t.” secondments. Trips to Hong Kong are “ad hoc,” but if you
want to do a seat in Bermuda “you have to apply before
Moving forward, we heard that “Kennedys is planning to starting the training contract.” Client secondment oppor-
sponsor the LPC. In the past it didn’t,” so there could be
more opportunities for those who aren’t keen on the pa-
ralegal route. It’s expected that sponsorship will continue Seat options: insurance; liability; healthcare; commer-
to the SQE as it replaces the old route. By far the largest cial

401
 K Kennedys chambersstudent.co.uk

Chambers UK rankings involving an airline carrying rhinos,” a still-bemused source

Aviation Personal Injury
began. “The male rhino was improperly tranquillised and
Clinical Negligence Product Liability
travelling with a female in heat...” Hold your ‘horny’ jokes.
Construction Professional Negligence
“The male broke through the enclosure while in mid-air…
Health & Safety Shipping
that’s the kind of stuff you’re dealing with in aviation. Any-
Insurance Transport
thing you can think of.” To give a general definition, Ken-
Life Sciences Travel
nedys’ practice deals with individual plane incidents that
lead to insurance claims. The firm was sole counsel to
British Airways on liability from passenger claims after
Flight 2276 from Los Angeles to Gatwick caught fire
tunities include Allianz, N-Star, AIG and Zurich, and the during take-off and the passengers and crew had to be
product liability team “always has someone at Chubb.” evacuated. Kennedys also represents big names Etihad
Airways, Ryanair, Aer Lingus and easyJet. Our trainee
Future Cambridge trainees should bear in mind that a sources described lawyers in the team as “super sup-
training contract there comes with “fewer options than portive” and suggested they “had exposure to a spread of
London” because the office focuses largely on clini- general aviation law, dealing with and prepping for inquests
cal negligence. “Three of the four seats will be clin neg,” and aviation policy work.” This is a department which may
sources said. “You move around and work with different be heavily affected by the coronavirus pandemic, which
people for six months at a time, but within the same prac- may generate different work.
tice.” For the “fourth seat you can either go to London or do
NHS employment work.” Trainees based in London can of- “It’s probably one of the best places to do
fer preferences for their first seat, “but the reality is that your first seat.”
your preference doesn’t go very far at all,” and Manchester
trainees get automatically allocated. Frustration with the While team aviation mostly deals with single incidents,
seat allocation was common, and while trainees under- product liability (life sciences) leans towards “mass liti-
stood seat choices were above all determined by “busi- gation.” Described by trainees as “70% insurance and 30%
ness need and second years getting priority,” the consen- liability,” the department acts for defendants on “a lot
sus was that “decisions don’t make sense, even once you’ve of class-action claims, typical for product liability depart-
factored everything in. You look at what people put down, ments.” Naturally that means “the work is quite reactive.”
look at how the seats were allocated and think, ‘How the Johnson & Johnson Medical is one key client: Kennedys
hell did this happen?!’” Trainees agreed “there could be a has handled defence and product claims across the
bit more transparency” around seat allocation firm-wide. EMEA region and acted for the company during Inde-
pendent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Review
“There was a bizarre case involving an investigations into pelvic mesh products. For trainees,
airline carrying rhinos.” the bulk of this seat involved “helping manage non-lead
claims, notifying clients of changes in cases and provid-
A seat in travel revolves around mostly “low-value, fast- ing monthly updates.” On big-volume cases, trainees in-
track claims alleging sickness abroad.” Small claims may put “every new claim into a spreadsheet, with all the rest
be the bread and butter but Kennedys also handles big- of the information.” They’re responsible for “checking all
ger matters: the firm acted for TUI on the inquest into the the facts, requesting medical records, drafting letters of
deaths of British nationals in a terror attack on a beach in response, disclosure and liaising with experts.” Although
Tunisia in 2015. Trainees normally “handledtheirown case- trainees would “occasionally bundle, most of the admin
load, managing the procedural timelines and running any is done by support staff” in the department. Many came
files to trial at the county courts (also known as fast-track away with happy memories of the seat: “I loved it. It was
courts).” Sources described working on “20 or 30 active really interesting, and the people were absolutely fantas-
The True Picture

cases at a time, interviewing witnesses and drafting ancil- tic.” Because of the mix of insurance and liability-style
lary documents, from witness statements to client advice.” work “it’s probably one of the best places to do your first
Kennedys counts Mark Warner Holidays, Virgin Holidays seat and you can decide which one you prefer,” sources
and Disney US and France on its client roster, and much reasoned. There’s also a “fair bit of cross-border work” as
of the work trainees can expect to engage in derives from some cases involve multinationals.
compensation claims from holidays gone wrong – firstly
by determining their veracity, and advising the client on Commercial seats are available in the London and Man-
whether to settle or go to trial. chester offices. “The commercial dispute work that runs
off the insurance work we do” falls under commercial
While we’re talking all things travel, our favourite story litigation and international arbitration. Kennedys may
came from the aviation department (which counts as an “be helping an insurer with a contract with a third party,”
insurance, not a liability seat). “There was a bizarre case trainees gave as an example. The department also han-

402
chambersstudent.co.uk Kennedys K

dles “breach of contract disputes and a lot of property all its people are like-minded,” with the aim of creating
litigation.” International arbitration cases vary from multi- “a family unit. It feels like that, and no matter which office
jurisdictional clashes over pomegranate juice exports to I’ve worked in, they care about you.” It’s true that across
disputed construction of oil platforms; Kennedys recently the offices we spoke to, trainees were chummy with the
represented an Irish energy company in a dispute with a rest of their cohort – the squad in Cambridge host trainee
US business, with arbitration commencing in the UK. lunches, while Manchester and London trainees were
Trainees in the litigation and arbitration seat were “draft- more likely to go out for drinks after work. Londoners
ing tons of different kinds of agreements, something differ- suggested the juniors there “will always try and do a big
ent every day.” They clarified that “one or two fee earners drinks event every so often,” while others highlighted that
deal with arbitration, it’s 90% commercial litigation.” Out- “departments themselves are quite social,” with informal
side of London there’s a strong banking and finance liti- drinks every Friday night in some cases.
gious practice, acting for clients like Metro Bank and the
Euro Hotels Group. Sports clients are a common theme “No matter which office I’ve worked In,
in the Manchester office, including clubs and directors. they care about you.”
Formal responsibility for supervision and mentoring falls
Trainee Life in the lap of each seat supervisor, but first years also get
Insiders suggested that Kennedys encourages a “good a “second-year trainee buddy.” Having forged close rela-
work/life balance. You won’t be working crazy hours: I’m tionships with their supervisors, our interviewees told us:
hardly ever in the office before 8am or past 6pm.” That’s “You don’t need to organise anything with them in advance
partly down to the firm’s focus on litigation: deadlines for to have a meeting, but most want a formal meet-up every
court filings typically close at 4pm, which means the of- three months.” Feedback comes “from everyone you’ve
fice can be “really manic until then before you can breathe done work for,” and there’s additional training available in
again.” That’s not to say later nights won’t be needed, the form of “writing courses and online tutorials on sub-
but if “it’s an ‘all hands on deck’ situation then you’ll know jects like drafting witness statements.” A strong mentoring
about it long beforehand.” A consistent diet of litigation system is essential to promoting from within the ranks,
and insurance law can be stressful (disputes are big ar- but the firm still struggles with diversity at partnership
guments, after all) and we heard that Kennedys aims to level: just 3% of partners come from ethnic minority
avoid unnecessary stress. Across UK offices, trainees de- backgrounds. Kennedys fares better in gender diversity,
scribed their colleagues and supervisors as “friendly and with around 30% women partners (close to the national
supportive,” appreciating opportunities for “flex sched- average) and about 70% female associates and trainees.
ules and working from home” even before the national
lockdown. “When I’m done for the day, I can just leave,” said On the eve of qualification season, “HR speaks to each
one. This doesn’t mean trainees are mollycoddled: “If you department to find out how many trainees they want to take
show supervisors you can manage yourself they let you get on.” To manage expectations, the firm reveals this infor-
on with it. Even paralegals can get their own cases, so train- mation to trainees before they “submit an application to
ees are trusted from the get-go.” any teams you’d be open to qualifying into.” In 2020 Ken-
nedys retained 21 of its 23 qualifiers. Trainee and NQ sal-
One way to limit hierarchy is an open plan office: both aries are higher in London than the firm’s other offices,
Manchester and London are open plan, and trainees sug- but our sources outside the capital weren’t salty – there
gested you “wouldn’t know a partner from an associate. It’s were some murmurs that the London and Northern of-
great that you can hear discussions between partners and fices aren’t as connected as they could be, but sources
senior associates; that’s a great way to learn.” Sources add- approved of “cross-office article writing and business de-
ed that “despite the size of the firm, you’d struggle not to velopment.”
get on with people. Kennedys prides itself on making sure
The True Picture

JFKrazy
The firm changed its name from Kennedy, Genese, Syson &
Lewis to the snappier Kennedys in the 60s – JFK was president
of the USA at the time, and the name was all the rage.

403
 www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
K Kennedys chambersstudent.co.uk

Kennedys
25 Fenchurch Avenue, London, EC3M 5AD
Tel: 020 7667 9667 Fax: 020 7667 9777 Facebook: KennedysTrainees Partners: 263
Email: [email protected] Twitter: @KennedysLaw Associates: 323 UK
Website: www.kennedyslaw.com Total trainees: 22 1st years and
22 2nd years
UK offices: Belfast, Birmingham,
Firm profile Bristol, Cambridge, Chelmsford,
Kennedys is a global law firm with unrivalled expertise in the insurance/reinsurance and liability Edinburgh, Glasgow, London,
industries. With over 2000 people worldwide across 39 offices in the UK and Europe, the Ameri- Manchester, Sheffield, Taunton
Overseas offices: 28
cas, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East, we have some of the most respected legal minds in their
fields. We act for insurers, re-insurers, self-insured’s, Lloyds Syndicates, claim handlers and bro- Contacts
kers, TPA’s, self-insured national public transport companies, corporates, retailers and local au- Graduate recruiter: HR Admin
thorities. Our lawyers understand the impact of not only current, but also proposed regulations [email protected]
and advise our clients on the implications this will have on their business. 020 7667 9667
Training partner: Andrew Coates

Main areas of work Application criteria

Kennedys lawyers provide a range of specialist legal services for many industries including: Insur- Training contracts pa: 20
ance and reinsurance, healthcare, construction, transport, maritime and international trade, rail Applications pa: 1000
Minimum required degree
and aviation. There is also a particular focus on dispute resolution and litigation.
grade: 2:1
Minimum UCAS points or A
Training opportunities levels: 120 UCAS points or
The purpose of the training contract is to give trainees a mix of experience and skills that will set equivalent
them up in their legal career as a lawyer with Kennedys. Dates and deadlines
Kennedys ensures that their trainee solicitors are given sound training in the core disciplines. All Training contract applications
supervisors are approachable and ready to offer support when needed. Our training contracts are open: Currently open
Training contract deadline, 2022
two years in length and you will undertake four six month seats within areas such as insurance and start: 31st December 2020
reinsurance, liability, corporate and commercial and healthcare. SQE Training Programme appli-
We develop careers in an innovative and collaborative global environment, with a variety of train- cations open: Currently open
SQE Training Programme dead-
ing opportunities available. This includes secondment opportunities to clients and our global of-
line, 2021 start: 31st December
fices. We believe that supporting individual growth and development puts us in the best position 2020
to attract and retain talented individuals.
Salary and benefits
First-year salary: £38,500
SQE Training Programme (London), £27,500 (elsewhere)
Kennedys are excited to announce we will be introducing a new innovative training programme Second-year salary: £41,000
for graduates. Our programme will prepare you for the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE), the new (London), £30,000 (elsewhere)
route to qualification that is coming into effect from Autumn 2021. The new SQE training pro- Post-qualification salary:
Up to £65,000 (London)
gramme will take the form of a Graduate Solicitor Apprenticeship and allows you to start working
Holiday entitlement: 25 days
and earning at Kennedys immediately after university, while gaining qualifying legal work experi-
ence in one of our teams before sitting the SQE1 and SQE2 exams to qualify as a solicitor. You will Sponsorship
also be awarded a Postgraduate Certificate from BPP. LPC fees: Yes
GDL fees: Yes
Prospective trainees looking to start the SQE training programme must have completed a law Maintenance grant pa: Yes
degree or the GDL/PGDL prior to starting with Kennedys.
International and regional
The two year six-month training programme will involve working at Kennedys four days a week
The True Picture

Offices with training contracts:

and having one day off a week to study at BBP. In addition to a dedicated supervisor at Kennedys, Hong Kong, Mexico, Singapore
you will have a tutor and skills coach at BPP, to ensure that you have all the support you need at Overseas seats:
work and with your studies. Hong Kong
Client secondments:
Varied across UK locations
Other benefits
Life insurance, income protection, employee assistance programme, pension, private medical in-
surance, season ticket loan, child care schemes, gym membership, fitness subsidy, eye care vouch-
ers, corporate GP, 25 days holiday, increasing to 27 after five years.

Open days and first-year opportunities

Open days are open to anyone interested in a career in law. We will advertise our open days and
evenings via our website and Facebook page.

Org ID: 222

404 2 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................
chambersstudent.co.uk Kingsley Napley LLP K

Kingsley Napley LLP

The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Location: London Get hired at Kingsley Napley
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 63/139/13
Seats: 4x6 months
First-year salary: £34,000
Qualification salary: £58,000

Variety is the spice of life at leading crime outfit Kingsley Napley.

The Firm under their belts, it’s unsurprising that our sources pri-
Strawberry laces, jelly snakes, gummy bears, and cola oritised “longevity in a firm” when considering their op-
bottles… No one normal goes for a pick ‘n’ mix and comes tions for training contracts. In particular, one found KN’s
home with just one kind of sweet. The same is true for ex- impressive genderdiversity stats “highly encouraging for
perience-hungry trainees: variety in seat options makes my long-term prospects” – more than 50% of partners are
life that big better and gives you options in your career. women. What else drew this bunch in? “The firm has a
With this universal truth established, consider eclectic good social conscience with a real belief in giving back to
London outfit Kingsley Napley. Few firms can offer seats the community,” one felt. “It’s not just something they say
in both crime and corporate, or immigration and clinical on their website.” More on that later.
negligence, as our interviewees testified: “I couldn’t find
any firms that offered the combination of seats I wanted to
do.” The Kingsley Napley trainees steered clear of firms The Seats
that had “a heavy corporate weighting,” and while KN does Trainees liked KN’s simple approach to seat allocation.
do corporate and commercial work, you’ll also find law- “Before starting, the firm sends out a booklet with summary
yers in crime, disputes, employment, family, public law, information on all the seats,” they explained. “You select
and more. five, one of which one must be non-contentious.” All our
interviewees managed to secure at least three of their
“Traditionally the firm has been more litigation-based,” one preferences, which are locked in for the duration of the
insider explained, “but many of the transactional and advi- two years.
sory teams, including real estate, private client and corpo-
rate, have grown significantly in recent years.” In London, “I’ve had loads of opportunities to attend
the firm gets top rankings from Chambers UK in several trials at the Crown Court.” 
crime categories and immigration; at a national level its
professional discipline and POCA (Proceeds of Crime Act Only second-years sit in disputes and crime, which was
2002) teams achieve top marks. Chambers High Net Worth particularly popular for the “unique level of pressure that’s
also recognises the firm’s strength in financial crime, rep- on you when somebody’s liberty is at stake.” Due to client
utation management and family law. confidentiality, examples of recent work are hard to come
The True Picture

by, but lawyers here commonly work for wealthy (and of-
“Most trainees are in their late twenties ten well-known) individuals and organisations in relation
and early thirties.” to offences like sexual misconduct, drugs, violence – you
get the picture. The team also tackles corporate crime in
It’s worth emphasising here that few of KN’s trainees join the form of white-collar litigation, though our interview-
the firm fresh out of university. “Around half of my intake ees got most of their experience in “the juicier” general
worked as paralegals at the firm before securing a train- crime group. “I’ve had loads of opportunities to go down to
ing contract, while the other three all came with work ex- police stations and attend trials at the Crown Court,” one
perience,” one explained. That doesn’t mean it’s a no-go
for fresh-faced graduates, but expectations should be Seat options: immigration; dispute resolution; criminal;
tempered given that “most traineesare in their late twen- corporate & commercial; clinical negligence; regulatory;
ties and early thirties.” With a little more life experience criminal; public law; family; private client; employment

405
 K Kingsley Napley LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Chambers UK rankings Tier 2 sponsorship,” – i.e. sponsorship for a general work

Administrative & Public Law Financial Services
visa – “as well as assisting with advertisements on employ-
Banking Litigation Fraud
ers’ websites.” Meanwhile on the private client side, train-
Clinical Negligence Immigration
ees mostly assist uber rich clients with “any enquiries they
Crime Litigation
might have.” Completing spouse applications was a com-
Defamation/Reputation POCA Work & Asset
mon trainee task, for example.
Management Forfeiture
Employment Professional Discipline
Family/Matrimonial Real Estate Trainee Life
Financial Crime So how about that “good social conscience” trainees men-
tioned earlier? Well, first they pointed out the firm has
a designated pro bono officer, “who’s lovely, and always
revealed. Day to day trainees were kept busy “reviewing open to suggestions.” One insider highlighted that “we’ve
disclosure from the CPS, making sure our records are all up recently been helping people with welfare benefit claims
to date, and taking witness statements.” by appealing decisions that have come from the Depart-
ment for Work and Pensions.” We also spoke to trainees on
The large disputes team acts for “a big mix of corpora- the charity committee, which last year helped organise
tions, entrepreneurs and individuals,” handling everything a “very successful” competition themed around Strictly
from reputation management and contentious trusts Come Dancing. Then there’s the environmental commit-
and probate work to more standard business disputes. tee, which has been going for a year or so. “Over Christmas
Among the reputation team’s glitzy clients are footballer we introduced an eco-friendly wrapping initiative attempt-
Rio Ferdinand and actress Michelle Dockery (you know, ing to raise awareness around single-use plastic.” Trainees
Lady Mary in Downton Abbey). The team recently repre- were hopeful that KN’s new office (near Old Street) will
sented Rebekah Vardy after Coleen Rooney dropped that be designed to “ensure we can be as green as possible!”
infamous video on Twitter. Trainee tasks here include re- The firm is set to move in 2021.
viewing disclosure schedules, research, drafting, and (“on
a bad week” ) an inevitable amount of bundling and doc “You don’t have to be able to sing. We don’t
review. sound great.”
In the clinical negligence department, “partners tend to With fewer than 180 lawyers under the roof, “social in-
specialise in areas such as cerebral palsy or brain injuries, teractions are never awkward as you know most people’s
but as a trainee you’re free to work with everyone in the names!” Trainees indicated the firm “goes all out” when it
team,” which also includes personal injury specialists. came to socials. “They booked out The Fountain Room in
We heard reports of trainees working on everything from London for the Christmas party,” one insider told us, “which
breast surgeries gone wrong and delayed cancer diagno- is essentially a big tent in the middle of London. And they
ses to motorbike accidents. The firm recently represent- put money behind the bar.” Trainees are welcome to join
ed Lady Christine Brownlie after her husband died in a an “inclusive choir” – inclusive in the sense that “you don’t
car crash in Egypt. One junior detailed “attending a round have to be able to sing. We don’t sound great.” Even a pan-
table meeting to secure a lump sum payment and recurring demic can’t stop the party. At the time of writing sources
annual payments for a client with cerebral palsy.” Plenty of informed us the firm had just appointed a “head of cyber
writing opportunities were also available to trainees in fun” charged with keeping up the firm’s social side during
the form of engagement letters, initial fee agreements lockdown.
and witness statements. Sources also pointed out that
trainees in this seat volunteer at the Action against Medi- KN trainees start on £34,000, graduating to £58,000 on
cal Accidents centre in Croydon twice a month, “assisting qualification. You’ll find bigger salaries in London, but
The True Picture

clients with issues such as duty of care and how to make a trainees said: “The lower salary is reflected in the hours.”
complaint.” One caveat: “It does vary by department.” Corporate was
flagged for having “silly hours.” For most, a standard day
Immigration is one non-contentious seat option at the ran from around 9.30am to 6.30pm or 7pm, with just a
firm (others include corporate and real estate). The im- handful of nights working past 8pm.
migration group has two main focuses: corporate and
private client. The seat was previously split so trainees The firm’s structured qualification process requires
spent three months in each stream, “but now you’re free trainees to submit a CV, cover letter and application pack
to work across the two for the full six months.” On the cor- consisting of bundles of work from across their seats, ap-
porate side, the firm works with HR teams handling visas praisals, and a marketing plan. “It’s pretty stressful and
for employees moving to the UK. One trainee expanded all-consuming,” one source vented, adding that “I’m not
that “it means you’re working on a lot of applications for sure what more they could learn from me that they haven’t

406
chambersstudent.co.uk Kingsley Napley LLP K

after spending six months in the department!” Fortunately, stellar retention rates – from 2010 to 2019 only three of
trainees found “the firm is very supportive” throughout the 54 qualifiers weren’t kept on. In 2020, the firm retained
process, and all our interviewees were consoled by KN’s four of six qualifiers.

Fit for a Kingsley

All trainees get a £200 wellness bonus “to do something
that benefits wellbeing, such as a spa day or getting a new
desk.”

The True Picture

407
 www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
K Kingsley Napley LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Kingsley Napley LLP

Knights Quarter, 14 St John’s Lane, London EC1M 4AJ
Tel: 020 7814 1200 Fax: 020 7490 2288 Twitter: @kncareers Partners: 55
DX 22 Chancery Lane Assistant solicitors: 135
Website: www.kingsleynapley.co.uk Total trainees: 12
UK offices: London

Contacts
Firm profile Graduate recruiter:
Kingsley Napley is an internationally recognised law firm based in central London. Our wide range Vicki Tavener, HR Manager
of expertise means that we can provide support for our clients in all areas of their business and 020 7369 3804
private life. Many of our lawyers are leaders in their field and our practice areas are highly ranked Training partner: Fiona Simpson
by the legal directories.
Application criteria
We are known for combining creative solutions with pragmatism and a friendly, sensitive ap- Training contracts pa: 6
proach. The relationship between lawyer and client is key. We work hard to match clients with Applications pa: 501
lawyers who have the right mix of skills, experience and approach in order to achieve the best Minimum required degree: 2:1
possible outcome. Minimum A levels: AAB

Dates and deadlines

Main areas of work
Training contract applications
Clinical negligence and personal injury, corporate and commercial, criminal litigation, dispute open: 1st October 2020
resolution, employment, family, immigration, private client, public law, real estate and regulatory Training contract deadline, 2022
and professional discipline. start: 14th May 2021

Training opportunities Salary and benefits

First-year salary: £34,000
The firm looks for both legal and non-legal graduates who have a strong academic background
Second-year salary: £36,000
(achieved a 2:1 degree). A trainee will need to demonstrate commercial awareness, motivation and
Post-qualification salary: £58,000
enthusiasm. To be successful you will need excellent communication skills with the ability to be a
Holiday entitlement: 25 days
creative, practical problem solver. We look for team players who bring something to the table and
have a long-term interest in Kingsley Napley and the areas of legal practice it focuses on. Sponsorship
The training contract will consist of four seats in both contentious and non-contentious practice LPC fees: No
areas, which aim to provide trainees with a wide range skills and practical experience. Individual GDL fees: No
preferences for seats will be taken into account, but will also be balanced with the firm’s needs. Maintenance grant pa: No

Trainees work closely with partners and lawyers at all levels in a supportive team structure, and
have regular reviews to assist with development. The firm has a friendly and open environment
which gives trainees the chance to meet clients, be responsible for their own work and join in mar-
keting and client development activities.

Other benefits
Private health insurance, income protection insurance, life assurance, pension, corporate cash
plan and 25 days holiday per year during training. Trainees are also eligible to participate in the
firm’s flexible benefits scheme.

University law careers fairs 2020

• Bright Network Festival – 7 th
September 2020
The True Picture

Org ID: 229

408 2 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................
chambersstudent.co.uk Kirkland & Ellis International LLP K

Kirkland & Ellis International LLP

The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Location: London How to get into Kirkland
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 130/210/21
Seats: 4x6 months; overseas seats
First-year salary: £50,000
Qualification salary: $190,000

This US-born titan excels in the London market, playing off its penchant
for all things private equity.

The Firm and everyone contributes,” they confirmed. This went hand
If it’s financial security you’re looking for in a time of eco- in hand with high expectations, and sources reiterated
nomic unease, you’ve come to the right place. 2019 saw that “you can have a laugh, but everyone expects you to
US giant Kirkland & Ellis become the first ever law firm to give your all.”
hit (and exceed) $4 billion in revenue – it went to a whop-
ping $4.15 billion last year. Breaking that record was a
firm-wide effort between 15 offices worldwide, nine of The Seats
which are in the US. But from what we can gather the Every Kirkland trainee does two compulsory seats with
UK base in London had a significant role to play in the the corporate and debt finance teams – the firm’s two big-
story. Trainees told us the office has “grown exponentially gest departments. For the remaining two seats, trainees
over the past decade” and from our stats we can see that can submit their preferences. “It’s a pretty informal pro-
lawyer (partner and associate) headcount grew by 12% cess,” they explained. “When you’re midway through your
between 2019 and 2020 alone. current seat, graduate recruitment will ask for your pref-
erences. From there, they collate everyone’s choices and
Trainees proudly told us “Kirkland & Ellis is a leader in work hard to make sure everyone gets what they want.”
all things private equity.” We always advise you to treat Under typical circumstances, the firm also offers two in-
bold declarations with caution, but private equity work ternational secondments: a debt finance secondment to
is key at Kirkland (as opposed to many firms who gain Hong Kong, and a corporate secondment to New York. We
their renown working for blue-chip corporates). The firm heard that trainees in the past have gone on to qualify in
is ranked top worldwide by Chambers Global and sits these offices and related practices.
among the UK’s crème de la crème for private equity in-
vestment funds and high-end private equity buyouts, ac- Debt finance work is “one of the things Kirkland in London
cording to Chambers UK. In London specifically, Kirkland is well known for,” andas such, trainees in this seat felt
ranks top for restructuring and its sponsor-side banking they’d got stuck into “really exciting work.” The practice
The True Picture

and finance work. It also wins accolades in the capital in covers “all the finance work around leveraged buyouts
high-yield capital markets, tax, and financial crime: cor- andhelps clients with the raising of debt.” The team acts
porates. exclusively for sponsors in these deals and helps out
when it comes to “negotiating the loan of debt they borrow
“I’m very ambitious, and I wanted a firm from banks.” The team has worked for big private equity
that reflected that.” companies such as Blackstone, Bain Capital and Advent
International, and recently advised Thoma Bravo on its
Record-breaking firms attract highly driven people. “I’m
very ambitious, and I wanted a firm that reflected that,” Seat options: corporate (compulsory); debt finance
one trainee told us. These go-getters were drawn to Kirk- (compulsory); investment funds; restructuring; interna-
land’s smaller intake in the hopes of getting “a lot of ex- tional arbitration & litigation; antitrust & competition;
posure” and responsibility early on. “You’re part of a team tax; financial services regulatory; real estate finance

409
 K Kirkland & Ellis International LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Chambers UK rankings “mega fund” thrown in. In the latter category, the team
Banking & Finance Investment Funds
recently advised capital market company L Catterton
Capital Markets Private Equity
on the formation of a $1.45 billion fund for investing in
Competition/European Law Restructuring/Insolvency
Asia’s lifestyle and branded goods sector. Elsewhere the
Financial Crime Tax
firm advised Resolution Capital – a real estate securities
Intellectual Property
company – on the formation of a $3.5 billion investment
vehicle for investing in life insurance portfolios. Through-
out this seat, interviewees appreciated being “included in
client meetings with the main fund-raising guys” and get-
£3.1 billion offer for cybersecurity company Sophos. ting “regular contact with clients on the phone.” Other typi-
Sources also told us the firm has recently been handling cal tasks included “drafting lasting powers of attorney and
“more distressed financings with the restructuring team.” taking the first cut at side letters.” One source recalled:
For trainees, work in this seat involved running the condi- “I also ran my own deals because when investors want to
tions precedent process, reviewing subscription booklets transfer out of a fund or transfer interest to someone else,
and negotiating side letters. Sources were also “given the it’s basically a mini deal in itself. Trainees get to run with
reins on all things KYC [Know Your Customer]. Although it’s those with supervision.”
not a very legal task, it can be invaluable because the deal
won’t go through if the banks aren’t given KYC approval.” “A lot of retail restructurings for high-
street companies.”
“Because we’re often working for private
equity sponsors, the angle and the pace of Restructuring was a particularly popular choice among
our interviewees. For many law firms, it’s an area that
the transactions is very different.”
has seen an influx of work following the outbreak of
Over the last four years, Kirkland’s corporate team has Covid-19. Trainees worked on “a lot of retail restructurings
“almost doubled in size.” Trainees here got involved in for high-street companies.” Recent clients include well-
M&A transactions spanning “multi-jurisdictional headline known names such as Forever 21, Mamas & Papas, Pa-
deals to UK-based deals, from smaller portfolio company perchase and Pizza Express. The team recently advised
transactions to larger sponsor-level transactions.” Some South African retail company Edcon on its $1.6 billion
trainees also dabbled in “reverse IPOs – taking companies restructuring.One source explained how a matter might
private – as well as a lot of management incentive plans.” go down: “If the company goes bust, it enters into a com-
Billion-pound price tags are common: the team recently pany voluntary arrangement which helps them stay afloat.”
advised investment management company GLP on the Part of this includes “agreeing with landlords on a subsi-
£18.7 billion sale of its logistics business to Blackstone, dised rent for a period” and generally “helping companies
for example. It also advised private equity outfit TDR restructure their debt.” Trainee responsibilities included
Capital and Stonegate Pub Company on their £1.27 bil- attending board meetings and taking signatures, legal
lion offer for pub company Ei Group.Interviewees noticed research, and occasionally helping with “client informa-
thatthe main documents they worked with “are the same tion presentations.” Sources here felt that “sometimes
as other firms, but because we’re often working for private they throw you in the deep end, but there’s always someone
equity sponsors, the angle and the pace of the transactions around to help.”
is very different.” Trainees described “highly focused” cli-
ents: “They really understand the transaction and push you Work is mostly transactional at Kirkland, but there is a
harder.” Day to day, trainees often started out with tasks litigation side to the firm too. The group is roughly split
like “reviewing data room documents and managing local into four subsections: High Court litigation, IP litiga-
counsel.” As the seat progressed, they moved on to “draft- tion, international arbitration and white-collar crime.
ing the due diligence report, liaising with counsel and inter- “As a trainee, you can get stuck into all of them,” insiders
The True Picture

nal teams, and sometimes getting the chance to do the first told us, adding that their assignments might depend on
cut of the shareholder agreement.” what their supervisor does. The team recently acted for
manufacturer Galapagos in proceedings that arose from
Trainees might sit in investment funds, where lawyers a challenge to a $505 million restructuring. The team
work on initial fund-raising as well as “any fund queries also represented software company Liveperson, which
throughout the lifetime of the fund.” Fund-raising re- was sued by a former agent alleging the company owed
quires the team to “create the governing documents for them money. There’s a fair bit of deal support work for the
the fund, set up the entities required, and even advise on corporate team here, like looking into “the white-collar or
tax regulations.” The funds range from credit funds and anti-bribery aspects of target companies.” On arbitrations,
buyout funds to real estate funds and special situation the trainee role included “turning comments into a plea or
funds. Sources reckoned the group has been “growing submissions, doing some case research, and some letter
its market share of mid-market funds” with the occasional writing.” Sources found the seat “quite cerebral. You often

410
chambersstudent.co.uk Kirkland & Ellis International LLP K

spend hours at a time reading through case law to pinpoint said everyone is “very entrepreneurial, driven and tar-
an area of law that’s uncertain. The answers are rarely an geted.” Sources were also keen to add that “it’s a true
easy find!” meritocracy – not the kind of place where you wouldn’t feel
you could raise a point just because you’re junior. It doesn’t
matter what level you are. All that matters is the work you
Trainee Life produce.”
“Outwardly, it’s a firm that’s seen as quite aggressive,” train-
ees acknowledged, “particularly in the debt and corporate Sources noticed Kirkland’s American roots shining
markets, but you don’t feel that within the team.” All of our through in one aspect more than others: its pro bono
sources impressed upon us that “everyone is respectful commitment. Although participation isn’t mandatory, “all
and it’s a very professional work environment.” Others re- attorneys are expected to do 20 hours of pro bono every
iterated that “people are generally friendly, no matter how year, and most trainees do it.” Lawyers get weekly emails
busy they are.” Of course, you don’t get to the top of the outlining the opportunities on offer, and so far, our sourc-
AmLaw 100 just by being ‘friendly,’ and trainees empha- es had been involved in matters like employment tribu-
sised that “people do expect a lot. Everyone pushes each nals and advisory work on charitable statuses. Interview-
other to be the best.” ees appreciated getting “valuable experience as a trainee”
this way.
“Most of the time, the hours are longer
than the average person’s hours.” They also flagged other features of Kirkland life that
helped with their overall development, such as “a strong
Pushing for perfection was borne out in the hours train- women’s leadership programme.” Others pointed out
ees spent in the office: “You work as hard as you need to “you’re working with people who are market-leading in their
get the work done.” Depending who we spoke to, the aver- field, so you’re learning from the very best.” Trainees were
age time trainees left the office fell somewhere between further spurred on by the firm’s partner track, which is
7.30pm and 9.30pm. On later nights though, trainees among “the most defined in the market.” Associates here
felt supported: “Every time I’ve been here late, most other can be promoted to partner from their sixth year, as op-
people on the team were there too.” Because hours varied posed to their eighth or ninth year which is usually when
“massively month to month, sometimes even week to week,” associates are considered for partnership.
trainees could go through a period of “11-hour-plus days.”
Alternatively, “if you have a quiet week, you’re not expected Trainees nearing the end of their training contract face
to be at your desk 24/7. There have been days where I’ve an informal qualification process: they’ll have a chat with
left the office at 6pm.” Ultimately, interviewees said “most HR and the training principal about halfway through their
of the time, the hours are longer than the average person’s final seat to discuss where they’d like to qualify. They’ll
hours.” usually “have a discussion with partners in the relevant
teams beforehand to express interest” too. Recent NQs re-
But then, Kirkland doesn’t attract average people. “The called that “the process was wrapped up within a week.”
hours aren’t necessarily a negative thing,” one felt. “They In 2020, the firm retained nine of ten qualifiers. They can
pay off in incredible experiences and responsibility.” This look forward to a bumper salary of $190,000 (trainees
perspective won’t be uncommon at Kirkland; trainees start on a measly £50,000).

Gherkland & Ellis…

The True Picture

The firm’s office is spread out over ten floors of the iconic
Gherkin building in the City of London.

411
 www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
K Kirkland & Ellis International LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Kirkland & Ellis International LLP

30 St Mary Axe, London EC3A 8AF
Tel: 020 7469 2000 Fax: 020 7469 2001 UK partners: c.130
Website: ukgraduate.kirkland.com UK associates: c.210
Email: [email protected] UK trainees: 21
UK offices: London
Overseas offices: 14

Firm profile Contacts

Kirkland & Ellis is a global law firm specialising in advising on private equity M&A and financing Graduate recruiter:
transactions, fund formation, litigation and restructuring. The firm is pre-eminent in those areas Lauren Massey,
[email protected]
globally across its 15 offices in US, Europe and Asia. The firm has developed its leading position
020 7469 2021
by focusing on, empowering its lawyers with accelerated career paths to partnership, rewarding
dedication, focus and teamwork and allowing its lawyers to be entrepreneurial and client facing at Application criteria
all stages in their careers. Training contracts pa: 10
Applications pa: c.1000
Main areas of work Minimum required degree grade:
2:1 (or equivalent)
The firm handles complex corporate, debt finance, investment funds, restructuring, real estate
Minimum A levels: AAB
finance, tax, financial services regulatory, international arbitration and litigation, antitrust and
(or equivalent)
competition, technology and IP transactions, IP litigation and capital markets matters.
Vacation scheme places pa: 30

Training opportunities Dates and deadlines

The principal focus of the training is on transactional law with a specialism in private equity. Training contract applications
Trainees complete four, six month seats and obtain training in areas such as corporate M&A, debt open: 1 April 2021

finance, investment funds, restructuring, real estate finance, international arbitration and litiga- Training contract deadline, 2023
start: 11 July 2021
tion, financial services regulatory, antitrust and competition, and tax. In addition there are op-
Vacation scheme applications
portunities to undertake an overseas secondment to enable trainees to experience the international
open: 1 October 2020
resources and capabilities of Kirkland & Ellis. Vacation scheme 2021 deadline:
Our trainees gain experience through active involvement in deals throughout their careers to- 3 January 2021
gether with extensive technical training. Open day deadline: 1 November
2020 / 14 February 2021

Vacation scheme Salary and benefits

We offer placements throughout the spring and summer months. Candidates are eligible to apply First-year salary: £50,000
if they are in their penultimate year of a law degree, final year of a non-law degree or beyond. We Second-year salary: £55,000
look to recruit as many of our future trainees as possible from the vacation scheme. Post-qualification salary:
$190,000
Holiday entitlement: 25
Other benefits
Benefits include private medical insurance, travel insurance, pension scheme, bonus scheme, em- Sponsorship
ployee assistance plan, discounted gym membership, dental plan, cycle to work scheme, season LPC fees: Yes
ticket loan, and concierge service. GDL fees: Yes
Maintenance grant pa £10,000
Open days and first-year opportunities
International and regional
Our open day taking place in November 2020 is aimed at those eligible to apply for our vacation
Overseas seats Hong Kong,
schemes and training contracts. The deadline for applying is 1 November 2020. New York
The True Picture

Our open day taking place in March 2021 is aimed at those in the first year of a law degree or pen-
ultimate year of a non-law degree. The deadline for applying is 14 February 2020.

University law careers fairs 2020

Bristol; Cambridge; Durham; Exeter; Kings College London; LSE; Nottingham; Oxford; Queen
Mary; UCL

Org ID: 3636

412 3 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................
chambersstudent.co.uk Latham & Watkins L

Latham & Watkins

The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Location: London Get hired by Latham
Overseas offices: 28
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 117/363/48
Seats: 4x6 months; overseas seats; client secondments
First-year salary: £46,000
Qualification salary: $190,000

Globally minded trainees met their perfect match in Latham’s “absolutely

seamless” international network, with a Cali twist.

The Firm
Founded in Los Angeles in 1934, this superstar law firm It’s no wonder then that the department gains excellent
was born against a backdrop of dazzling lights, cameras rankings nationwide in Chambers UK, as do 20 or so other
and action. Latham started life as a tax and labour outfit, groups including banking and finance, high-yield capi-
with namesake Dana Latham going on to be the US Com- tal markets, environment, and public international law.
missioner of Internal Revenue under President Eisenhow- Chambers Global ranks Latham among the best firms in
er. Nowadays, Latham & Watkins is a very different beast – the world for equity capital markets, banking and finance,
one of the world’s largest international firms with a varied climate change, projects, and corporate/M&A work, along
practice, it claims to have no one headquarters. Firm lead- with a whole host of practices – head to chambers.com
ership is indeed spread across the world (though all the for the massive full list of Latham’s rankings around the
administration’s Chief Officers are based in Los Angeles, world.
New York or London). “We have very much a ‘one firm’ ap-
proach,” trainees agreed. “The global network is absolutely
seamless; it’s so easy to get in contact with people if you’ve The Seats
got a query on a specific point and you can have a great Trainees submit three preferences ahead of each seat
relationship with lawyers around the world.” rotation. “We all usually get at least one of them, but it’s
sometimes just down to luck,” insiders suggested. Interna-
“Latham London life actually has quite a tional secondments are also available, usually for second
Californian, relaxed style.” years only: trainees apply with a supporting statement,
but be warned, “some people applied every time for all the
It seems Latham has exported some Cali cool world- secondments and didn’t get any. It can be heartbreaking.”
wide: “Latham London life actually has quite a Californian, The most popular secondments are to Singapore and
relaxed style,” we heard. That means flexible working is Hong Kong, “and occasionally you’ll get a seat in Dubai or
commonplace and senior lawyers “don’t care what you Moscow,” but it’s important to note that “it’s rare for there
The True Picture

sound or dress like. We all dress to our day.” Trainers and to be a US secondment, which I wish I had known sooner!”
the occasional activewear is A-OK, “as long as you’re not There’s also a client secondment to the investment firm
wearing pyjamas!” Our sources clarified that there’s “no Carlyle available. Secondees described their trip over-
hint of London being a satellite office,” and in fact it’s been
“growing significantly and consistently for the last decade.” Seat options: banking; benefits & compensation; com-
Most recently, two lateral partner recruits to restructur- petition; data & technology transactions; entertainment,
ing in 2018 helped the group become “extremely busy,” sports & media; environment; equity capital markets;
and it’s doubled in total headcount in the years since. financial regulatory; funds; mergers & acquisitions; pro-
Growth has affected the training contract too: “Two years ject finance; real estate; restructuring & special situa-
ago restructuring had one trainee per seat, but now they tions; structured finance & derivatives; litigation (which
take three or four.” includes international arbitration and white-collar); tax;
UK debt capital markets

413
 L Latham & Watkins chambersstudent.co.uk

Chambers UK rankings bigger, meatier documents.” Trainees will inevitably run

Banking & Finance International Arbitration
“transaction management, communicating with clients
Banking Litigation Investment Funds
and local counsel, reviewing authorisations and compiling
Capital Markets Litigation
signature pages.” We heard that corporate supervisors
Competition/European Law Media & Entertainment
are “more than happy for you to take on tasks that would
Corporate/M&A Outsourcing
usually be assigned to an NQ once you’ve proven yourself
Data Protection Private Equity
a little bit.”
Energy & Natural Projects
Resources Public International Law
Following its lateral boost, restructuring is a growing
Environment Restructuring/Insolvency
concern at Latham’s London base. Part of the expansion
Financial Services Tax
involved introducing a ‘Tactical Opportunities Team’ – “it
Information Technology makes you feel like a spy, but they’re actually account-
Infrastructure ants and market specialists. They do analysis to augment
the team’s practice and identify potential clients.” Latham’s
niche is “enormously complicated restructurings, often
seas as a “really unique experience. The firm looks after with dozens of lenders,” and cross-border issues are the
you so it’s a smooth and easy process.” norm so there are “complex regulatory and political issues
to navigate as well.” The team recently acted for a com-
Latham’s corporate department deals with private equity mittee of lenders to Poundland and Bensons for Beds
and M&A, though there are “smaller specialised teams parent company Steinhoff in an €8.8 billion cross-border
within it for public and equity capital markets deals.” Train- restructuring. Trainees found working on administrations
ees usually act as generalists, as the firm “encourages “exhilarating – there are hard deadlines and thousands of
you to keep your practice broader to build up knowledge.” jobs are at risk,” and described their tasks as “like corpo-
Retail, oil and gas, healthcare and startup companies are rate transactional work, but with a twist.” The twist is that
the firm’s primary clients, with pharmaceuticals becom- administrative processes mean “you get to boss corporate
ing a growing specialism. “Deals tend to be huge, with big around for once. You keep a lot of plates spinning.” Careful
client names. Some are more glamorous than others though spinners conducted due diligence while chasing respons-
– sometimes it’ll just be some ginormous packaging com- es and creating step plans “acting as an idiot’s guide to
pany you’ve never heard of,” a source shared. Latham’s pri- buying a company, with complicated diagrams of who owns
vate equity involvement is usually on the buy side, which what.” Interviewees found this “a good way to get to grips
means “working on a lot of auction processes for large with the whole process from start to finish, even if you don’t
businesses.” When the team does sell-side work, it’s usu- sit in restructuring for the whole deal.” There can be a con-
ally for “major private equity houses that have a portfolio tentious element to the group when a party isn’t paid in
company they’re trying to sell. That can be interesting be- full, after which trainees will contact local counsel and
cause the timelines are much quicker.” The group recently conduct research and analysis.
represented PE house BC Partners on the €3.25 billion
sale of French digital animal identification and monitor- “You get to boss corporate around for
ing company Antelliq. Wild stuff. once.”
“…more than happy for you to take on The disputes team covers commercial litigation, inter-
tasks that would usually be assigned to an national arbitration, and antitrust and competition. Com-
mercial disputes and arbitration have a lot of crossover,
NQ.”
with trainees dipping into work from both, but “competi-
Within corporate, equity capital markets spans IPOs, fi- tion is very sectioned off – they do their own thing as the
nancings and an increasing number of placings. The team work is quite different.” Latham’s international arbitra-
The True Picture

usually works for the bank involved in the transaction, tion practice includes investment treaty, public law and
though a growing section of the team acts company-side. commercial arbitrations, but trainees mostly see the last
As ECM only takes one trainee at a time, “it’s naturally a of those. Energy and construction clients are the most
really busy seat as a lot of the higher-level work flows down common to appear: the team represented Austrian con-
to you.” Latham recently advised the underwriters on the struction company Strabag in the first ICSID Convention
$25.6 billion IPO of Saudi Arabia’s oil company Saudi Ara- arbitration brought against Libya, involving questions of
mco – the biggest IPO of all time. Trainee tasks in this seat international treaty law and foreign investment during
largely follow the general corporate template, though we a civil war. The commercial litigation practice tilts more
heard that due diligence is more prevalent in private eq- strongly towards banking, including shareholder and
uity. Those cutting their teeth on M&A may get a crack at warranty disputes involving banks, private equity houses,
the initial draft of a sale or purchase agreement if they’re large corporates “and even individuals.” Trainees in both
lucky, “which is a good stepping stone towards drafting subgroups write letters, complete legal research and

414
chambersstudent.co.uk Latham & Watkins L

analysis, and draft memos. During their chances to go to here. I have a load of colleagues that I’d consider friends
court, which are “reasonably often,” they manage “a fair first and foremost.” As for inclusion and diversity, inter-
amount of admin tasks like preparing bundles and getting viewees reckoned it’s “a big focus” at Latham & Watkins:
ready for hearings.” “One of the benefits of it being a huge firm is the massive
diversity support network,” one noted. “We have countless
A distinct competition group busies itself with merger different affinity groups and they host all sorts of events.”
control regulation and antitrust litigation, recently ad-
vising fintech firm iZettle on the merger control aspects “Enjoying the job means I don’t really mind
of its acquisition by PayPal. “If a company has revenue staying in late.”
coming from anywhere at all, even if that company doesn’t
have a presence there, you have to do jurisdictional analy- Several sources were “really encouraged to do pro bono” –
sis to see where regulations might be triggered,” insiders we heard of volunteering at legal advice clinics, including
explained. This analysis is a large part of trainees’ work- a benefit appeals clinic in Bethnal Green. Work also spans
loads, as is writing letters to regulators and submitting large-scale research reports to the UN on human rights
forms to the European Commission. issues. Insiders found pro bono “a great way to step up
and get client contact or drafting experience. The firm likes
to keep us busy, so pro bono counts towards your billing
Trainee Life target once you’re qualified.” Trainees don’t have billing
As with many US firms, Latham opts only for “limited targets, but qualifiers go through a transition period to
training at the start of each seat,” rather than an intense hitting 1,900-equivalent once qualified. Most interview-
regime, as the firm prefers trainees “to think on their feet ees found themselves out the door by 8pm each day, “and
and learn quickly on the job.” This means that to stand a once or twice a week you’ll stay until 10 or 11pm.” Of course,
chance of getting in the door, candidates “need to be do- there are “certainly times when it’s busier than that – in cor-
ers. You’ve got to be comfortable figuring things out for porate I’ve done some 16-hour day periods.” Though this
yourself.” Though this approach to work “can be stressful,” “can be tiring,” trainees felt Deliveroo dinners, taxis and
rest assured there’s “a good balance between being ac- “enjoying the job means I don’t really mind staying in late.”
tively supervised and being independent,” sources said. An
associate committee acts as “a great point of contact for Qualification itself was universally seen as “painless.
reaching out to management. It makes for firm-wide open- HR circulates a list and you tell them where you want to
ness on that front.” qualify.” The process has changed ever so slightly in 2020
– trainees can now submit more than two qualification
Before they arrive, future trainees get a current trainee preferences and have the option to not rank them if they
buddy, who “takes you for lunch and answers any ques- don’t want to. The process usually goes down “without
tions you have before joining. It gives you grounding and too much reshuffling” and Latham has a strong retention
means you’re less nervous when you arrive.” Once through record, averaging nearly 90% in the last nine years. Four
the door, trainees in turn have a junior associate mentor, of 2019’s intake qualified abroad (three into the US and
and some departments like corporate also provide senior one into Dubai). Anyone looking to so needs to “make your
mentors. Mentors get a monthly budget to “go to lunch, own opportunities and reach out to HR to let them know
dinner, sports games, the theatre, or even get their nails it’s on your mind.” Those who go are “fully supported,” and
done with the trainee. It helps you feel included at Latham.” get the opportunity to “learn the nuances between each
The inclusion keeps on coming thanks to a social com- country’s laws.” One of our sources gushed: “I don’t know
mittee which organises events including karaoke, drinks, why I’d leave Latham any time soon, I’m having a great time.”
ping-pong and shuffleboard tournaments. Some teams For those that don’t see themselves as a future partner,
host their own socials too, such as banking and corpo- “Latham is a great place to build a good network then go
rate’s annual ski trips – “it’s a great way to get to know in-house eventually.” In 2020, 23 of 24qualifiers stayed on.
The True Picture

people outside of work while hitting the snow.” During the Out of those who stayed, one went to Latham’s Dubai of-
2020 lockdown these socials turned virtual with weekly fice, another went to the Paris base and one ended up in
Zoom drinks seshes: “People make lasting friendships the US.

Elementary, my dear Watkins!

Latham pays one of the highest NQ salaries in the UK –
interviewees were unsurprisingly “very satisfied with
the firm’s compensation system.”

415
 www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
L Latham & Watkins chambersstudent.co.uk

Latham & Watkins

99 Bishopsgate, London EC2M 3XF
Tel: 020 7710 1000 Fax: 020 7374 4460 Twitter: @lathamwatkins Partners: 117
Email: [email protected] Facebook: lathamwatkins Associates: 351
Website: www.lw.com/londongraduates Total trainees: 48
UK offices: London
Overseas offices: Beijing, Boston,
Brussels, Century City, Chicago,
Firm profile Dubai, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt,
Latham & Watkins has more than 2,700 fee earners in offices across Europe, the US, the Middle East Hamburg, Hong Kong, Houston,
and Asia. Our non-hierarchical, collegiate management style and ambitious and entrepreneurial cul- London, Los Angeles, Madrid, Mi-
lan, Moscow, Munich, New York,
ture makes Latham & Watkins a unique place to work. Over 70% of the firm’s transactions involve five
Orange County, Paris, Riyadh,
or more offices and the collaborative atmosphere is strengthened by the firm’s diversity. San Diego, San Francisco, Seoul,
Described as one of the “Top 10 Most Innovative Law Firms in Europe” by the Financial Times’ 2019 Shanghai, Silicon Valley, Singa-
report of the most innovative law firms, our award-winning London office is home to over 400 lawyers pore, Tokyo, Washington, D.C.
and recognised for its work advising some of the world’s leading corporates, financial institutions and
Contacts
private equity firms on market-shaping transactions, disputes, and regulatory matters.
Graduate recruiter:
Zoe Washington,
Main areas of work
[email protected]
Our leading finance practice has earned an exceptional reputation in the market, regularly advising Training partner: Deborah Kirk
on all types of leveraged, acquisition and project finance work. We have market-leading experience in
M&A, debt and equity financing, high yield, restructurings, recapitalisations, divestitures, data privacy Application criteria
and cyber security, and outsourcing. We also offer comprehensive tax and environmental advice for Training contracts pa: 24
complex multi-jurisdictional transactions and disputes. Minimum required degree grade:
2:1
With more than 600 litigators located in 19 major business centers globally, we are one of the few
Minimum A levels: AAB
firms capable of providing clients with immediate, high-quality legal expertise anywhere in the world,
Vacation scheme places pa: 60
whether our clients’ needs are local or international.
Over the last 10 years, our lawyers provided approximately 3.7 million pro bono hours globally in free Dates and deadlines
legal services to underserved individuals and families and the nonprofit sector valued at approximately Training contract deadline, 2023
US$1.8 billion. start: July 2021
Vacation scheme applications
Training opportunities open: Late September 2020
Latham offers a training contract with real responsibility on global matters combined with supervision Vacation scheme 2021 deadline:
January 2021
from the best lawyers in their field. In addition to a sophisticated training programme, trainees also
Open day deadline:
benefit from a core three week trainee foundation designed to bridge the gap between law schools and See website for more details
practice. There is also training in each seat. After induction trainees complete four, six month seats. Two
of these will be in corporate and finance. Trainees have the opportunity to apply for a secondment on Salary and benefits
either their third or fourth seat. The firm has an average retention rate of 96%. First-year salary: £46,000
Second-year salary: £50,000
Vacation scheme
Sponsorship
We run three vacation schemes over the academic year. Our vacation schemes are an exciting oppor-
LPC fees: Yes
tunity not only for us to get to know you, but also for you to get to know us. During the course of one GDL fees: Yes
or two weeks, you will sit in two practice areas. You can expect to be involved in client calls, court visits, Maintenance grant pa: £8,000
Q&As and training, as well as group work and social events. You will also have the opportunity to per course
interview for our training contract.
International and regional
The True Picture

Open days and first-year opportunities Offices with training contracts:

Singapore, Hong Kong
We have designed our open days to give you an insight into life at a commercial law firm and the culture
Overseas seats: Decided on
at Latham. Visit lwcareers.com for more details on opportunities and application deadlines. business need, previous seats
• Penultimate year law students, all final year students and graduates: November/December 2020 have included Hong Kong, Dubai,
• First and second year students: February/March 2021 Singapore, LA, Boston, New York,
Madrid, Brussels, Paris etc.
University law careers fairs 2020 Client secondments: Yes, based
We visit campuses across the UK. Look out for us at law fairs, virtual events, in your careers services on business needs
and working with your law societies. This year we are visiting: Birmingham, Bristol, Cambridge, Dur-
ham, Exeter, King’s, Leeds, LSE, Nottingham, Oxford, Queen Mary, UCL, Warwick, York, Edinburgh,
Glasgow, St Andrews, Queen’s Belfast, Cardiff, Trinity College Dublin.

Org ID: 3689

416 6 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................
chambersstudent.co.uk Leigh Day L

Leigh Day
The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Locations: London, Manchester Get hired at Leigh Day
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 52/120/19
Seats: 4x6 months; client secondments
First-year salary: £32,000 (London); £25,600 (Manchester)
Qualification salary: £48,000 (London); £33,600 (Man-
chester)

Rapacious businesses, the scurrilous press, dodgy politicians: Leigh Day

are on to you.

The Firm The Seats

“I came here to help people,” explained one Leigh Day Leigh Day’s training contract is two 12-month seats,
trainee. The firm, a predominantly claimant-representing which sources liked. “With any new job it takes a while
firm, does precisely that, taking on big corporations and to settle in,” said one. “I’m pleased that my first seat was
even governments in its quest to hold them to account. A a year, because once I got over the bumpy period I could
survey of UK news at the time of writing saw Leigh Day work on cases properly.” Another trainee thought that be-
representing 54000doctors.org, which demanded the UK cause it was “inevitable that you’ll get more experience in
government reveal the results of a 2016 flu study called year-long seats,” Leigh Day trainees probably did “more
Exercise Cygnus; representing the family of Errol Gra- substantive and less administrative work” than peers at
ham, who starved to death after his benefits were cut off; other firms. There are “seven departments” at Leigh Day
and acting as pro bono counsel for a lawyer struck off in London, “six that take trainees: clinical negligence, per-
for losing a briefcase of work documents and then lying sonal injury, product liability, human rights, employment,
about it. The firm, with offices in London and Manchester, and international group claims.” There’s also a regulatory
rules the roost UK-wide in administrative and public law, and disciplinary department, “which doesn’t take trainees”
civil liberties and human rights, environment, personal currently due to its smaller size. In Manchester, interna-
injury, and product liability. In London, Leigh Day’s work tional, human rights and product liability are off the ta-
in clinical negligence and personal injury, as well as its ble as seat options (although the office is starting to do
employment work, receives top billing. The firm takes some product liability work). Because “the first seats are
on between seven to 11 trainees a year, with the majority randomly allocated,” and with “the firm trying to guarantee
headed for the London office. one of your three preferences for your second seat,” first
years were likely to end up in personal injury, clinical neg-
“High-value, difficult, complex and sad ligence, or product liability, with second years bagging
cases: massive cases.” the popular international, human rights, or employment.
As a litigious firm, drafting and research were the norm
The True Picture

“You don’t come into this area of law for the money,” train- across seats.
ees told us, “but we get paid well for the work we do.” Be-
ing at the top of the tree in their practices makes a dif- “During Covid, a lot of prisoners are
ference here. The salary is certainly decent, particularly claiming they’re eligible for early release.”
at first-year trainee level, but below the London average
at NQ level. Despite “working as hard as corporate firms, The firm’s human rights team – the first to be established
who we often come up against,” none of the trainees had in the country after the 1998 Human Rights Act – remains
any grumbles. “It’s interesting work and you can’t get it
anywhere else.” For those interested in the firm, “you have Seat options: clinical negligence; employment; per-
to be passionate to work at Leigh Day. It’s a lot about your sonal injury; consumer law and product safety (London
character as well.” only); human rights (London only); international (London
only)

417
 L Leigh Day chambersstudent.co.uk

Chambers UK rankings mentioned “working on disclosure, daily client contact, re-

Administrative & Public Law Environment
viewing medical reports, advice to clients, team discussions
Civil Liberties & Human Personal Injury
on strategy and tactics, cost negotiations, drafting witness
Rights Product Liability
statements,meeting with counsel and going to trial.” Basi-
Clinical Negligence Travel
cally, you “got exposed to every aspect of the case.”
Employment
Employment “has quite a few group actions,” said our
sources. They’re not wrong. A flip through cases at the
time of writing saw the firm representing 13,000 police
the biggest human rights team in England, and the work officers, 200 teachers and over 40,000 predominantly
is remarkable. Recently the firm took part in Milasi Josiya female ASDA shop workers in the largest-ever private
& Others v British American Tobacco (BAT), where almost sector equal pay claim, whose final value is predicted to
2,000 tobacco farmers in Malawi, hundreds of whom are be over £1 billion. While some trainees did “a mixture of
children, allege BAT forced them to work for low wages, group actions and individual, a lot of trainees work solely
while reaping tremendous profit. On top of several high- on group action.” Sources said that “group action work is
profile multinational cases, the department also does more administrative and more about how you manage that
a lot of “prisoner work,” which comprises “much faster, many clients.” When the firm launches “a group action and
lower-value cases.” So, for example, “during Covid, a lot we’re recruiting more clients,” trainees would be “drafting
of prisoners are claiming they’re eligible for early release.” content for the website and using the case management
Sources said that while there are “some bigger cases,” system to be ready for the new clients.”
it’s “mostly simpler matters.” Sources said that “you get to
know your clients” and develop a “good understanding of
the prison environment, which has been interesting.” Trainee Life
One area where some trainees felt the firm didn’t live up
The clinical negligence team deals with “high-value, dif- to its own values was its decision not to pay for the LPC.
ficult, complex and sad cases: massive cases.” The result is “Not paying for the LPC is exclusionary,” sources thought.
that for many, “you’re never going to see anything from be- The trainees “who can afford to pay for their LPC are likely
ginning to end in that seat.” The firm secured a seven-fig- to be middle class, white and privileged, and the firm is sup-
ure settlement for a woman who was left with permanent posedly about the underdog.There’s no diversity in our year
disability following a misdiagnosis and the concomitant and they wonder why, but the answer is obvious.” To inject
incorrect treatment of a wound. Sources said the seat a little perspective: the UK firms paying for law school
was initially “difficult without a medical or scientific back- are almost exclusively corporate and commercial firms,
ground, but by the end of the year I could navigate my way where budgets are bigger. Nevertheless, trainees praised
around those cases.” Trainees were “given the opportunity the firm’s decision “to do a scholarship for one trainee” as
to experience a range of tasks” such as “drafting witness “a step in the right direction.” But they were worried that
statements, orders, and correspondence with the court, “the criteria to satisfy that are likely to be very narrow.”
and reading through records to find out what happened.” Trainees also said that “the NQ process makes me a bit
Sources said: “The work was really rewarding, attaining anxious: quite often it happens quite late in the year.” We
life-changing awards for our clients.” heard that “last year it was August, which was concerning
for second-year trainees who are worried about having a
“People become experts on metal-on- job come September.” The firm’s reasoning for holding the
metal hips, for example, for three years process at this time is so that they can offer more jobs.
While trainees said that “the firm did listen to the time
until the case closes.”
concerns,” with the upheaval of the Covid-19 crisis, our
The scope of the product liability (consumer law) team sources were uncertain what would happen this year. In
The True Picture

“isreally broad – hard to describe,” one trainee mused. the end, the process was delayed by a month, but the firm
“There are six partners, each with a different area.” Work retainedall seven trainees in 2020, with one fixed-term
ranges from “medical devices and fire claims from faulty contract.
white goods,” to the “VW emissions case,” where VW is
accused of covering up the harmful nature of diesel Leigh Day’s commitment to a “great work/life balance” is
emissions, to “allergy claims, breast implants” and even a genuine commitment, it seems. Note how the contract-
“financial work” where investigations and litigation relate ed hours “9.30am to 5.30pm” are something of a novelty
to financial products. For those working in the depart- in London (there’s more flexibility in Manchester). And “if
ment, “people become experts on metal-on-metal hips, for I’m here at 6.30pm, I’m one of the last ones here.” Hours
example, for three years until the case closes.” There “can aren’t a cause of stress, but there can be a psychologi-
be a lot of research into the product and the recall, espe- cal toll of working on cases “where people die or suffer
cially when investing new claims,” sources added. Trainees horrific injuries. I can’t think of an area where things aren’t

418
chambersstudent.co.uk Leigh Day L

emotionally challenging; it comes into all of the work we firm also offers an employee assistance line,” which offers
do,” one trainee candidly told us. “But,” trainees reassured independent counselling. A source added: “I can speak to
us, “our HR department does a lot of pastoral care.” On top my supervisor if I have any concerns. The firm takes on chal-
of “encouraging us to think about our mental health, the lenging cases and so they make sure we’re okay.”

Leigh way or the highway

Our sources were “so proud to work at Leigh Day.” The firm
“recruits a certain type of person,” so even if people had very
“different backgrounds, they have the same values. All the
people I know at the firm have principles.” Trainees said: “It’s
what binds the firm together. It’s more than just a law firm
making money. The work is bigger than just its cases.”

The True Picture

419
 www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
L Leigh Day chambersstudent.co.uk

Leigh Day
Priory House, 25 St John’s Lane, London, EC1M 4LB
Tel: 020 7650 1200 Twitter: @LeighDay_Law
Email: [email protected] Facebook: LeighDayLaw Partners: 52
Website: www.leighday.co.uk/careers/training-contracts Instagram: @leighday_law Associates: 120
Total trainees: 19 (9+10)
UK offices: London, Manchester

Firm profile Application criteria

Leigh Day is a top 100 law firm committed to claimant-only cases, ensuring that individuals have Training contracts pa: 7-10
the same access to justice as the UK Government and large corporations. It is not afraid to take on Applications pa: 500
difficult and challenging cases involving medical negligence, serious personal injuries, discrimina- Minimum required degree
tion in the workplace, defective products and human rights abuses in this country and overseas. grade: 2:1
Lawyers at Leigh Day offer a market-leading service to their clients who include individuals from Minimum UCAS points or A
around the world, charities and global NGOs. levels: 128

Dates and deadlines

Main areas of work Training contract applications
• Clinical Negligence (London and Manchester) open: February 2021
• Employment (London and Manchester) Training contract deadline, 2022
• Personal Injury (London and Manchester) start: March 2021
• Consumer Law and Product Safety (London only)
• Human Rights (London only) Salary and benefits

• International (London only) First-year salary: £32,000

(London), £25,600 (Manchester)
Second-year salary: £34,000
Training opportunities (London), £27,600 (Manchester)
The firm has intakes every September and welcomes applications from both law and non-law back- Post-qualification salary:
grounds. However, as we recruit trainees one year in advance, law students should be in their final £48,000 (London),
year of studies (or have graduated), and non-law students will be undertaking (or have completed) £33,600 (Manchester)
their Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL), on application. Holiday entitlement: 29 days

We are looking for future solicitors and partners with the ability, passion and drive to take forward Sponsorship
our ground-breaking claimant work. LPC fees: No
Successful applicants will share our ethos and passion for providing access to justice to all and the GDL fees: No
commitment to the highest standards of client care; while demonstrating the ability to approach Maintenance grant pa: No

problems with persistence, intellectual rigour, logical judgement and critical reasoning.
International and regional
Offices with training contracts:
Other benefits London and Manchester
29 days holiday, life assurance, contributory pension scheme, private medical insurance, employee Client secondments: Yes,
assistance helpline, interest-free season ticket loan, cycle to work scheme, gym membership, social Charities and NGOs
groups and activities.
The True Picture

Org ID: 247

420 3 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................
chambersstudent.co.uk Lewis Silkin LLP L

Lewis Silkin LLP

The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Locations: London, Cardiff, Oxford  How to get into Lewis Silkin
Overseas offices: Dublin, Hong Kong 
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 57/155/13
Seats: 4x6 months; client secondments 
First-year salary: £38,000 London; £28,500 Cardiff
Qualification salary: £62,500 London; £57,875 Oxford;
£46,875 Cardiff

“People come from all walks of life. Diversity runs through the firm.” This
forward-thinking, creative firm offers the legal market something a little
different.

The Firm  are also noteworthy. The firm looks for around six train-
“I was previously a journalist.” “I used to work in theatre.” “I ees to join each September. Much of the interview pro-
was originally going to take a music gig.” –These were typi- cess is pretty standard, consisting of a video interview,
cal career stories of the trainees we interviewed, finding psychometric testing and an in-person interview, but…
their thirst for creative input and industry expertise both wait for it… no suits allowed. Applicants are encouraged
satisfied at Lewis Silkin. The founder, coincidentally also to dress smart-casual to help ease the stress of the big
called Lewis Silkin, was born into a family of Jewish Lithu- day: “The actual interview was obviously terrifying, but they
anian refugees, and although disadvantaged, Silkin relied made it as relaxed as it could be.”
on grit and innovation to build his firm. This is a dynamic,
forward-thinking firm famous for its work in immigration
and employment, and for the media clients it draws in. The Seats 
There are now seven permanent seat options, and immi-
The firm has offices in London, Cardiff and Oxford, and gration and real estate seats are available on an ad hoc
overseas bases in Dublin and Hong Kong. At the time of basis. One noted: “You’ll pretty much do everything any-
our calls nearly all trainees were based in the London way, there is no need for a formal structure.” The one rule?
office and just one was in Cardiff. Lewis Silkin focuses Trainees must complete at least one seat in the London
on two areas of practice: Employment, Immigration and office due to Cardiff maintaining only two seat options.
Reward (EIR); and Creators, Makers and Innovators (CMI). The training contract is typically 4x6 month seats, one
Under both these umbrella terms lay the firm’s 12 legal being a client secondment, but it was also common for
practice groups; CMI includes sectors like advertising, sources to complete split seats.
The True Picture

music, digital and social media, publishing and fashion.

Under the EIR blanket hides sectors like equality and di- Employment being the biggest department at Lewis
versity, workplace investigations and sports. Silkin meant trainees received a wide variety of work,
from working on abuse allegations concerning Tibetan
“The actual interview was obviously Buddhists to so-so contract and policy review. The group
terrifying, but they made it as relaxed as it maintains specialist teams, focusing on High Court litiga-
tion, trade unions, data protection and international work.
could be.”
Recent growth has led to a focus on investigations, which
Chambers UK grants Lewis Silkin high honours in employ-
ment in London, Oxford and Cardiff. London also earns Seat options: commercial; corporate; data and priva-
good rankings in corporate, immigration, and IP; and UK- cy; dispute resolution; employment; employment (High
wide media & entertainment, advertising, retail, and sport Court dispute resolution); IP and brands

421
 L Lewis Silkin LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Chambers UK rankings the High Court: “It was just me and my supervisor on the
Commercial Contracts Litigation
case. I was involved in everything.” On such trials, train-
Corporate/M&A Media & Entertainment
ees are tasked with preparing trial bundles, helping with
Data Protection Partnership
witness statements, reviewing evidence in the discovery
Employment Retail
process and creating the pre-trial checklist. A certain
Immigration Sports Law
resilience is called for: “You’ll get pulled into litigations
Intellectual Property
from all corners of the firm.” For example, a source worked
closely with the employment team, acting for Secarma
(a cybersecurity company) in the Court of Appeal: “The
defendant had arranged a team move by taking Secarma’s
is where most trainees we spoke to received work. The employees to set up a competing business. We were trying
#MeToo movement has propelled much of this focus: “It to stop them from taking advantage of the expertise of the
can be both fascinating and harrowing. You may find your- people who had left their place of work.” Other clients in-
self in a small room for eight hours frantically typing about clude House of Fraser, Ford and Deliveroo.
chilling allegations.” Clients come to the firm seeking
investigation work in areas like gender or race discrimi- “It was just me and my supervisor on the
nation, and allegations of fraud and sexual misconduct. case. I was involved in everything.”
Lawyers go into these situations acting as independent
investigators, conducting interviews with the subjects: “Most trainees have done a client secondment” at Lewis
“We watch their body language to try to decipher if they Silkin. Sources spoke of doing client secondments in
are a credible witness, like a judge would do in court.” employment, commercial and litigation. Like seat allo-
cation, the secondment structure is not set in stone; “it
“You may find yourself in a small room for depends on how long the client wants you or how long you
eight hours frantically typing about chilling want to go.” One source went to Mercedes-Benz for six
weeks: “I worked alongside my supervisor – it was a useful
allegations.”
experience.” Another secondee found themselves helping
Other sources in the seat listed tasks like attending pre- an organisation through the Covid-19 crisis: “I was helping
liminary hearings, drafting settlement agreements and the commercial team keep up to date with the coronavirus
subject access requests, and submitting defence claims. regulations that had changed overnight, like travel bans. As
“It was a steep learning curve, but I felt protected while do- the situation progressed, I worked with the HR director to
ing it.” The client pool has big fish in it like Sainsbury’s, pull together their policies, like furloughing and working
Airbnb and LinkedIn. Silkin previously advised HPE on re- from home.”
locating its European Works Council arrangements from
the UK to Ireland following the Brexit referendum.
Trainee Life 
Trainees in commercial brands and IP werekept busy The theme of the firm’s practice area strengths trickles
with “advising clients on advertising regulatory issues,” and down into the culture. Sources mused that “senior staff
worked in patent, trademark and design portfolio man- are aware of best practice when it comes to treating train-
agement. Following the recent launch of The Collective, ees.” Our interviewees thought this unique insight into
the firm has been at the forefront of business advisory staff wellbeing benefited them too. The diversity and in-
for those in the luxury and lifestyle space, like the one clusion committee put on an initiative called #ThisPlace-
and only Jean-Paul Gaultier. Lewis Silkin was involved in Minds, where “people share their own personal struggles
Gaultier’s Fashion Freak Show; work included advising with mental health.” The firm also has a counsellor who
on music clearance issues in Italy, Russia, the UK and provides confidential sessions. Lewis Silkin has always
Spain. Other clients on the team’s VIP guestlist include been one of the stronger performers in our diversity
The True Picture

Mercedes-Benz, Hermès and Liberty. Back down to earth survey, which has been achieved through multiple meas-
for a second: trainees on these clients were heavily in- ures large and small, like removing the gendered terms
volved with ad clearance work. “We inform clients on the from their email signatures. The very reasonable work-
level of risk to their advert, for example, car adverts that ing hours also contribute to a positive firm culture – the
promote reckless speeding. If the client has released the majority of interviewees worked from 9am to 6pm, and
advert and received a complaint, it’s a case of defending “it’s rare you would have to log on in the evening or work
them to the ASA.” Typical trainee tasks include “contract weekends.”
review, working on venue hire agreements, attending client
counsel conferences and researching ASA rulings.” “The partners hosted a Lewis Silkin MTV
Cribs and showed us all around their
Dispute resolution covers a full house of litigation, arbi-
houses on webcam.”
tration and mediation. Trainees often worked on trials in

422
chambersstudent.co.uk Lewis Silkin LLP L

“People don’t have a rigid idea of roles here” – starting with A lot of sources came to Lewis Silkin in search of a career
the employment department in London, the place is be- change, with most coming from untraditional routes to
ing refurbished to encourage a non-hierarchical struc- legal practice. This means some vibrant personalities and
ture. “The walls were removed from around us, people can spirited socials. When asked to define the culture, “inno-
chat freely now, and I don’t think any partner has their own vative,” ” kind” and “ethical” were the trainees’ buzzwords.
office.” The firm’s efforts seem to be working: “Most part- A pandemic isn’t enough to stop Silkins from having a
ners I wouldn’t mind making a cup of tea with.” During the knees-up either; recent ‘events’ have included video pub
pandemic, partners have kept their metaphorical doors quizzes: “It was absolutely hilarious, the partners hosted a
open, with virtual coffee breaks and catch-ups. Even the Lewis Silkin MTV Cribs and showed us around their houses
qualification process is a “relaxed and open conversation.” on webcam.” Other recent socials included a Harry Potter-
Lewis Silkin retained all four qualifiers in 2020. themed Christmas party and summer boat party, all gos-
siped about in detail on the “active WatsApp chat.”

Pot it like it’s hot

Trainees from the Oxford, Cardiff and London offices get
together during CSR initiatives, one being the gardening
challenge. Lawyers can volunteer at St Mary’s Secret
Garden to offer ecotherapy activities to people with support
needs.

The True Picture

423
 www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
L Lewis Silkin LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Lewis Silkin
5 Chancery Lane, Clifford’s Inn, London EC4A 1BL
Tel: 020 7074 8000 Partners: 57
Email: [email protected] Associates: 155
Website: www.lewissilkin.com Total trainees: 13
UK offices: London, Cardiff,
Oxford
Overseas offices: Dublin, Hong
Firm profile Kong
We work with leading businesses helping them protect and enhance their most important assets – their
Contacts
people, their ideas, their brand and their future. We call it ‘Ideas. People. Possibilities’.
Graduate recruiter: Katie Deering
We aspire to be the leading legal and related services firm for creative, innovative and tech-focused Human Resources Officer
businesses. We don’t try to do everything, but what we do, we do well. We offer market leading practice [email protected]
areas including our pre-eminent employment & immigration, commercial, IP, data and dispute resolu- 020 7074 8000
Training partner:
tion groups as well as a deep cross-firm market expertise in our chosen sectors.
Shalina Crossley
Our clients range from large multinational corporations and FTSE 100 companies, to household name
high growth startups and small owner managed business and entrepreneurs. Application criteria
Training contracts pa: Approx. 6
People are at the heart of our firm, united by a passion for creativity, technology and innovation. Our Applications pa: 400+
firm’s culture is encapsulated by an ethos of bravery and kindness and guided by our values of Integrity, Minimum required degree
Clarity, Unity and Excellence (our I-CUE). We support each other, our clients and our community, we grade: 2:1
embrace diversity and we are all able to bring our full selves to work. Minimum UCAS points or A
levels: Strong academics

Main areas of work Dates and deadlines

Our major practice areas include: brands and intellectual property; commercial; corporate; data and Training contract applications
privacy; dispute resolution; employment; immigration; investigations and regulatory; partnership; real open: mid-March 2021
estate; tax, reward and incentives; and trade mark and portfolio management. Training contract deadline, 2022
start: mid-June 2021
We provide services through key sectors including advertising and marketing; financial services; media Vacation scheme 2021
and entertainment; professional services; retail, fashion and hospitality; sports business; and technol- applications open:
ogy. mid-December 2020
Vacation scheme 2021 deadline:
end-January 2021
Training opportunities
Open day deadline:
We offer hands on and supportive training contracts which consist of four six-month seats sitting with- end-January 2021
in legal practice groups across the two business divisions. There’s also the opportunity to participate in
a client secondment. Salary and benefits
First-year salary: £38,000
Trainees will enjoy responsibility from day one and will gain a broad range of contentious and non-
Second-year salary: £42,500
contentious experience. We aim to attract applicants from diverse backgrounds; we don’t mind if Post-qualification salary: £62,500
you’re fresh out of law school or someone with previous experience in another industry. Holiday entitlement: 25 days

Vacation scheme Sponsorship

Our London Spring workshop in April is a great opportunity to gain an insight into what it’s like to LPC fees: Yes
GDL fees: Yes
work for a fun, fast-paced and innovative law firm. There are a variety of talks, interactive activities and
Maintenance grant pa: £6,500
the opportunity to spend a day in one of the legal practice groups. We also run vacation scheme weeks
in our Cardiff office in June. International and regional
Offices with training contracts:
Other benefits
The True Picture

London
Benefits include individual and firm bonus scheme, life assurance, group income protection, health Overseas seats: N/A
Client secondments: Various
insurance, group pension plan, season ticket loan, cycle to work scheme and subsidised gym member-
(Business need dependant)
ship and canteen.

Open days and first-year opportunities

We run an Open Evening in both our Cardiff and London offices. These provide an insight into what
it’s really like to work at Lewis Silkin and the opportunity to network with fee earners across the firm.

Org ID: 251

424 4 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................
chambersstudent.co.uk Linklaters L

Linklaters
The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Location: London How to get into Linklaters
Overseas offices: 29
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 182/686/201
Seats: 4x6 months; overseas seats; secondments
First-year salary: £47,000
Qualification salary: £90,000

The strongest Links: one of the biggest names in the City; a giant of the
cross-border market; a training experience that’s hard to beat.

The Firm BAE Systems, Nestlé and UBS. International options have
When we interview trainees at magic circle firms and ask included Madrid, Paris, Dubai, New York and Singapore.
them what drew them to their firm, “the prestige” is a pre- Secondment availability depends on business need and
dictably common response. But Linklaters trainees went changes from seat to seat.
further, distinguishing their firm for “how consistently
strong the firm is across three disciplines,” (corporate, In the City or overseas, opportunities to work “on land-
banking and disputes) and “the broad offering of seats in mark deals” had trainees making heart-eyes. Examples
areas which are all so highly regarded.” A scan of the firm’s you may be familiar with include advising Sainsbury’s on
high-end rankings in Chambers UK proves their point: a proposed mega-merger with Asda; and acting for Voda-
Links sits at the top table for banking, capital markets, fone on its legendary £112 billionhostile bid for German
competition, environment, litigation, pensions, employee industrial giant Mannesmann. Prior to starting a training
schemes, financial services, infrastructure, projects, en- contract at this elite outfit, one Linklaters trainee recalled
ergy, retail and transport. feeling “quite terrified – it’s a big corporate firm with a huge
brand!” Upon becoming more familiar with the people be-
Once you’ve caught your breath, move on to the Cham- hind the headlines, interviewees felt “individually valued,
bers Global rankings, where the firm earns global leader everyone is quite relaxed.” Ultimately it was the “combina-
status for banking, capital markets (debt, equity and tion of how friendly and approachable everyone was, with
structured finance), M&A, employee benefits, projects the high level of work,” that sealed the deal for most.
and energy. International prowess was a popular draw for
Linklaters trainees: “I wanted to work at a firm with a large
global network because that provides a lot of opportunities The Seats
both in terms of work variety and international clients.” The majority of trainees go on secondment (either to a cli-
ent or overseas) for their final seat. This year’s cohort ex-
“… a broad offering of seats in areas which plained that Linklaters has moved to “an algorithm-based
The True Picture

are all so highly regarded.” approach” for seat allocation, which was being trialled at
the time of research and has now been fully implemented.
The firm runs regular international (and client) second- Although sources were still slightly unsure of the newly
ments. HR will advertise available destinations “around computerised regime, one clarified that “you now rank
three or four months before the seat change.” Anybody all the seats from one to ten on this software, which puts
who’s interested can then submit a separate application it through an algorithm that allocates peoples into seats.”
form. “Ideally, if you want to do an international second- With the system still in its infancy, “HR were running the
ment you would have done the seat in London first,” we process manually in parallel to make sure everything goes
heard. That said, international opportunities aren’t just okay.” We subsequently heard that all went well, so the
limited to secondments: “I’ve been abroad twice already,
as part of my London seat,” a source recalled. Past exam- Seat options: please go to chambersstudent.co.uk to
ples of client secondments include stints spent at Exxon, see the full list.

425
 L Linklaters chambersstudent.co.uk

Chambers UK rankings “I’ve been pleased with how the corporate seat has gone
Banking & Finance International Arbitration
in terms of the types of work I’ve been able to do. I’m keen
Banking Litigation Investment Funds
to get involved in as much as possible to try and develop
Capital Markets Life Sciences
skill sets.”
Commodities Litigation
Competition/European Law Outsourcing
Seats in structured finance, equity capital markets (ECM)
Corporate/M&A Pensions
and derivatives and structured products all fall under the
Data Protection Pensions Litigation
capital markets umbrella. In the firm’s structured finance
Employee Share Schemes & Private Equity
seat, deals revolve around securitisations. Trainees came
Incentives Projects
into contact with “quite a lot of mortgage-related work,
Employment Public International Law
often for banks or mortgage companies” as well as some
Energy & Natural Real Estate
“private equity deals and distressed buyouts.” The team
Resources acted for the London branch of Citibank on its acquisition
Real Estate Finance
Environment and securitisation financings of a c. £5 billion portfolio of
Real Estate Litigation
Financial Crime UK residential mortgage loans and unsecured consumer
Restructuring/Insolvency
Financial Services loans; and advised Credit Suisse and Merrill Lynch on a
Retail
Fraud £3 billion UK residential mortgage-backed securitisation.
Tax
Information Technology The structured finance group has a “reputation for being
Telecommunications
Infrastructure one of the busiest in the firm,” so sources found they were
Transport
Insurance “chucked in” right away. One reminisced: “From day one I
Intellectual Property was calling clients, and drafting and managing documents.”
Unlike in corporate, where trainees were more likely to
act on one or two larger transactions, in structured fi-
system is now running independently with review from nance “you’re more likely to be on six to eight transactions
HR to ensure everything is functioning as it should. at a time.” This means teams are smaller and trainees act
as “the first point of contact for clients.”
The corporate teamgrapples with private and public
M&A, private equity deals and sector-focused corporate In the derivatives and structured productsseat, trainees
work –often with energy and tech clients. Trainees tend to saw “a lot of repackaging deals” as well as advisory work.
spend most of their time on the area their principal works One recalled working on a “complicated special purpose
in, though noted “it’s quite fluid in terms of how work is vehicle(SPV) structure, repackaging debt to new investors,”
allocated and cross-group staffing.” Linklaters’ mega cli- while others ploughed through “more tailored and spe-
ents include Sainsbury’s, Unilever and Just Eat, whom the cific over-the-counter(OTC) derivatives.” Clients here are
firm advised on its recommended merger with Takeaway. mostly major banks, plus some companies like Vodafone;
com, to form a £9 billion entity. The team also acted for the firm also recently advised the International Swaps
Chinese steelmaker Jingye Group on the acquisition of and Derivatives Association trade group on global inter-
the assets of British Steel – its first acquisition outside est rate reforms. “Composing the terms sheets for transac-
China, with £1.2 billion commitments attached. Given tions,” trainees often dealt with the signings and comple-
Linklaters’ magic circle status, our sources mostly came tions too.
across “large deals often involving multiple jurisdictions.”
This meant it would often fall to trainees to “coordinate “... the first point of contact for clients.”
those jurisdictions and chase local counsels for responses.”
Transaction management aside, interviewees also got to Linklaters’ banking department also splits into multiple
“draft non-disclosure agreements” and “have the first go at seats including leveraged finance, restructuring and in-
amending clauses in meatier documents.” Bottom line: cor- solvency, global loans, and financial restructuring. Lever-
The True Picture

porate trainees won’t be in the driver seat of deals, but aged finance involves “leveraged buyouts for banks, nor-
will get some enviable names on their CV. mally backed by big private equity firms.” Trainees were also
staffed on refinancings for existing deals. In one deal of
“It’s quite fluid in terms of how work is this type, Links advised The Carlyle Group and PIB Group
allocated and cross-group staffing.” on the £204 million refinancing of the latter; the firm
also acted for CVC Capital Partners on the €650 million
When corporate advisory matters cropped up, sources financing of the acquisition and take-private of French-
were also able to “respond to queries from clients and listed insurance business April Group. Sources reckoned
come back to them with various pieces of research.” Corpo- the leveraged finance seat can be “very process-heavy”
rate governance and company secretarial advice are part with more structured roles and tasks for trainees: draft-
of Linklaters’ practice; the firm also helps clients com- ing ancillary documents, running conditions precedent
ply with market abuse regulations. One source shared: checklists, and “helping out on smaller tasks related to the

426
chambersstudent.co.uk Linklaters L

main finance documents.” On the restructuring and insol- tial sessions before the first seat. Going forward, the de-
vency side, the trainee role was similarly carved out, but partments “split up the training differently.” For instance,
the matters differed – sources saw “restructuring trans- a source in corporate “completed two full days of train-
actions for companies that couldn’t meet their debts and ing,” whereas in capital markets another “had ten weeks
needed to discuss new arrangements with their creditors.” of Wednesday-morning trainings.” Interviewees flagged
other optional sessions too, including “seminars on dif-
Dispute resolution is one of the firm’s largest groups “be- ferent legal issues that may crop up” or “updates on major
cause it doesn’t split out into specific litigation types,” in- current deals.” Trainees also appreciated that “feedback
siders explained. “It’s all combined and the range of work is is really encouraged at Linklaters – as well as the feedback
quite broad.” As such, each trainee we spoke to had quite from your supervisor, you’re also encouraged to seek it from
different experiences: “You wouldn’t necessarily see the whomever you work with to get input from a broad variety
full range of work that goes on in the department in just six of people.”
months.” Some dipped into competition litigation “where
a company’s accused of abuse of a dominant position in Diversity and inclusion is another area that “Linklaters
the market,” while others were staffed on investigations puts time and money into,” sources noted. They also, how-
into contentious regulatory matters. Linklaters acted for ever, didn’t shy away from declaring that “there’s defi-
price comparison site Kelkoo in a claim against Google, nitely still a long way to go: Links is not an exception to the
seeking damages over alleged anti-competition abuses systematic problems in the industry at high levels.” Among
by the search giant. The firm’s other disputes clients the firm’s 2020 partner promotions, a 73% majority were
range from Goldman Sachs and PricewaterhouseCoop- male. “We’re told partner promotions are merit-based, so
ers to the Association of Football Agents UK. A disputes it’s tough to judge, but communications from the firm sug-
seat involves plenty of research and preparing bundles gested they will try to do better.” Current efforts include an
for trials; sources enjoyed also getting “to take the first array of diversity societies and committees for lawyers to
draft of a client email or memo and go to conferences with get involved in, plus an internal D&I website where the
barristers and QCs to take notes.” Some admitted “there’s firm “publishes articles and videos to help with awareness”
certainly less client contact,” which is generally true of dis- and share the experiences of diverse employees.
putes seats, but most felt they were “still involved to an
appropriate level.” “Ten to 12-hour days.”
Perhaps the most pressing question is… does the firm put
Trainee Life the ‘later’ in Linklaters when it comes to hours? Train-
We heard that the firm makes it a mission to put the ‘link’ ees came to the consensus that “it’s a bit of a mixed bag.”
in Linklaters: “They’re great for teamwork. I was struck by Some had occasional periods of “real quiet, looking for
how welcoming people were and instantly felt part of the things to do,” but this would inevitably be followed by get-
group.” Sources also gave examples of the firm doing “a ting “totally slammed, especially when coming up to a big
good job of fostering relationships, particularly between deadline.” The latter was certainly more common, and for
trainees of different intakes. Some people I worked with many could necessitate “ten to 12-hour days,” but sources
in my first seat are now qualified – building those relation- added that “after you’d finish one of those deals, super-
ships is important for later on.” All future trainees (who visors are really good about giving some time off in lieu.”
need to) complete a Links-specific LPC together, and Add the £47,000 trainee starting salary and super-juicy
trainees found solace in “having friendships to build on £90,000 NQ rate, and things don’t look too bad after all.
when we come into the firm. Linklaters is so big and can
be somewhat intimidating, but that makes a massive differ- Linklaters aims for qualification to be “based on open
ence.” The intensity of the workload can also be daunting communication,” encouraging trainees to keep in touch
to start with – “it’s definitely not a place to be shying away with teams they liked throughout the course of their
The True Picture

from work” – but trainees agreed that “despite the firm ex- training contract. Usually partners “will have made it clear
pecting a lot from us, everyone is super helpful and willing at the end of each seat whether there might be space in
to train juniors.” that department for an NQ.” Fourth-seaters fill out a pref-
erence form, and HR speaks to partners to calculate “how
“It’s definitely not a place to be shying to match supply with the demand.” In 2020, Linklaters re-
away… but everyone is super helpful and tained 82 of 94 qualifiers over its spring and autumn re-
tention rounds.
willing to train juniors.”
Interviewees learned plenty on the job, but we’d be amiss The firm moved its graduate recruitment process online
not to mention the formal training at Linklaters. First is in summer 2020, via the TopScore digital platform. Head
the New Lawyers Programme, wherein the firm “brings to our website to learn more.
together trainees from across its global network” for ini-

427
 www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
L Linklaters chambersstudent.co.uk

Linklaters LLP
One Silk Street, London EC2Y 8HQ
Tel: 020 7456 2000 Fax: 020 7456 2222 Linkedin: Linklaters Partners: 480
Email: [email protected] Twitter: @LinklatersGrads Associates: 2,310
Website: careers.linklaters.com Facebook: @linklatersgradsuk Total trainees: 230+*
Instagram: LinklatersgraduateUK *(London)

Contacts
Firm profile Graduate Recruitment
From a shifting geopolitical landscape to the exponential growth in FinTech, this is a time of un-
Application criteria
precedented change. At Linklaters, we’re ready. Our people go further to support our clients, with
Training contracts pa: 100
market-leading legal insight and innovation. And we go further for each other, too. We’re people Applications pa: 3,500
you want to work with, generous with our time and ready to help. So no matter what the future Minimum required degree
holds, with us you’ll be one step ahead. Great change is here. Get ready. grade: 2:1

Dates and deadlines

Main areas of work Training contract applications:
Rather than specialise in just one area, we’re proud to have best-in-class divisions across the board, Please see website for dates and
in corporate, finance and projects, and dispute resolution. And in practice, they frequently work deadlines
together to advise clients. As a Linklaters colleague, our breadth of expertise means that, wherever 2020/2021 vacation scheme
applications: Please see website
you focus, you’ll be involved in the very best work, and benefit from continuous, tailored training
for dates and deadlines
from experienced lawyers.
Salary and benefits
Training opportunities First-year salary: £47,000
Second-year salary:
The Linklaters training programme offers the knowledge and support you need to hit the ground
£52,500
running. Non-law graduates spend a conversion year studying the Graduate Diploma in Law Post-qualification salary: total
(GDL), and all graduates complete the bespoke Legal Practice Course (LPC) before starting train- cash potential of up to £100,000
ing contracts. From Autumn 2021, there will be a new route to qualification, known as the Solici- Holiday entitlement: 27 days
tors Qualifying Examination (SQE). Trainees joining the firm from Spring 2023 will qualify via the
Sponsorship
SQE route. We will support our future joiners through the SQE and have joined the City Consor-
LPC fees: Yes
tium (made up of six leading law firms). Over two years you’ll take up four six-month seats (place- GDL fees: Yes
ments) in different practice areas and sometimes abroad, for the breadth and depth of knowledge Maintenance grant pa: Yes
you need to develop and qualify. Throughout your career, you’ll be supported with world-class
training courtesy of the Linklaters Learning & Development team. International and regional
International offices:
Abu Dhabi, Amsterdam, Ant-
Vacation scheme werp, Bangkok, Beijing, Berlin,
Our two-week Winter and Spring vacation schemes, and our four-week Summer vacation schemes Brussels, Dubai, Düsseldorf,
are open to penultimate-year students, final-year students, graduates and postgraduates studying Frankfurt, Hamburg, Hong Kong,
Lisbon, London, Luxembourg,
both law and non-law subjects at UK and Irish universities.
Madrid, Milan, Moscow,
Munich, New York, Paris, Rome,
Other benefits São Paulo, Seoul, Shanghai,
Singapore, Stockholm, Tokyo,
For the GDL and LPC, Linklaters covers all costs, and we also offer maintenance grants. Financial
Warsaw, Washington DC
support of a similar level will be provided for the SQE route. Other benefits include performance- Overseas seats: Yes
related bonuses, a contributory pension, private medical insurance, life assurance, income protec- Client secondments: Yes
tion, in-house healthcare, family friendly benefits, an in-house gym and subsidised restaurant, an
interest free season ticket loan and holiday travel insurance.
The True Picture

Open days and first-year opportunities

For information on our events, keep an eye on our calendar (careers.linklaters.com/en/early-careers/
meet-us), or sign up to our mailing list.

University law career fairs 2020

You can also visit our events calendar to find out when we’ll be visiting your university.

Org ID: 255

428 2 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................
chambersstudent.co.uk Macfarlanes LLP M

Macfarlanes LLP
The facts
Locations: London
Overseas offices: Brussels
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 91/291/62
Seats: 4x6 months
First-year salary: £44,000
Qualification salary: £80,000

Private wealth mastery, litigious expertise, corporate clout… though it has

just two offices, this firm is still a big Mac.

The Firm On top of “great exposure to good-quality work and client

Clan Macfarlane had a long and exciting history. Tales of experience,” trainees said they were “looking for a train-
heroism, battlefield opposition to Mary Queen of Scots ing contract with a fair bit of responsibility and a personal
and claiming the Scottish earldom of Lennox… these touch. Macfarlanes has both.” This personal touch starts
probably weren’t on the mind of John Embleton Macfar- before the training contract itself: trainees all do their
lane when he joined George Watson Neish as a partner at LPC at BPP and it’s likely that similar arrangements will
a City law firm in 1894, but the firm now known as Mac- be made under the SQE. “We were invited into the firm eve-
farlanes does have a drive for victory and success that ry month to chat about where we wanted to sit, but also for
would make the knights of old proud. Christmas dinner and drinks events,” a trainee reminisced.
“Nowadays I consider most of my intake to be friends first
Today the firm has conquered the realms of mid-market and work colleagues second.”
banking and finance and corporate/M&A in London, and
mid-market private equity buyouts UK-wide, according to
Chambers UK. Macfarlanes also scores rankings in vari- The Seats
ous other litigious and transactional practice areas. Per- Before trainees get going, “graduate recruitment gives
haps most intriguingly, the firm also stands out from the everyone the seat list and explains how it all works. You
big corporate City crowd thanks to a top-tier private cli- then email in your preferences” (this year it was done on
ent practice, and Chambers High Net Worth puts the firm a Zoom call). Trainees must complete one seat each from
top in London for private client and nationally for high- four different ‘buckets’ – interviewees clarified “there’s
value residential real estate. “The great mix of clients Mac- no specific order and you can list up to three preferences
farlanes has was a real draw for me,” one trainee declared. in each bucket, but you must do a seat in each one.” One
“It feels like they treat everyone they deal with like a private bucket includes litigation, investment management and
client.” financial services; another has employment, private cli-
ent, private client property and banking and finance.
The True Picture

“…looking for a training contract with a fair Commercial, competition, tax, real estate and derivatives
bit of responsibility and a personal touch.” and trading fall under a third bucket. In the third bucket,
most trainees will sit in corporate M&A, but the firm has
With a varied high-power practice, and an annual intake also introduced a legal tech seat in this category.
of over 30 trainees, you might expect the firm to have
several UK and international offices, but in fact Macfar-
lanes has just one home base in London and one more
overseas in Brussels. “The size of the firm was definitely
appealing,” sources reported. “It’s smaller than compara- Seat options: corporate M&A; legal tech; litigation; in-
ble firms but punches above its weight.” vestment management; financial services; private cli-
ent; private client property group; employment; finance;
tax; real estate; commercial; competition

429
 M Macfarlanes LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Chambers UK rankings You can ask to do things and supervisors will let you have a
Banking & Finance Fraud
go.” For one source, this meant taking “substantive expert
Capital Markets Investment Funds
evidence and witness statements” for a case.
Competition/European Law Litigation
Construction Partnership
Interviewees described competition as “one of the most
Corporate/M&A Pensions
popular departments at Macfarlanes,” and (appropriately
Employee Share Schemes & Private Equity
enough) there’s stiff competition to get a seat here as
Incentives Real Estate
“it only takes two trainees at a time.” The practice sits be-
Employment Real Estate Finance
tween transactional and litigious work, the latter includ-
Financial Services Tax
ing some “real Billions-style excitement.” The most obvi-
ous example was a recent dawn raid: “We got a call from a
client telling us that the regulator was arriving. Their mes-
sage: ‘Get here, stat!’” Trainees in this seat have “respon-
Corporate M&A at Macfarlanes means mostly mid-mar- sibilities that are fundamentally similar to those of senior
ket public and private mergers and acquisitions, plus pri- counsel: protecting the client’s rights in terms of access
vate equity and joint ventures. The team recently advised to documents and assisting with interviews.” Competition
Lycamobile on the €372 million sale of its Spanish busi- clients range from the BBC and Associated British Ports
ness to MasMovil. Insiders told us the seat has “a bit of an to global packaging company Amcor, whom the firm ad-
email-heavy reputation. As a trainee you do a lot of trans- vised during its $6.8 billion acquisition of rival Bemis.
action management,” which means “making sure the right Macfarlanes was charged with securing Phase I condi-
documents are coming in, that the client has seen the docu- tional European Commission merger control clearance
ments they need to see when they need to see them and for the transaction. Trainees took roles on long-running
so on.” Sources noted that “because senior associates and investigations, “prepping evidence. With these investiga-
partners have so much going on, you have to be the most tions there are hundreds of thousands of documents, which
organised person. My inbox was flooded with 100+ emails a we have to summarise and make sure everything is organ-
day, that was a shock to the system.” As Macfarlanes’ big- ised.” Once the key documents are located, trainees need
gest department, corporate takes around 14 trainees at a to “piece everything together to create a cogent narrative.”
time.Despite email overload, interviewees “really enjoyed Better brush up on your storytelling.
the seat. There’s quite a lot of responsibility early on and
I was the contact person for clients.” Other trainee jobs Investment management has transactional and advisory
include drafting board minutes, resolutions and agree- elements. “There’s two aspects to it – we represent manag-
ments, as well as omnipresent big deal due diligence for ers establishing funds, and the investors themselves,” train-
clients like Hovis, Verizon and Visa. ees clarified. The firm advises major players like Goldman
Sachs and Legal & General, and recently worked on a re-
“You have to be the most organised person. view of the investment objectives and policies for FTSE
My inbox was flooded with 100+ emails a 250 wealth management firm Quilter’s 73 funds in the
UK. Our sources worked on “several fund reviews, which
day.”
offer quite a lot of autonomy. We get lots of interaction with
There’s no escaping full inboxes in litigation, as “in the investors during the seat – often we’ll have 30 or 50 com-
run up to a filing deadline you could get up to 500 emails a ing in at once.” Much of the trainee’s role is “process man-
day.” This “varied seat” can include a mix of large banking agement, liaising with fund managers and getting docu-
disputes, smaller investigations and shareholder disputes ments ready. The level of responsibility we get over them
for executives and oligarchs. Clients including the State is breathtakingly impressive.” Once they’d caught their
of Qatar, RBS and Liverpool FC are all on Macfarlanes’ breath, interviewees also helped draft private placement
books; the football club called on the firm in a dispute memoranda and ancillary documents. “It’s a fast-paced
The True Picture

with New Balance over switching to Nike as a kit manu- team and the seat was a very enjoyable experience,” one
facturer, a £350 million five-year deal. Macfarlanes also concluded.
acted for Dr Ali Mahmoud Hassan Mohamed in a dispute
over the chairmanship of the Libyan Investment Author- “It all felt complicated, high-level and
ity (holding around $67 billion in assets). Interviewees re- difficult… in a good way.”
called that “the department was consistently busy,” and for
trainees this meant general case assistance and review- Compared to other seats, insiders said private client is
ing “various documents. We’ve been putting together sum- “less admin-heavy, with no due diligence or bundling to do.”
maries, conducting research, keeping on top of disclosure The trade-off is that supervisors are more likely to “check
exercises and drafting witness statements.” Bundling and your emails before you send them out to the clients.” A seat
document review are also part of any litigation seat, but here encompasses estate, tax, wills and probate plan-
we heard that “as a trainee, you’re able to push yourself. ning for high net worth individuals. “I initially didn’t want

430
chambersstudent.co.uk Macfarlanes LLP M

to do the seat, but I’m so glad I did,” a trainee reflected on As for our own research, one of the most contentious top-
their time in the department. “I’ve had a lot of client ex- ics was hours. Ten-to-12-hour days were far from rare,
posure with entrepreneurs and old money.” Some matters and some trainees were keen to tell tales of trying times.
can resemble M&A or restructuring, but “you’re working One frequently worked 9am to 9pm in their litigation
on it from a different angle as the client type is different.” seat when it wasn’t busy, and until “midnight, 2, 4 or 5am”
Trainees here got to do “quite a lot of drafting for wills, when it was; another spent “a month doing 16-hour days”
loan agreements, lasting powers of attorney and trust re- in corporate. Others suggested that “the days reach 12 to
structurings.” Research is also common: “We might need 14 hours once you’ve qualified and that’s fairly representa-
to research a really complicated tax law or regulation. It all tive of most departments.” You won’t go hungry at least, as
felt complicated, high-level and difficult… in a good way. It’s the firm funds dinner for anyone still in the office after
like being back in uni because it’s so academic.” 7.30pm. There were also sources keen to paint a happier
picture: “They’re conscious of our workload. If you’ve got
capacity to take something on, but you’ve been working re-
Trainee Life ally long hours, supervisors will take notice and ask some-
Much like a university, Macfarlanes seems to prioritise one else to cover it.”
education for its trainee cohort. There are several lay-
ers of partner support available: firstly, each trainee Each seat comes with intensive training sessions, which
gets a partner principal who “acts as a kind of mentor are “front-loaded so that you’re doing most of the learning
but is mostly there to help you in the journey of the train- at the beginning of your seat.” Sources warned that private
ing contract.” Part two is the introduction of trainee-so- client likes to do its training in the morning from 8.30am,
licitor-committee (TSC) groups to break each intake into which some (presumably coffee-driven) folks thought
smaller groups; these meet for “quarterly meetings that was a rather early start. As for the evenings, the firm
are chaired by the same partner across the two years. The runs netball and football teams as well as regular social
agenda can include anything you can’t discuss with your events including celebration for Pride month and three
supervisor.” Then you’ve got the seat supervisors “that different Christmas parties. During lockdown, a virtual
you share a room with,” and sources suggested you can book club was established.
“always have a conversation with graduate recruitment if
you’re unhappy.” During lockdown, the firm also intro- Qualification kicks off soon into the fourth seat and of-
duced a junior buddy scheme while people were working fers are made based on the capacity for NQs in each
from home, pairing trainees with an NQ or junior associ- department. Trainees submit their preferences to HR,
ate for informal catch-ups. and if multiple candidates apply for a role there may be
interviews. All of Macfarlanes’ qualifiers stuck with the
With all this attention available, it was no surprise to hear firm in 2019, and it retained 26 of 30 in 2020. Looking
trainees tell us “it feels like everyone is there to help you. longer-term, there were concerns that Macfarlanes still
As much as there is a hierarchy in our work, the firm cares has a way to go with retaining its female talent as women
about their trainees.” They agreed that a “culture of col- make up just 14.4% of partners at the firm. Sources told
laboration” was made possible by the firm’s smaller foot- us there are “lots of initiatives in place to work on the issue.
print and “all being in one building, we’re always working It was however a bit of a shock when the last partner class
with different departments so there’s a sense that we’re all included nine men and just one female partner.” After these
in this together.” The firm also runs an anonymous annual internal promotions, the firm brought in two women part-
survey, so trainees can voice concerns they may have and ners laterally. Trainees did appreciate that the firm was
provide feedback on the training contract. addressing concerns head on: “I remember seeing press
releases specifically addressing the fact that they haven’t
“If you’ve got capacity, but you’ve been done enough, which is quite admirable.” Part of taking
working really long hours, supervisors will responsibility, trainees noted, is “trying to build internal
The True Picture

BAME, female and LGBTQ communities and making us feel

take notice and ask someone else to cover
like there’s a place for everyone in the firm.”
it.”

Helping out Macnear and Macfar:

All trainees are registered to help at East London charity St
Hilda’s legal clinic when they first start. It isn’t compulsory
for trainees to do pro bono, but “we discuss it in our
performance reviews.”

431
 www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
M Macfarlanes LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Macfarlanes LLP
20 Cursitor Street, London, EC4A 1LT
Tel: 020 7831 9222 Fax: 020 7831 9607 Facebook: MacfarlanesGrad Partners: 90
Email: [email protected] Twitter: @MacfarlanesGrad Associates: 253
Website: www.macfarlanes.com Total trainees: 61
UK offices: London
Overseas offices: 1

Firm profile Contacts

Macfarlanes is a distinctive London-based law firm, focused on its clients and on delivering excellence Graduate recruiter:
Catherine Morgan-Guest
in the international legal market. The firm is known for the quality of its work; not just in dealing with [email protected]
the full range of corporate and commercial matters, but in advising clients on their private affairs as 020 7831 9222
well. Training partner:
Seán Lavin
Macfarlanes has made a deliberate choice to remain smaller than many of its peers. The cohesive nature
[email protected]
of the firm means that clients benefit from collective experience and close-knit teams. The firm has
decided against growth at the expense of quality, against size at the expense of efficiency and agility. So Application criteria
whilst large enough to advise on the most complex matters, the firm is also small enough to ensure that Training contracts pa: 31
its people and work are exceptional, without fail. Applications pa: 800
Minimum required degree grade:
2:1 or other
Main areas of work
Minimum UCAS points or A
Our main practice areas are: commercial; competition; corporate and M&A; derivatives and trading; levels: None
employment; finance; financial services regulation; investment management; litigation and dispute Vacation scheme places pa: 55
resolution; pensions; private client; private equity; real estate; restructuring and insolvency and tax.
Dates and deadlines
Training opportunities Training contract applications
open: 1st October 2020
Woven into every aspect of life at the firm is an enduring commitment to the development of trainees.
Training contract deadline 2023
Training begins with tailored electives on the LPC and a week-long induction at the start of your train- start: 31st July 2021
ing contract. During the two-year training contract you’ll be working on real cases, doing real work for Vacation scheme applications
real clients from day one. As a trainee you will complete four six-month seats including a compulsory open: 1st October 2020
corporate and M&A seat. Our seat rotation is designed with trainees in mind — we want to give you Vacation scheme 2021 deadline:
31st January 2021
enough flexibility to shape your training contract and do seats that interest you. Support and guidance
are, of course, vital and you will find your supervisor a valuable source of information and inspiration. Salary and benefits
First-year salary: £44,000
Vacation scheme Second-year salary: £49,000
The vacation scheme is designed to give you a two-week snapshot of life as a trainee. You will be given Post-qualification salary: £85,000
as much hands-on experience as possible, enabling you to develop a real understanding of the firms’ Holiday entitlement: 26 days
culture and work.
Sponsorship
Macfarlanes offers an Easter and two summer vacation schemes. Each scheme runs for two weeks LPC fees: Yes
and remuneration is £400pw. The firm welcomes applications from students who are in at least the GDL fees: Yes
penultimate year of their degree from any degree discipline, with a predicted 2.1 or above. Applications Maintenance grant pa: £10,000
are online via the website.
International and regional
Offices with training contracts:
Other benefits London
Flexible benefits package including life assurance, pension scheme with company contributions, private Overseas seats: None
healthcare and discretionary performance related bonus scheme. Client secondments: None
The True Picture

First-year opportunities
For first-year students the firm offers an insight day to provide an overview of a City law firm.
Macfarlanes welcomes applications from candidates with either a law or non-law background with
outstanding academics. Candidates need to be in either the first year of an undergraduate degree or
second year of a four year undergraduate degree.u
Applications are online via the website and close on 28th February 2021.

University law careers fairs 2020

BPP, Bristol, Cambridge, Cardiff, Durham, Exeter, Nottingham, Oxford, UCL and York, plus others to
be confirmed. Macfarlanes will also be hosting events at their London office. Further information can
be found on the firm’s website.

432
Org ID: 259 2 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................
chambersstudent.co.uk Maples Teesdale LLP M

Maples Teesdale LLP

The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Location: London How to get into Maples Teesdale
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 17/36/6
Seats: 4x6 months; occasional client secondments
First-year salary: £36,668
Qualification salary: £64,445

For trainees looking to Tee off their career in a smaller firm with big
property work and lots of drive, Maples is a hole in one.

The Firm companies. “The firm takes our interests into account
Real estate enthusiasts, unite! For a proper introduction to and tries to make allocation work across the board,” insid-
property law, London’s Maples Teesdale is the real (estate) ers agreed. “It’s a flexible and fluid system.” As there are
deal. “I wanted somewhere that was known for property and only six trainees total, “you tend to know which seat you’re
specialises in it, so I could understand the sector from the likely to get.” Sources suggested “it’s not just a repeat be-
perspective of various practice areas,” one of our trainee cause you can’t do every type of work in a department the
sources declared. All the firm’s Chambers UK accolades first time round.”
revolve around real estate, whether it’s real estate litiga-
tion, construction or a high ranking for mid-market real
estate transactions. “Every seat you do can be property-re- The Seats
lated,” insiders said. “So whichever department you qualify “Everyone comes here because they want a property seat,”
into, you’ll have a wealth of knowledge about the work.” and they’re all guaranteed to get at least one: “commer-
cial property basically makes up our whole firm and that
With just over 50 lawyers under its one roof, Maples is department needs the most help.” To get acquainted with
by nature “more personable than a megafirm,” according Maples, most trainees start off here. Those we spoke to
to its six trainees. “I feel like I’ve got a work family – this is thought this worked well “because you get a broad variety
a place that makes you want to stay and be part of it all.” of work from across the team, so you get to know lots of
They gave a special shout out to managing partner Chris people quickly.” This includes trainee-led matters such as
Wilson, “such a nice guy and a really caring leader. That basic contracts and document negotiation. Projects like
permeates throughout the rest of the firm, and everyone wayleaves “are really good for trainees to handle because
understands that life sometimes gets in the way – many they’re not particularly high-value but are reasonably com-
partners trained at big firms then moved here for a quieter plicated as they actually involve the law,” we heard. There’s
life.” Property isn’t the most-fast paced industry, offering also “a fair amount of back and forth negotiating the terms,”
a “quieter life” to trainees too: “People will ask why you’re though some were disappointed to “liaise with managing
still in the office if it’s past 6pm on a Friday. The firm is re- agents rather than the clients themselves” and felt “the
The True Picture

ally respectful of us having a work/life balance.” seat would be more interesting with a bit more responsibil-
ity for us.” On larger matters, Maples represents mega cli-
“…make allocation work across the board. ents like the City of London Corporation and Lord Sugar’s
It’s a flexible and fluid system.” property company, Amsprop; the firm recently advised
Legal & General on the £60 million sale of a Sainsbury’s.
Maples sorts out trainees’ starting seat for them – they Pension funds make up a large portion of the firm’s cli-
find out where they’re going a month in advance. From ent base: “We help them with anything from asset manage-
there, rotations are determined by an informal chat be- ment, like rent reviews, to sales and purchases.”
tween trainees and the training partner: “That’s also when
they’ll tell us if any secondment opportunities are available.”
Example destinations are long-term asset management Seat options: corporate; litigation; commercial prop-
client BMO Real Estate Partners and other high-profile erty; construction; real estate finance

433
 M Maples Teesdale LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Chambers UK rankings actions handled from different perspectives by each group.

Real Estate Real Estate Litigation
You then understand how it all fits together.” A trainee in
real estate finance gave the example that “you immedi-
ately understand how the due diligence process works on
If client contact is what you’re looking for, a seat in the the property aspect of a loan transaction, because you’ve
construction department might just scratch that itch. already done a property seat.” Maples advises both bor-
“We have more direct client contact because, in addition to rowers and lenders on “anything from portfolio loans for
surveyors, we’re dealing with a mix of other professionals big investors, to advising smaller borrowers who’ve had is-
throughout the matters,” sources explained. “Contractors sues with debt. It’s really interesting working on both sides.”
and various different consultants will also be involved.” Train- The firm acted for real estate investors PATRIZIA AG on
ees saw similar clients as in commercial property: co-living a series of refinancings totalling £72 million in value as
space operator The Collective recently called on Maples well as £136 million of asset disposals.
Teesdale to advise on developments totalling £750 million
in value. There are however differences in this seat too, as
trainees “take a more direct role. We make sure documents Trainee Life
truly reflect what’s happening on a building site.” Respon- Each seat has partner supervisors who remain in the role
sibilities including drafting ancillaries and collateral war- year-round even as trainees rotate, so they’re used to
ranties, plus reporting on primary construction documents imparting wisdom. Some sources felt that “because su-
like building contracts. “You’re part of the team for sure,” pervisors are so senior they’re far removed from the tasks
insiders enthused. “You really get to contribute and you’re trainees do, so I feel like I can’t ask smaller questions.” They
treated more like a junior lawyer than a trainee.” were happy to approach other colleagues with these que-
ries: “We really do have an open-door policy, it’s not just a
“You’re treated more like a junior lawyer tagline. We can chat to anyone at any point whether it’s
than a trainee.” about work or not.” Matter teams are small enough (and
inevitably partner-led) so that “everyone gets good super-
“We’re a real estate firm, so the corporate group works with vision.” There’s also a training partner, Anastasia Klein, on
companies that own real estate,” trainees said. Examples hand: “She’s made it clear she’s our voice in the firm and is
include advising property investment and development our first port of call for any problems we might have. We
company Martin’s Properties on its corporate reorganisa- had weekly trainee calls with her during the coronavirus
tion; and real estate investment management firm Ellandi lockdown.”
on the £20.2 million sale of Grays Shopping Centre in
Thurrock. Sources described the department as a “satel- In the office, trainees all sit with their partner supervisor.
lite” that’s home to just a couple of partners and associ- “If I didn’t get to sit with a partner I probably wouldn’t go out
ates, “so they’re either really busy or dead” as is common in of my way to ask about the firm’s business,” said one of the
transactional law. A few late nights are par for the course, trainees who credited Maples with general transparency.
“but I never worked past 10pm, and that’s unheard of in “The firm tried to move premises in 2019 but it fell through
other departments,” we heard. Typical trainee tasks in a because of costings issues. The firm was totally transparent
corporate seat include administrating partnership struc- about it.” Trainees also get to ‘speak out’ –they each get to
tures and getting documents agreed and signed; less host a training session on a subject of their choice to help
hard-hitting work involves drafting board minutes and hone their presentation skills.
“researching topics that aren’t big enough to send to exter-
nal advisers, like employment queries.” Many praised the As for firm-led training, “nobody here would shout at you
team for letting trainees email and call clients directly, if you made an honest mistake. You don’t have to cover any-
and although “important drafts are always checked, there’s thing up and I feel genuinely valued for the work I do – the
little micro-management.” firm hires people to keep them, not just to do cheap work.”
The True Picture

One source was left extremely confident of their long-

Coming into real estate finance, trainees were pleased term future at Maples: “I think the managing partner would
to see many of the same clients they’d worked with in the take it personally if I left the firm.” In 2020, the firm ended
commercial property and corporate seats: “What really up retaining all three qualifiers.
distinguishes Maples is that you get to see the same trans-

Join the club:

Trainees praised the firm for “keeping appraisals real. We
just go for coffee or chat in the office; we don’t have arbitrary,
arduous forms like at other places.”
434
www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
chambersstudent.co.uk Maples Teesdale LLP M

Maples Teesdale
30 King Street London EC2V 8EE
Tel: 020 7600 3800 Fax: 020 3465 4400 Website: www.maplesteesdale.co.uk
Partners: 17
DX 138754 Cheapside Twitter: @maplesteesdale Assistant solicitors: 36
Email: [email protected] Total trainees: 6
UK offices: London

Contacts
Firm profile Training partner: Anastasia Klein
Maples Teesdale are the UK’s leading commercial property law specialists, providing innovative, [email protected]
full service and truly partner led services to UK based and international clients. The firm’s sole
Application criteria
focus is real estate. This means that all of the firm’s experience, knowledge, work and industry rela-
Training contracts: pa 3
tionships are sharply focused on helping clients and their property requirements. Maples Teesdale
Applications pa: 50
takes a real and long-term interest in the industry.
Minimum required degree grade:
2:1 degree
Main areas of work
Commercial property, construction, corporate, finance, litigation and planning. Dates and deadlines
Training contract deadline, 2022
start: 20th August 2021
Training opportunities
Maples Teesdale trainees are the future of the business. You will receive the best training possible Salary and benefits
in a friendly and supportive environment. At the same time, the firm will ensure that your training First-year salary: £36,668
contract is stimulating and rewarding. As a specialist real estate practice, the firm’s largest depart- Second-year salary: £38,754
ment is commercial property. This is supported by construction, corporate, finance, litigation and Post-qualification salary: £64,445
planning. Holiday entitlement: 25

Trainees have the opportunity to gain experience, skills and knowledge across these different de-
partments in four, six-month seats. There may also be an opportunity to spend time on second-
ment with clients. During each seat rotation, trainees sit with a partner who acts as their supervisor
allocating work to them and ensuring that they are also getting regular opportunities to work
with a variety of fee-earners. They also play an active role in advising and developing their trainee
throughout their training contract. Maples Teesdale want you to feel part of the team from the
outset.
The training is very ‘hands on’ and aims to give you as much responsibility as you are confident to
handle. You will be actively encouraged to become a valuable member of the team, drafting docu-
ments, doing research and attending client meetings.

Other benefits
Pension, Ride2Work cycle loan scheme, interest free season ticket loans, life assurance, private
medical insurance. The True Picture

Org Id: 266 0 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................435

 www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms

M Marriot Harrison chambersstudent.co.uk

Marriott Harrison
11 Staple Inn, London, WC1V 7QH
Tel: 020 7600 3800 Fax: 020 3465 4400 Partners: 19
DX 0001 London, Chancery Lane Associates: 18
Email: [email protected] Total trainees: 4
Website: www.marriottharrison.co.uk UK offices: London

Contacts
Firm profile Graduate recruiter: Liz Arscott,
Marriott Harrison is a leading independent London law firm recognised for the high quality and [email protected]
personable approach of its lawyers. Training partner: David Strong,
david.strong@marriottharrison.
co.uk
The firm provides a partner-led service for clients across a wide range of commercial practice
Application criteria
areas and sectors, with a particular focus on owner-managed businesses and investors into those
Training contracts pa: 2-3
enterprises. It operates at a level which is often only matched by firms several times larger, deploy-
Applications pa: 200-300
ing specialist teams of lawyers who work at the highest levels of competence in each of its core
Minimum required degree
practice areas.
grade: 2:1 unless mitigating
circumstances

The firm’s lawyers have diverse professional backgrounds. Some have had previous non-legal ca- Minimum UCAS points or A
levels: No set min
reers, others have considerable experience at magic circle or major city firms and an increasing
Vacation scheme places pa: 24
number are home grown.
Dates and deadlines
Main areas of work Training contract applications
Corporate, commercial real estate, restructuring, banking, commercial, IP/IT, employment, dis- open: 01/11/2020
pute resolution. Training contract deadline, 2022
start: 23/03/2021
Vacation scheme applications
Training opportunities
open: 01/11/2020
Seat options: Corporate, Restructuring & banking, Commercial & IP/IT, Employment, Dispute
Vacation scheme 2021 deadline:
resolution, & Real estate 23/03/2021
4 x 6 month seats, with corporate and a contentious seat both compulsory. All trainees sit with a Open day deadline date: N/A
partner.
Salary and benefits
First-year salary: £36,000
Vacation scheme
Second-year salary: £38,000
MH aims usually hires its trainee solicitors exclusively from its summer vacation scheme.
Post-qualification salary: TBD
Holiday entitlement: 20 days plus
bank holidays
Every participant in the summer vacation scheme will work in the office for one week between
June and July and will typically attend with three other participants. Anyone ready to start a train-
ing contract in the following calendar year is eligible to apply, with applications to be made by 31
March each year.

Other benefits
Life insurance, private healthcare, weekly in-office yoga, season ticket loan, CSR days, enhanced
pension contributions.
The True Picture

Org ID: 268 0 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................

436
chambersstudent.co.uk Mayer Brown International LLP M

Mayer Brown International LLP

The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Location: London How to get into Mayer Brown
Overseas offices: 26
Becoming a finance lawyer
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 79/148/29
Seats: 4x6 months; client secondments; overseas seats
First-year salary: £46,000
Qualification salary: £90,000

If a Mayer Brown training contract were a cake, it would be a base of

big-ticket transactions and sweet deals, a thick frosting of litigation, a
blob of fast-paced learning, and a cherry on top of a guaranteed client
secondment.

The Firm Trainees get some say in each of their seats, from first
Can’t make your mind up between litigation and trans- to last. They all submit three ranked preferences before
actional law? As the classic meme would suggest… why each rotation; if too many have similar destinations in
not both? Trainees described international giant Mayer mind, grad recruitment will conduct negotiations. “The
Brown as a “half and half firm, with both a strong trans- process is pretty transparent, and it’s been useful hav-
actional and litigious reputation.” True-dat, according to ing one-to-ones with grad recruitment,” sources said. All
Chambers UK’s rankings: the firm scores well in London trainees must do at least one transactional seat and one
for banking, capital markets, construction, corporate, contentious seat. “Around 95% of trainees will also do a cli-
employment, pensions, professional negligence disputes, ent or international secondment,” we heard. “International
and real estate alike. The Mayer Brown of today was seats aren’t readily available, which is a bit crap; the firm
formed from a 21st century merger between three firms are definitely trying to cut back on those and are pushing
dating back to the 19th based in Chicago, London and for more client secondments.” Others told us “the ratio is
Hong Kong respectively. With 27offices lining the “back- transparent when signing up: 60:40 client secondments to
bone of the global economy,” it’s also worth highlighting international.”
the firm’s 11 worldwide Chambers Global rankings span-
ning capital markets, immigration, outsourcing, projects
and more. The Seats
Most interviewees spoke highly about their client se-
“Both a strong transactional and litigious condments. Corporate and commercial, insurance, em-
reputation.” ployment and commercial real estate options may be
on the table at each rotation; previous examples include
The True Picture

Mayer Brown recruits around 15 trainees a year in Lon- large consumer goods and financial data companies. “I
don. That’s fewer than some comparable US giants, but would say my secondment was the time I learnt the most by
with a training contract lineage stretching back decades far as a trainee,” one said. “You’re essentially treated as an
to before the merger, it would be a mistake to dismiss this associate, working on around 15 matters at a time and act-
as a satellite operation. The firm has recently grown its ing as the primary communicator with clients.” Internation-
headcount in the City with lateral partner hires into its
finance practice. Trainees were full of love for their col- Seat options: banking and finance; corporate and se-
leagues: “It’s not just about the friendly lawyers, I love the curities; competition/antitrust; employment; intellectual
kitchen staff too,” one declared. “The partners realise that property; commercial dispute resolution; construction
we need to be relaxed in order to do our best possible work and engineering litigation; insurance & reinsurance;
– it feels like we mix American passion with a more jovial pensions; real estate; restructuring, bankruptcy and in-
English side.” solvency; tax

437
 M Mayer Brown International LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Chambers UK rankings trative role by handling conditions precedent checklists,

Banking & Finance Litigation
amending documents and acting as contacts for clients
Banking Litigation Outsourcing
on smaller deals. The real estate finance practice was
Capital Markets Pensions
popular as “there’s high-quality training, so it’s fantastic for
Construction Pensions Litigation
a first-seater.” Interviewees saw full deal life-cycles “from
Corporate/M&A Product Liability
initially responding to the client query, to developing the
Employment Professional Negligence
advice and product before the billing process and closing.”
Energy & Natural Real Estate
HSBC, Morgan Stanley and Canary Wharf Group are real
Resources Real Estate Finance
estate finance clients; the firm advised Bank of America
Information Technology Restructuring/Insolvency
on the first-ever student housing-backed commercial
Insurance mortgage-backed security (CMBS) in Europe, valued at
£664 million.

al seats change regularly but have previously included Contentious fare comes in four teams – commercial dis-
stints in Chicago, Hong Kong, Singapore, Frankfurt and pute resolution, construction and engineering litigation,
Paris. “Although the prospect of flying overseas as a trainee insurance litigation, and international arbitration – which
might sound amazing, it isn’t that simple, because you form all fall into the broader litigation dispute resolution
ties in the UK,” interviewees clarified. One suggested: practice. Trainees have the flexibility to move between
“You’ll have the opportunity to travel as an associate, but the four groups when they have room on their plate.
the learning experience of a client secondment is invalu- Commercial dispute resolution (CDR) includes M&A
able.” It’s worth considering too that trips abroad may be disputes, shareholder quarrels, contractual debt, white-
limited further by the Covid-19 pandemic. collar crime, tech disputes and even pensions litigation.
The firm has advised in litigation for UBS, P&O Ferries
London’s corporate team advises on M&A, funds and cor- and Merchant Navy Ratings Pension Fund, as well as
porate finance for clients in the financial services, con- eOne during its High Court clash with foreign exchange
sumer goods, private equity, energy, telecoms, tech and group Monex Europe over currency trading commissions.
media sectors. Names you might recognise include Uni- Responsibilities for trainees in disputes include drafting
lever and Entertainment One; the team advised the lat- court orders, bundling and legal research. International
ter during its $4 billion acquisition by toy giant Hasbro. arbitration comes with similar tasks; sources there “re-
Mayer Brown is also a major player in the mining sector, ally enjoyed the lean team, as it allowed for incredible re-
recently acting for Sumitomo Metal Mining on the $1.2 sponsibility and exposure to substantive work. I’d be work-
billion acquisition of a 30% indirect interest in the owners ing on an entire arbitration from the commencements to the
of the Quebrada Blanca Phase 2 project in Chile. Trainee post-hearing briefs.”
tasks in corporate include due diligence, drafting board
minutes and resolutions, as well as “physically assisting “It can be scary as hell, but you sure do
with signings in our office. We prepare a schedule of docu- learn fast and help is always available.”
ments, set up the signing table and meet the clients.” In-
siders told us they got “opportunities to work with other Trainees in insurance litigation spent most of their time
departments such as finance, employment and pensions. helping insurers defend during coverage claims on war-
There’s also good potential for cross-office work: I’d find ranties, indemnity and financial lines; clients range from
myself helping partners in New York or assisting clients in financial institutions and real estate consultancies to
Asia with investments in the UK.” other lawyers who’ve got into sticky situations. Big-name
insurers on the books include Chubb, Liberty Mutual and
“If you have a certain interest, the firm has Zurich. In a recent professional negligence case, Mayer
the flexibility for you to pursue that.” Brown represented two partners at accounting firm BDO
The True Picture

in c. £250 million proceedings after the administration

Nine subgroups make up the banking and finance de- of the One Blackfriars development. “It’s a very autono-
partment, including real estate finance, capital markets, mous seat,” according to trainees who had mixed feelings
project finance and asset-based lending. “As a banking about their independence. “It can be scary as hell, but you
and finance trainee, you’re there for the whole department, sure do learn fast and help is always available. I’d definitely
bouncing around multiple matters at once. If you have a recommend the seat as the team are very kind and they
certain interest, the firm has the flexibility for you to pur- take time out to support you.” Workloads for the self-start-
sue that.” Mayer Brown advises large international banks ers here included drafting witness statements, putting
and private equity houses; US-based PE firm Francisco together instructions for disclosure, drafting letters and
Partners called for advice on multiple deals including meeting notes. “We also get opportunities to lead certain
the 3.7 billion Danish kroner acquisition of Scandinavian client calls and, unlike CDR, trainees in insurance can get
software firm EG. Trainees here largely take an adminis- away from the bundling.” One-nil to the insurance team.

438
chambersstudent.co.uk Mayer Brown International LLP M

There’s a mix of disputes and non-contentious matters out together; it’s nice to know you’re not stuck on your own.”
up for grabs in the construction department.Among the Real estate and employment seats tend to come with
biggest clients here are UK national giant Wates, which friendlier 5.30 or 6pm finishes. “There’s no face-time pres-
has been on Mayer Brown’s roster for most of the 21st sure and I’ve definitely been told to go home more than I’ve
century, as well as SSE and British Land. International been told to stay,” a happy chappy concluded.
arbitration in the construction sector can also be found
in this department. Compiling bundles, preparing for trial As part of their hours demands, trainees have an annual
and taking attendance notes, trainees in this seat “also 20-hour pro bono target. “We love pro bono,” one who’d
research anything and everything by taking a trip down to breezed past the goal said. “We get awards if we do 100
the firm’s information centre, which is staffed with full-time hours and there were around four trainees who hit that last
research staff.” Telling us they felt “invested” in the prac- year.” Trainees can get involved with external organisa-
tice throughout their time here, our sources proudly de- tions like the Islington Law Centre and Zacchaeus 2000
scribed themselves as “a genuine asset to the team.” How Trust, advising clients pro bono on housing benefits. “It’s
very modest of them. so worthwhile and enriching knowing that we can help
change people’s lives.”

Trainee Life “It’s so worthwhile and enriching knowing

Fledgling lawyers’ first two months at Mayer Brown that we can help change people’s lives.”
comes with a structured training regime; throughout the
whole two years, “training is always frontloaded in each Our sources were similarly impressed with Mayer
seat. This helps you build up a good body of notes before Brown’s approach to diversity and inclusion: “I think they
you dig into the meaty bits.” The finance department fol- are excellent. Alongside having the support of Sally Davies
lows “a university course structure. We’d have sessions on as UK senior partner, there are also active affinity groups”
getting to know the background of securitisation or learn including a Women’s Network, an LGBT+ network, the Fu-
what derivatives and leveraged finance are; we then learn sion Network for BAME lawyers and the Work&Me family
how to build on that knowledge in more practical terms.” group. While the Black Lives Matter movement swept the
During the 2020 lockdown, trainees took part in ‘zoomi- globe and protests erupted in London, the Fusion Net-
nar’ lectures as well as optional talks by barristers on top- work organised an internal viewing of Mellody Hobson’s
ics like “how to measure human rights regulations in corpo- TED Talk, followed by a discussion on the topic of race
rations, or generally assess the development of certain laws and discrimination. “Around 90 people attended, and the
during the pandemic.” head of litigation sent out a reminder to the whole depart-
ment without a prompt from us to ask people to spare an
“It’s natural to have late nights, but hour in their day and join in,” one source told us. Another
everyone will be punching in and out recalled they “saw people on the call I wouldn’t expect to
be interested talking about racial justice and equality. It
together.”
was incredible to see them actively take part.” As a follow-
“There are many benefits to a small intake,” a source posed. on, the firm’s chairman in the US circulated weekly pro-
“There aren’t as many faces to learn on the first day.” It’s gress updates; Mayer Brown also ran its first Black His-
also super helpful when you also have colleagues all over tory Month Event, “a big success with around 200 clients
the world to get friendly with; trainees told us that the attending.”
firm’s international nature is immediately apparent and
that the firm is “essentially one unit. We don’t really see a The Covid-19 pandemic delayed the start of 2020’s quali-
difference between the offices since we work together reg- fication process by six weeks, but insiders said “there
ularly and it’s very seamless.” Operating on a global scale weren’t any nasty surprises” once it got going. Conversa-
usually means long hours, and Mayer Brown is no ex- tions start during the third seat, with graduate recruit-
The True Picture

ception. “The hours in finance, corporate and occasionally ment gauging trainees’ preferences and preparing a
litigation are awful,” interviewees admitted. “It can go one business case for the management committee. “Despite
way or the other: you can either leave at 6pm or you’re not the initial worry, we’ve been told that the hiring ethos hasn’t
finishing until 11pm.” Well aware of the high expectations changed, and the firm is still aiming for maximum reten-
in advance, sources agreed: “It’s natural to have late nights tion,” insiders declared. Mayer Brown went on to retain 11
in banking and finance but everyone will be punching in and of 15 qualifiers in 2020, with one on a fixed-term contract.

439
 M Mayer Brown International LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Mayer of London:
During the height of lockdown, trainees felt that Mayer Brown
stepped up their game when it came to mental health and wellbeing:
“The firm is hot on mental health.There’s been a big push by
management to overcommunicate, and we have daily check-ins with
our supervisors and catch-ups with HR.”
The True Picture

440
www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
chambersstudent.co.uk Mayer Brown International LLP M

Mayer Brown International LLP

201 Bishopsgate, London EC2M 3AF
Email: [email protected] Twitter: @talk2mayerbrown Partners: 85
Website: www.mayerbrownfutures.com Instagram: @talk2mayerbrown Associates: 140 in London
Facebook: mayerbrown Total staff: 473 (London)
Linkedin: mayer-brown Trainees: 30
UK offices: London
Overseas offices: 26
Firm profile
Mayer Brown is a distinctively global law firm, uniquely positioned to advise the world’s leading com- Contacts
panies and financial institutions on their most complex legal needs. With extensive reach across four Graduate recruiter:
continents, Mayer Brown is the only integrated law firm with approximately 200 or more lawyers in Mark Dubes
each of the world’s three largest financial centres — New York, London and Hong Kong — the back- Graduate Recruitment & Devel-
bone of the global economy. Mayer Brown has deep experience in high-stakes litigation and complex opment Manager,
020 3130 8621
transactions across industry sectors, including its signature strength, the global financial services indus-
Training partner: Stuart Pickford
try. Mayer Brown’s diverse teams of lawyers are recognised by clients as strategic partners with strong
commercial instincts and a commitment to creatively anticipate their needs. The firm’s ‘one-firm’ cul- Application criteria
ture — seamless and integrated across all practices and regions — ensures that client receive the best of Training contracts pa: 15
our lawyers’ collective knowledge and experience. Applications pa: 1500+
Minimum required degree
grade: 2:1
Main areas of work Minimum A levels: AAB
Our lawyers have expertise across a wide range of areas including corporate, finance, real estate, litigation (or equivalent)
(including dispute resolution, construction, insurance and reinsurance, antitrust and competition), Vacation scheme places pa: 30
employment, pensions, tax, financial services regulatory and intellectual property.
Dates and deadlines
Training contract applications
Training opportunities open: 1st November 2020
Our training contract offers four six-month seats which you can tailor across a broad range of our Training contract deadline 2023
main practice areas in London (as listed above), and international secondments. If you don’t want start: 31st January 2021
Vacation scheme applications
to stray too far, you have the option to gain valuable in-house experience by going on secondment
open: 1st November 2020
to one of the firm’s major clients in London. While Mayer Brown is a global law firm, our London Vacation Scheme 2021 deadline:
office remains a tightly knit team with an open and inclusive culture. You will be given significant 31st January 2021
opportunities to assist on matters which may be multidisciplinary, cross-border, complex and Open day deadline:
high-profile in nature. 31st January 2021

We are looking for candidates who not only have a consistently strong academic record including Salary and benefits
a minimum of a 2.1 degree (predicted or obtained) in any discipline, but also who have a wide First-year salary: £46,000
range of interests and achievements outside their academic career. Additionally, we would like to Second-year salary: £51,000
see innovative candidates who can demonstrate a drive for results, good verbal and written com- Post-qualification salary: £90,000
Holiday entitlement: 25 days
munication skills, and an ability to analyse, with good judgement and excellent interpersonal skills.
Sponsorship
Vacation schemes LPC fees: Yes
We run three two-week vacation schemes each year; one in the spring and two in the summer. You will GDL fees: Yes
gain experience in two key practice areas and be involved in seminars and social events including a trip Maintenance grant pa: Yes

to our Paris office. Our vacation schemes are the main pipeline for our training contracts each year and International and regional
we welcome applications from penultimate year, finalists and graduates too. Offices with training contracts:
The True Picture

London and Hong Kong

Other benefits Overseas seats: Several across
Benefits include 25 days holiday per annum, an interest free season ticket loan, subsidised sports club USA, Asia and Europe

membership and membership of private health scheme. Client secondments: Several

clients in London

Open days and first-year opportunities

We offer a number of open days throughout the year. Please see our website for dates and how to
apply.

University law careers fairs 2020

Due to the current environment we will be attending virtual law fairs between September-Decem-
ber 2020. Please visit our graduate recruitment website for further information.

Org ID: 3690 2 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................441

 M Memery Crystal LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Memery Crystal LLP

The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Location: London How to get into Memery Crystal
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 32/43/5
Seats: 4x6 months
First-year salary: £38,000
Qualification salary: £65,000

Lean teams keep trainees keen at a growing London outfit where

“entrepreneurial” corporate work is the AIM of the game.

The Firm tism… MC sticks to a small trainee intake, so each can get
Fear not, brave adventurer, you haven’t stumbled upon a a breadth of experience.
Dungeons & Dragons textbook. This Memery Crystal is
not a magic spellcasting jewel – it’s a small but growing
London law firm with an ‘entrepreneurial’ approach to le- The Seats
gal practice. Chambers UK awards the firm a top ranking “Everyone is assigned their first seat,” but the firm keeps
nationwide for Alternative Investment Market (AIM) capi- trainees’ preferences in mind for the three remaining six-
tal markets work and further recognition for its energy month seats. “We never have issues with allocation! Having
and natural resources practice; as well as lower mid-mar- a smaller intake means most people do all the seats they
ket corporate and real estate work in London. want to,” we heard. Memery Crystal doesn’t have manda-
tory seats, giving more power to the trainees: “If a depart-
MC markets itself as ‘commercially aware, entrepre- ment needs assistance, they can bring in a paralegal rather
neurial in spirit, international in outlook, and pragmatic in than force a trainee to sit there.”
approach.’When we were in school our teachers always
told us to show our working, so what does the firm mean Sources described MC’s corporate department – the
by this? Trainees suggested a smallish headcount of 80 firm’s largest – as a “very different and distinctive offering”
or so lawyers allows it to adapt to changing industries in the London legal scene… why? “The firm’s clients are
quickly: “We’re able to be a bit nimbler than larger firms, always interesting businesses like cannabis or ultrasound
and keep up with key market trends,” one junior noted, companies,” one explained. “Deal teams are very lean and
highlighting the firm’s desire to be “the market leaders” you get lots of responsibility, which I like.” Memery Crystal
on the legal front of the medicinal cannabis industry as tackles both traditional lower mid-market M&A and eq-
a prime example. “Memery Crystal is an outward-looking uity capital markets, with the latter geared towards the
firm with a core approach of helping entrepreneurs and natural resources and tech sectors. “It’s such varied work,”
small businesses grow,” they argued, with the benefit that a trainee enthused. “Reductions of capital, verifications,
working with entrepreneurial clients creates a more en- listings, venture capital investments… we see them all.” The
The True Picture

trepreneurial firm. Makes sense. firm recently advised longstanding client Gaming Realms
on the £11.5 million sale of its subsidiary Bear Group to
“We’re able to be a bit nimbler than larger River iGaming; other clients include Pure Gold Mining
firms and keep up with key market trends.” and Gulf KeyStone Petroleum. Interviewees worked on
schemes of arrangements for public companies going
Sources looked beyond the firm’s sole London base to private, and commodities filings for mining companies
point out that “Memery Crystal’s work often has an interna- changing jurisdictions; they drafted various documents
tional element to it, and lots of our clients are trading over- as part of the deals. Many also enjoyed “working along-
seas.” The firm acts for international clients in High Court
proceedings and maintains a strategic partnership with Seat options: corporate; dispute resolution; real estate;
Yingke, the largest China-based law firm. As for pragma- real estate litigation; real estate private client; real estate
construction; CIPT; employment; banking and finance

442
chambersstudent.co.uk Memery Crystal LLP M
Chambers UK rankings of their pre-pack administration acquisition of women’s
Capital Markets Real Estate
wear brand Coast – both were later acquired by Boohoo.
Corporate/M&A
“My start in the seat was quite interesting as I was in a cli-
Energy & Natural
ent meeting on the first day,” one of our sources said.They
Resources noticed expectations rise over time: “I’m now given the
same tasks, like drafting settlement agreements, but for
a shorter turnaround. The shift in expectations has been
side the much bigger law firms who help fund clients’ pro- based on timing more than quality.” The seat was popular
jects we’re working on.” for its mix of contentious and non-contentious matters
including settlements, redundancies, terminations and
“I got to draft key correspondence disciplinary advice: “You will get a chance to work in all
with clients, witness statements, and those fields.”

instructions to counsel.”
A dispute resolution seat covers a “a very broad spec- Trainee Life
trum” including commercial litigation, civil fraud, share- A small headcount means “you get to know everyone’s
holder and company disputes and some arbitrations. Our name,” so don’t panic if you have a bad Memery for faces
interviewees also got stuck into “quite a few insolvency (panic at our jokes instead). “From the print room to mar-
matters” for financial markets and institutions – this prac- keting to IT to the secretaries, people know each other and
tice may grow in the wake of Covid-19. “There’s quite a bit there’s not a divide between support staff and lawyers,”
of international work here,” a trainee declared. “I’ve worked sources stressed, keen to promote the lack of hierarchy
on disputes based in Spain, Italy and Israel.” Others dipped at the firm up to the verytop: “Name partner Peter Crys-
their toes in “a couple of maritime cases” and tax disputes tal sits near me. He’s very friendly and says ‘hello’ all the
for asset management funds in Italy. The firm represent- time.” A newish open plan office on Fleet Street helped
ed independent commodities broker Marex Financial in increase “connection between departments,” and growth
a Supreme Court appeal addressing reflective loss rules in the junior ranks has boosted spirits: “Since we’ve upped
and asset stripping. Big cases can mean smaller respon- the trainee intake to five and brought in more paralegals,
sibilities for trainees, but the ones we spoke to found there’s a sizeable cohort who lunch and drink together.
room for growth: “I was involved in all stages of the bog- There’s no feeling of competition between trainees.”
standard trainee stuff like bundling and document review,”
one said. “Over time, however,I got to draft key correspond- “Name partner Peter Crystal sits near me.
ence with clients, witness statements, and instructions to He’s very friendly and says ‘hello’ all the
counsel. It’s now a really good seat to look back on.”
time.”
“Partners have specialisms in technology, licensing agree- The social scene at MC is “not just hanging around the
ments, IP, gambling and data protection” in commercial IP beer tap in the kitchen or the social committee organising
and tech (CIPT), all of which fall into one seat. Household- drinks,” and trainees enjoyed “casual conversations about
name clients here include the Telegraph Media Group, TV and our weekend plans with colleagues. Partners will
West Bromwich Albion FC and the Health Lottery. The come and join as they’re interested in what we’re up to.”
firm also represents the Saudi national oil and gas com- Horror stories of partners beasting trainees were no-
pany Aramco, recently providing advice for its R&D IP where to be found; instead we heard “the firm balances
company. Trainees in this seat are “in charge of the due work incredibly well and encourages you to have a life out-
diligence” for commercial contracts and got to do “some side the walls of the office. If you can leave at 5.30, do it; but
really good IP research,” including putting together a if you need to stay until 10pm, that’s also expected of you.”
cease and desist letter for a trade mark dispute. Cases 10pm was a late night for our sources, with several telling
The True Picture

here also involve “a fair amount of contract review for li- us they’d “never once stayed past 12pm. We have a really
censing agreements.” Trainees identified some issues with good work/life balance.” Seasonal parties, firmwide pub
“unstructured workflow and staffing, there’s not always quizzes, first-year treasure hunts and Thirsty Thursdays
enough delegation on matters,” but they appreciated the at Stella’s canteen (named not after the lager, but a vet-
variety of interesting clients and cases in the department. eran secretary) help jazz up the ‘life’ side of the equation.

Memery Crystal’s employment department mostly advis- Trainees get two reviews in each seat. They felt “the bal-
es employers. Financial services, technology, energy, re- ance between formal and informal feedback really benefits
tail and fashion businesses call on the firm’s advice – “the you. Many of the senior lawyers at Memery Crystal trained
clients range from multinationals to smaller UK established here and remember what the training contract is like, so you
start-ups,” according to trainees. Fashion retailer Karen can ask them any questions.” Perhaps looking to follow in
Millen called on MC to advise on employment aspects their footsteps one day, sources agreed “the firm really

443
 M Memery Crystal LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

wants to see you run. It’s a small intake so they’re fully in-
vested in you.”

How good is your Memery?

Qualification at MC is “not very formal, we just chat with HR.”
The firm kept all four qualifiers in 2019 and retained all six of
its qualifiers in 2020.
The True Picture

444
 www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
chambersstudent.co.uk Memery Crystal LLP M

Memery Crystal LLP

165 Fleet Street, London, EC4A 2DY
Tel: 020 7242 5905 Fax: 020 7242 2058 Twitter: @MemeryCrystal Partners: 32
Email: [email protected] Associates: 43
Website: www.memerycrystal.com/careers/trainees/ Total trainees: 9
UK offices: London

Contacts
Firm profile Graduate recruiter:
We are commercially aware, entrepreneurial in spirit, international in outlook and pragmatic in Helen Seaward
approach. Founded in 1978, Memery Crystal is now recognised as one of the UK’s leading law Training partner:
firms in our specialist areas, regularly cited in Chambers UK and The Legal 500. Alex Barnes

We have a strong internal culture, based upon a set of core values, which underpins our indi- Application criteria
viduality, our emphasis on long-term client relationships and our collegiate and entrepreneurial Training contracts pa: 5
approach. We act for a broad range of clients, from individual entrepreneurs and owner-managed Applications pa: 250
businesses, to City institutions, educational organisations and multi-national corporations. Minimum required degree grade:
2:1 or other
Unusually for a single-office firm, we have a strong international focus, which we see as vital to our
Minimum UCAS points or A
vision of remaining independent in a globalising economy. We have considerable cross-border levels: 128
transactional experience and have built strong relationships with other independent law firms Vacation scheme places pa: 16
around the world. Our key strength lies in the quality of our award winning people. We seek to
recruit and retain leading individuals, who provide the highest level of service to our clients. Dates and deadlines
Training contract applications
Main areas of work open: 1st November 2020
Our main practice areas include equity capital markets, public and private M&A, corporate Training contract deadline, 2023
finance, real estate, dispute resolution, commercial contracts, employment and tax. We act for a start: 31st July 2021 (mid-day)
broad range of clients, from multi-national companies to financial institutions, owner managed Vacation scheme applications
businesses and individual entrepreneurs. The main sectors that we work in include: media and open: 1st November 2020
Vacation scheme 2021 deadline:
technology, retail and leisure, real estate and natural resources.
31st January 2021
Open day deadline:
Training opportunities Autumn 2020
Trainees will rotate seats every six months and we aim to give second-years their preference in seat
choice. During their training contract trainees are given on-the-job training and mentoring and Salary and benefits
are invited to all sessions in the firm’s internal training programme. Due to our partner-led service, First-year salary: £38,000
trainees will work closely with partners from all departments, and will receive regular feedback in Second-year salary: £40,000
addition to their appraisals every three months with their supervisor and a member of HR. Post-qualification salary: £65,000
Holiday entitlement: 25 days
Vacation scheme
Sponsorship
In addition to our summer graduate recruitment, we run an annual vacation scheme over Easter.
LPC fees: Yes
This is a great opportunity for you to really get to know the firm, our culture and people. To qualify
GDL fees: Yes
for a vacation scheme placement in 2021, you should be applying for a training contract to begin
Maintenance grant pa: No
in 2023.

Other benefits
25 days’ holiday (increases to 30 days with length of service), private medical insurance, life assurance,
interest-free season ticket loan, subsidised gym membership, group pension scheme, travel insurance,
The True Picture

childcare vouchers and cycle to work scheme.

Open days and first-year opportunities

We hold an Open Evening in Autumn for candidates to meet our partners, lawyers and trainees and to
find out more about the firm. To apply for a place at the evening please e-mail a covering letter and cv
to [email protected]. The evening is open to those applying for training contracts starting
in September 2023.

Org ID: 282 2 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................

445
 M Michelmores LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Michelmores LLP
The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Locations: Exeter, Bristol, Sidmouth, London How to get into Michelmores
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 60/108/17
Seats: 4x6 months
First-year salary: £28,000 (Exeter)
Qualification salary: £40,500 (Exeter); £44,000 (Bristol);
£60,000 (London)

There’s Mores than meets the eye at this Exeter-born firm, which boasts a
platform for international work in the South West and a growing London
presence.

The Firm noted that the firm wants to “win more high-quality work
Who doesn’t love the South West? While some might de- in London and continue expanding the office there.” Many
light in the fabulous beaches, the cream teas, the pasties, had done at least one seat there. “We’re moving towards a
or the Riviera chic, the discerning readers of Chambers one-firm mindset, so trainees are encouraged to do seats in
Student will be on the hunt for quality training contracts either London or Bristol,” one source confirmed. The firm
in the region. “Of the regional firms in the South West, it’s does have one London-based trainee and also sees the
the one that stands out,” a trainee beamed. Other inter- value of having trainees elsewhere visiting the capital for
viewees were particularly drawn to the “really good qual- either a seat or related work.
ity of work” on offer, as well as being able to do “interna-
tional work – even in the regions.” The firm estimates that
international work makes up around 15% of its yearly The Seats
turnover. Its core focuses are private wealth, real estate The firm sends out a list of available seats and loca-
and finance within a number of sectors and practice ar- tions about a month before each rotation. Trainees put
eas. “The private wealth work we’ve done has really com- down around three preferences, then HR allocates seats.
plemented the international work we do,” training princi- Michelmores has recently switched things up in terms of
pal Alexandra Watson tells us. “We’ve done some huge who gets priority: “It used to be that second years got pri-
transactions with international elements – a good example ority, which is the case in a lot of firms. But now, those going
is our work for Soros Economic Development Fund [SEDF].” into their second and third seats get priority.” The reasoning
Watson is referring to Michemores’ advising of SEDF on for this change was that those entering their fourth and
the sale of its majority stake in Aspada (an Indian venture final seat would be close to choosing their NQ area, so it
capital firm) to investment management company LGT. made sense to ensure that they’ve had exposure to their
main areas of interest before that point. “It was something
Private wealth law is one of the firm’s top-ranked areas of we had previously raised as being a concern, so I think peo-
The True Picture

expertise in Chambers High Net Worth. Michelmores also ple are happy with the change,” sources reflected.
picks up accolades for its agriculture, lower mid-market
M&A, litigation, real estate, and restructuring/insolvency
practices (among other areas) in the South West in Cham-
bers UK. It’s also ranked UK-wide for its education work, Seat options: Exeter: commercial litigation; commer-
both for schools and higher/further education institu- cial; corporate; employment; banking, restructuring
tions. As part of its business strategy, the firm has been and insolvency; tax, trusts and succession; contentious
conducting focused research into millennials and their probate; education; projects; construction and engi-
investment habits: “In the coming years, millennials will neering; transactional property; planning; and property
end up inheriting a lot of wealth. They will have a distinctive litigation. Bristol: tax, trusts and succession; agricultural
private wealth strategy and so we are looking at growing property litigation; and transactional property. London:
that part of the firm’s offering,” says Watson. Trainees also commercial litigation; corporate; transactional property

446
chambersstudent.co.uk Michelmores LLP M
Chambers UK rankings The tax, trusts and succession seat involves a fair chunk
Agriculture & Rural Affairs Information Technology
of will-drafting (as you may reasonably expect). Aside
Banking & Finance Litigation
from that, sources also got stuck into “drafting trust docu-
Construction Partnership
ments and advising trustees on administering trusts and
Corporate/M&A Planning
their other obligations.” The team’s clientele is a report-
Education Real Estate
edly “good mix” of high net worth individuals and “repeat
Employment Real Estate Litigation
clients who have been loyal to the firm for 30 to 40 years.”
Family/Matrimonial Restructuring/Insolvency
No matter which, trainees told us they were able to have
direct contact with clients. Other trainee tasks included
drafting lasting power of attorney documents and letters
of wishes to accompany the wills, as well as general trust
Michelmores’ corporate team covers the full sweep of admin and taking notes at client meetings. The firm has
transactional areas, from capital markets to private equi- a separate team that deals with any contentious aspects
ty M&A to sustainable investments. In addition, the group that crop up in this area.
deals with “lots of different jurisdictions,” but its impact
investment practice is especially focused on investments The education team incorporates a mix of the firm’s ex-
in the Middle East and Africa. A recent deal saw the team pertise, from property work to the more commercial and
advise sling manufacturer Silvalea and its sister com- corporate elements. For some, the work was “largely to
pany D-ansermed on its sale to Savaria Corporation for do with the ‘academisation’ process for schools,” which in-
£4.6 million. The work can also tie into the firm’s private cluded the conversions themselves, as well as convert-
wealth matters: “One of our big clients is a large private ing multi-academy trusts to a single-academy trust. The
wealth company that buys lots of smaller private wealth seat also involved giving a hefty amount of advice, like
companies. We’ve done something like 50 acquisitions for “advising on government guidance from the Department for
them over the past two years.” A case in point: the team re- Education.” The team’s client roster is made up of more
cently acted for Succession Groups on its acquisition of academy trusts than you could shake a whiteboard pen
IPA (Investors Planning Associates), Ellaby Pollad, Warde at; a recent matter saw the department advise Ambitions
Graham Consulting and Killermont Investments. Day to Academies Trust on the overturning of a multimillion-
day, trainees were able to get involved in a range of draft- pound government loan. Trainees got stuck into proper-
ing, from the more typical ancillary documents to “having ty-related tasks like drafting leases, licences to occupy
a go at drafting subscription agreement letters and legal and easements, as well as corporate/commercial-related
opinions.” Some went further and had “helped on articles tasks like “transfers of schools or assets.” One source re-
of association and even on the share purchase agreement.” called “getting more involvement in drafting commercial
Sources also found they were tasked with “producing transfer agreements, which enabled schools to move.”
knowledge reports for the month to then present them to Overall, interviewees found it to be “a good seat to do be-
the team.” cause you get a broad overview of lots of areas.”

Transactional real estate is loosely split into sub-teams,

including secured lending, commercial property, residen- Trainee Life
tial development, and planning. Interviewees had worked “The firm is very keen for trainees to be treated as equals,”
on the likes of compulsory purchase orders, lease renew- interviewees reflected. This meant that “partners speak to
als, landlord and tenant work (“like managing landlords’ you how they speak to each other – they’re very approach-
estates and assets, or granting leases” ), and manage- able.” Trainees appreciated this atmosphere and found
ment agreements for residential developments (on which it made it easier to facilitate “lots of collaboration, across
they played a more assistance role). Recently, the team both teams and offices.” Sources reiterated that “you’re
worked on a property acquisition for Ashton Bentley Es- encouraged to go to different offices and get to know peo-
The True Picture

tates, which purchased a tourist attraction business; it ple. There’s a big push for it to be ‘one firm.’”
also worked for the University of Exeter on a lease of land
at Exeter Science Park. Sources noticed that “trainees are Even on the social side trainees noted that “the firm will do
given a lot of responsibility on the management of files like what it can to get Exeter lawyers up to London if the event is
lease renewals or surrenders” and found there was “a lot of there, or vice versa.” The Bristol and London offices were
opportunity for client contact.” Some had even been able said to be “better on the social side,” mostly because of
to “get involved in negotiating alterations to leases for ten- their proximity to bustling city centres. “The Exeter office
ants.” This trainee was especially pleased that “the team moved to the edge of the city around 15 years ago, so it is no
was happy to let me be on the front line in negotiating and longer within walking distance of the pubs and bars.” That
drafting those myself.” The seat also involved some more said, Exeter sources appreciated that “the firm does make
typical due diligence, Land Registry applications and an effort to put on events where it can.” Source highlighted
post-completion work. an annual summer ball, periodic drinks, various charity

447
 M Michelmores LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

events and “events for current and future trainees so we slightly up in the air due to the coronavirus outbreak. “The
can get to know each other.” jobs list was supposed to come out last week, then second
years would’ve picked up to two roles to apply for with a
On average, sources found their working hours to be “re- cover letter and a CV. You’d usually only have to interview
ally reasonable.” Unsurprisingly, they varied depending on if there’s competition for the role.” Despite the general un-
the team and the office: London hours were almost al- certainty, trainees were grateful for regular communica-
ways a little longer, but “compared to others [firms in the tion from the firm: “Our training principal has been brilliant
capital], it was still a good work/life balance.” One inter- at keeping in touch with everyone and reassuring us. She
viewee recalled thinking they’d “never get to go home in has two video calls a week with everyone to check we’re
my London seat, but I was surprised to find I was leaving on okay working remotely and getting enough work.” In 2020,
average around 6.30/7pm.” Some trainees had “got caught all eight second-year trainees were retained for NQ roles.
on an overnight completion” but many reiterated that “it’s
very rare.” Most averaged closer to 8am to 6pm days.

Second years were due to go through the qualification

process at the time of our research, but things were

The more the merrier:

Those who’d been to the London office highlighted
“organised drinks on the last Thursday of the month,” as well
as plenty of ad hoc get-togethers.
The True Picture

448
 www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
chambersstudent.co.uk Michelmores LLP M

Michelmores LLP
Woodwater House, Pynes Hill, Exeter EX2 5WR
Tel: 01392 688 688 Fax: 01392 360 563 Twitter: @MMCareers Partners: 59
Email: [email protected] Facebook: MichelmoresCareers Associates: 102
Website: www.michelmores.com Instagram: @michelmorescareers Total trainees: 17
UK offices: Exeter, Bristol,
London

Firm profile Contacts

Michelmores LLP is headquartered in Exeter, with offices in Bristol and London. We have a strong Graduate recruiter:
national and continuously growing international presence and we offer specialist legal advice across a Gabby Essame
wide range of sectors, including private wealth, finance and investment, real estate and technology and gabby.essame@michelmores.
com
innovation. 01392 687 721
Collaboration and team work are central to our strategy and our lawyers have access to high-quality
work and clients, whatever their location. Our growing client base includes Santander, the Met Office, Application criteria
Greenland Group and Finnfund, to name a few. We put a strong emphasis on home grown talent and Training contracts pa: up to 10
Minimum required degree grade:
retaining our trainee solicitors, who are central to our growth plans. For the past three years we have
ideally 2:1
retained 100% of our trainees. Minimum A levels: ideally ABB

Main areas of work Dates and deadlines

Michelmores is a full service firm, providing legal advice to a broad range of local, national and inter- Training contract applications
national clients. Our legal teams include: agriculture property litigation, banking, restructuring and open: 1st October 2020
Training contract deadline, 2022
finance, corporate and commercial, commercial disputes, commercial real estate, contentious probate,
& 2023 start:
education, employment, projects, specialist real estate, tax, trusts and succession and technology and 31st January 2021 for our Spring
innovation. Assessment Day and 30th June
2021 for our Summer Assess-
Training opportunities ment Day
Vacation scheme applications
Our trainees typically join us at our Exeter HQ and spend a period of their training in either Bristol or
open: 1st October 2020
London, with the opportunity to qualify into any location. Our training contracts comprise four seats of Vacation scheme 2021 deadline:
six months and enable our trainees to experience a wide range of practice areas. Operating as one firm, 31st January 2021
we offer trainees a high level of responsibility and a supportive and inclusive training environment,
where each individual is able to thrive. Salary and benefits
First-year salary:
£28,000
Vacation scheme Post-qualification salary:
Our summer vacation scheme runs every July at our Exeter HQ. The scheme is as much about you £40,500 (Exeter); £44,000
getting to know Michelmores as a place to work, as it is about us getting to know you. You will have (Bristol); £60,000 (London)
the opportunity to spend time in one department for the week, as we aim to give you a real hands-on Holiday entitlement: 25 days
insight into one area of law and life as a trainee. Our vacation scheme is open to all undergraduates and
Sponsorship
graduates from any discipline.
LPC fees: Yes
GDL fees: No
Other benefits Maintenance grant pa: £5,000
In addition to sponsoring the LPC and offering a £5,000 bursary, our benefits include: private medi-
cal insurance; in-house gym; group personal pension plan; a day off for your birthday; ability to buy International and regional
and sell holidays; a day off each year for volunteering; free subscription to Headspace; free fruit; social Offices with training contracts:
Exeter
events, such as our late summer ball and annual firm quiz; running club and choir.
Client secondments: Available
The True Picture

Open days and first-year opportunities

We will be holding virtual Open Days across December and January. Our virtual Open Days are open
to anyone interested in pursuing a training contract, including first year students. Further details will be
added to our website later in the year.

University law careers fairs 2020

University of Exeter, University of Bristol, UCL, University of Law, University of Cardiff, University of
Durham and University of Birmingham.

Org ID: 285 7 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... 449

Date: ............................
 M Mills & Reeve LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Mills & Reeve LLP

The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Location: Birmingham, Cambridge, Leeds, London, Man- How to get into Mills & Reeve
chester, Norwich
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 133/360/41
Seats: 6x4 months; occasional client secondments
First year salary: £27,000
Qualification salary: £43,000 (£63,000 London)

With offices dotted across the UK and clients from both the public and
private sector flocking to its doors, M&R is on course to continue its
impressive growth.

The Firm but also the niche areas. Mills & Reeve has great sports,
Rewind to 2015 – in your wildest dreams (or nightmares), family law and private client practices, plus they offer char-
could you ever have predicted what would happen in the ity work and CSR opportunities. The client base itself is
following five years? Cambridge-based legal eagles Mills pretty diverse too with education tech, and government cli-
& Reeve surely didn’t when they set a five-year target to ents as well as corporate businesses.” Trainees were also
reach £100 million in revenue by 2020. It says a lot about impressed with firm growth, which hasn’t showed signs
the firm’s resilience that they smashed through the goal of slowing: at the time of writing, M&R had recently made
and logged £114.11 million in 2019/2020. A 2017 merger lateral hires into its planning and insurance practices.
with London real estate and construction boutique firm
Maxwell Winward gave M&R a nifty helping hand, while Training contracts are currently on offer in the firm’s
also helping to expand an already varied practice. Even in Cambridge, Norwich, Birmingham and Manchester of-
the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, employees received fices; at the time of our calls there were 18 trainees in
£1,000 bonuses in 2020. Cambridge, nine in Birmingham and seven apiece in Man-
chester and Norwich. Trainees also have the option to do
Chambers UK gives a thorough account of the firm’s one-off seats in London and Leeds, but for now neither
expertise. To start, there’s nationwide top rankings for office is taking trainees on a permanent basis.
healthcare and education law, reflecting Mills & Reeve’s
storied work for public sector clients. The main course Mills & Reeve’s six-seat training contract proved popular
is a feast of regional rankings including top-tier recog- among sources. “There are a lot of areas to explore and I’d
nition for family law in Birmingham, Leeds, Manchester say that by the end of my training contract, I’ll have done
and Norwich; a gold star for professional negligence in all the seats I wanted, so it works well,” one trainee sug-
the North West; and 11 top spots in East Anglia spanning gested. During the seat allocation process, trainees let
transactional and litigious practices alike. Room for des- HR know their preferred departments. Even first-seaters
The True Picture

sert? Check out Chambers High Net Worth, which hands get some say: “Graduate recruitment does a great job at
the firm private wealth law rankings all over the UK. talking you through the process and handling preferences
from around 40 trainees.” Second-years’ preferences do
“It’s a big draw knowing that we can get so take priority, but with a seat in another office available,
much exposure to several different areas.” most trainees get their preferences in most cases. Insid-
ers appreciated that if you do move locations “the firm
If you can’t decide which of the firm’s practices sounds
most appealing, the good news is that trainees rotate Seat options: banking; corporate; commercial; con-
through six seats rather than the usual four: “It’s a big struction; dispute resolution; employment; family; insur-
draw knowing that we can get so much exposure to several ance disputes; intellectual property; IT; planning; pri-
different areas.” Sources were looking for a firm which of- vateclient; projects; public law; real estate; regulatory;
fered the best of both worlds, “the commercial practices restructuring and insolvency

450
chambersstudent.co.uk Mills & Reeve LLP M
Chambers UK rankings and Norwich offices offer a distinct real estate dis-
Administrative & Public Law Information Technology
putes seat.” The department really tested my research and
Agriculture & Rural Affairs Intellectual Property
drafting skills,” an insider said. “On the other hand, there
Banking & Finance Litigation
wasn’t a lot of client contact.” A source who’d split their
Charities Planning
time between the two sides of real estate described it
Clinical Negligence Private Equity
as “a different experience to other split seats. Because the
Construction Professional Negligence
teams sit together, communication between them is good
Corporate/M&A Projects
and I could figure out which side I preferred.” Mills & Reeve
Court of Protection Public Procurement
has assisted the South West London and St George’s
Data Protection Real Estate
Mental Health NHS Trust on property litigation support
Education Real Estate Litigation
for two new mental health hospitals.
Employment Restructuring/Insolvency
Family/Matrimonial Sports Law
M&A, private equity and capital markets all fall into the
Healthcare Tax
corporate seat. The firm excels in the healthcare field
here too, while also carving niches in charities, tech
and life sciences. Strutt and Parker Farms called on the
team’s expertise during the sales of its anaerobic diges-
will cover rent increases in the new city”  and additional tion subsidiaries; Mills & Reeve has also advised the
costs of moving. world’s largest beverage bottler, Refresco, on its £25 mil-
lion acquisition of a bottling plant and distribution centre
in Milton Keynes and Northampton from Coca-Cola. Keen
The Seats not to bottle it themselves, trainees dived into “drafting
Most trainees end up doing some kind of real estate seat, ancillary documents, board minutes, loan notes, resolu-
whether in the main department or a related one like plan- tions and share purchase agreements,” as well as aiding on
ning or construction; as 30% of Mills & Reeve’s turnover post-completion steps. Though client contact was rare in
comes from real estate work, it’s hard to miss. “Planning is corporate, sources relished “opportunities to get involved
only available in Cambridge,” we heard. The firm’s real es- in a wide variety of deals spanning different sectors.”
tate clients range from investors and landowners to ma-
jor corporations and education and healthcare providers. “There’s a good level of responsibility with
quick turnaround times.”
General real estate matters range from large-scale in-
vestment transactions and landlord/tenant leasing to Trainees doing a seat in commercial, IP and IT came
portfolio management and corporate real estate. The across plenty of public sector matters including contract
Manchester office has been advising the University of reviews, public procurement and commercial cases with-
Salford on its £850 million regeneration project, while in the healthcare sector (the firm is top-ranked nation-
in Cambridge the firm acted for the Cambridge Leisure ally by Chambers UK for this area). “There’s a good level
and Ice Centre on the site search and development of an of responsibility with quick turnaround times,” they agreed.
ice rink. Trainees here typically “draft licences and leases. “You’ll generally draft commercial contracts, review docu-
We’re trusted to coordinate documents and supervise ne- ments, attend client calls and meetings and research in-
gotiation and completion on a big transfer; on disputes we teresting points of law.” Mills & Reeve advises on some
research complex points and advise clients on sensitive massive projects: recent examples include working for
covenants.” Additional tasks include filling out Land Reg- the Ministry of Defence on its ominously named £3.2 bil-
istry forms and compiling reports on title. GP practices, lion MORPHEUS programme to upgrade battlefield and
care homes and private hospitals are the client base for tactical communications systems. On the IP side, the firm
the healthcare sub-team: “I learnt a lot about the struc- manages the trade mark portfolio of Microsoft-owned
The True Picture

ture of the healthcare system and NHS,” a trainee reported. video game development studio Ninja Theory.
“It felt like really important work… we were making a dif-
ference for individuals and healthcare providers.” Mills & What Mills & Reeve calls regulatory, public and com-
Reeve recently advised a clinical commissioning group in mercial disputes is what other firms would dub com-
the South West on the route to procurement for a £1.05 mercial litigation, though it comes with other niches like
billion long-term care provision contract. cybersecurity and defamation. The firm acts primarily for
defendants (but also some claimants) in the technology,
“It felt like really important work… we were life sciences, food and agribusiness, private client, health
making a difference.” and education sectors. “We’ve done lots of data protection,
specifically subject access requests,” a source noted. “We
Trainees in Birmingham mix contentious, transactional have to figure out how to deal with those processes and
and advisory elements in real estate; the Cambridge then if things go wrong and become a dispute, we go to

451
 M Mills & Reeve LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

court.” Recently the team has secured a £10 million world- tive in one place with regular yoga sessions. Life at Mills
wide freezing order and proprietary injunction against In- & Reeve isn’t all downward dog and cooked breakfasts:
terlink Metals’ former UK-based sales agent and associ- the Cambridge office houses a NextGen business devel-
ate companies; and acted for a hedge fund manager in opment group, helping young lawyers build connections
one of the first ever English law crypto-asset shareholder with clients and prepare for potential futures as rainmak-
disputes. “Disputes is a busy team,” sources noted. “Train- ers.
ees will be dealing with anything from drafting court docu-
ments and bundling to drafting instructions to clients and Since the majority of the trainees we spoke with were avid
researching points of law.” commuters, most would get into the office a tad earlier
(around 8.45am), “to then leave around 5pm to catch the
train. No eyebrows would be raised.” Several found their
Trainee Life hours “market-driven” with transactional practices calling
Interviewees told us that the firm encourages trainees to for longer stints in the office. What does longer mean?
“work and collaborate across offices and to see everything “9 or 10pm finishes with maybe two or three stretching to
as a one-firm initiative rather than acting as satellite offic- midnight,” sources said. They were well prepared for such
es” to the Cambridge HQ. Many were impressed by “the eventualities and noted that when they did have to put in
level of interest in us as individuals by the partners. They extra time, “it’s consistently recognised by supervisors as
will frequently take you to the side and discuss anything going above and beyond. There’s definitely no facetime cul-
you’re not sure about for your own learning and develop- ture.” A mix of busy and slow periods was also common in
ment.” Sources described Mills & Reeve’s culture as for- the family department, whereas litigious practices were
ward-thinking: “We have an internal Innovation Hub which more predictable.
acts as a forum in which anyone can share ideas or tips for
efficient working.” It’s not all serious tech thoughts – when Given these reasonable hours, most were content with
we came calling, “the current major topic was which brand their salary and praised the benefits on offer at Mills &
of squash we should be drinking. It’s safe to say we’ll revert Reeve: “On top of the 25 days’ holiday allowance, we get an
to Robinsons.” Don’t get them started on which flavour is extra day during the Christmas period or for other religious
best… reasons. You can also get an extra day off for your marriage
and up to two days if you’re moving house.” If anyone had
“…to leave around 5pm to catch the train. a cross to bear, it was a few trainees in the Cambridge
No eyebrows would be raised.” office who believed they were “having to fund a London
standard of living on Leeds wages. We need to be better
While Mills & Reeve may strive for its “one firm” work ide- compensated.” The firm told us it looks to pay market rate
al, sources noted cultural differences between its offices: in the locations it operates in.
“I suppose Norwich has a more united front when it comes
to events,” one said, citing the “whole office having bacon The NQ process kicks off around March, with the firm
and sausages in the morning.” Because Cambridge is the releasing a jobs list across all offices. “If more than one
largest base, it tends to be “more team and practice-driven person applies for the same job there will be an interview,
in a social events capacity. If you want to go out with peo- otherwise it’s just an application form,” interviewees clari-
ple every month, there will be opportunities to do that; but fied. “There’s always central communication to confirm offi-
if you’d rather keep yourself to yourself then nobody will cial timelines, and job decisions are typically made in April.”
hold it against you.” Birmingham interviewees told tales of We spoke to trainees who were keen to stick with Mills
end of month socials in the office’s basement with a dif- & Reeve for a while: “It isn’t a place where you’d stay for
ferent theme every time: “We supported a mental health three years before moving on. People stay here because
initiative in January through being active around the office, they genuinely like the workplace and have built long-last-
and we all took part in doing a step count challenge across ing relationships.” The firm retained 17 of 18 qualifiers in
The True Picture

the floors.” As for Manchester, trainees prefer to keep ac- 2020, with one on a fixed-term contract.

Where there’s a Mills, there’s a way:

The firm has “recently appointed a diversity and inclusion officer to
run events firmwide and raise awareness of internal gaps.” Existing
initiatives include annual leave for religious festivals such as Eid,
Christmas and Ramadan; a BAME and Allies Network; the Spectrum
network for LGBTQ+ folks and allies; and signing up to the Social
Mobility Pledge.
452
 www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
chambersstudent.co.uk Mills & Reeve LLP M

Mills & Reeve

78-84 Colmore Row, Birmingham B3 2AB
Tel: 0121 454 4000 Twitter: @MillsandReeve Partners: 133
Email: [email protected] Twitter: @MandRTrainees Associates: 360
Website: www.mills-reeve.com/careers/graduates Instagram: @mrgrads Total trainees: 41
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mills-&-reeve UK offices: Birmingham,
Cambridge, Leeds, London,
Manchester, Norwich
Firm profile
You will often hear us say ‘Achieve more. Together’, and while many law firms talk about teamwork Contacts
and collaboration, it’s not just a catchphrase for us, more the cornerstone of our culture and how we Graduate recruiter:
work. Rachel Chapman,
Of course, you want to know that we have six offices across the UK with 1,000 staff and over 500 law- [email protected]
0121 456 8393
yers. But, more importantly, you should know that we have been crowned Law Firm of the Year by both
Legal Week and RollonFriday and we have been ranked in the Sunday Times ‘100 Best Companies to Application criteria
Work For’ for the past 17 years. We consistently win accolades for our vacation scheme and training Training contracts pa: 20
contracts. Applications pa: 1000
This is because, as a trainee at Mills & Reeve, we offer something a bit different. The quality of the work Minimum required degree grade:
you will get involved with, the contact and relationships you will build with clients and the culture of the 2:1 or equivalent
firm you work in. And 97% of us would recommend that you work here. Minimum UCAS points or A
levels: 120/BBB
We are a major UK law firm and our work spans a broad range of legal sectors and jurisdictions for
Vacation scheme places pa: 50
a diverse range of clients: from the FTSE250 to fast-growth start-ups, from individuals to some of the
world’s most established and prestigious organisations. Dates and deadlines
Training contract applications
Main areas of work open: 1st October 2020
Our service is delivered through firm-wide core groups: corporate and commercial, employment, Training contract deadline, 2023
family, insurance disputes, private client, projects and construction, real estate and regulatory, public start: 4th January 2021
and commercial disputes. Core sectors are automotive, charities and social enterprise, education, en- Vacation scheme applications
ergy, food and agribusiness, government, health and care, insurance, life sciences, mid-market, private open: 1st October 2020
wealth, real estate investment, sport, technology. Vacation scheme 2021 deadline:
4th January 2021
Training opportunities
Salary and benefits
A Mills & Reeve trainee receives more opportunities and experiences than many firms. We want you
First-year salary: £27,000
to really understand what it’s like to be a lawyer and the best way to do that is to give you responsibility. Second-year salary: £28,000
You’ll be working with national and international clients where you are given the freedom to learn in Post-qualification salary: £43,000
a supportive environment. Holiday entitlement: 25 days+flex
Trainees take on six 4-month seats in our offices in Birmingham, Cambridge, Manchester or Norwich
offices. Completing a seat in a different office (including Leeds and London) is encouraged and sup- Sponsorship
ported with an accommodation allowance. LPC fees: Yes
We want people who are ready for early responsibility because that is what we will give you. You will GDL fees: Yes
be highly motivated with excellent interpersonal skills and commercial awareness. You will need high Maintenance grant pa: £5,000
standards of academic achievement; to demonstrate maturity, use initiative and business acumen. You
International and regional
will enjoy untangling complicated issues and thrive on building relationships with clients and col-
Offices with training contracts:
leagues. Birmingham, Cambridge,
Manchester, Norwich with option
Vacation scheme to undertake seats also in Leeds
The True Picture

Our award-winning summer vacation scheme is the ideal introduction to Mills & Reeve and gives you and London
a real taste of life as a lawyer. You will be placed in real-life situations, preparing draft documents, Client secondments: Various
researching, attending court hearings and meeting clients. opportunities with clients based
throughout the UK
You will work with a variety of lawyers around the business over the course of two weeks, changing
teams every two to three days.

Other benefits
Flexible benefits scheme, pension scheme, life assurance, bonus scheme, 25 days holiday a year,
sports & social committee, subsidised restaurants, season ticket loan, employee assistance pro-
gramme, membership costs for junior lawyers groups.

University law careers fairs 2020

We are attending the Legal Cheek and AllAboutLaw virtual law fairs series.

Org ID: 863 2 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... 453

Date: ............................
 M Mishcon de Reya LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Mishcon de Reya LLP

The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Locations: London, Singapore How to get into Mishcon
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 128/288/32
Seats: 4x6 months
First-year salary: £42,000
Qualification salary: £72,000

Mishcon Impossible? Not so for this suave London outfit, which takes on
the big cases of our times and maintains its cool in stellar private wealth
and transactional practices too.

The Firm firm garners an array of top rankings for various areas of
When Andrew Scott (of Fleabag priest fame) plays a private client work, including art and cultural property,
firm’s deputy chairman in a star-studded and widely private wealth disputes, private wealth law, defamation,
praised film, you know that the firm in question must family (high net worth individuals) and financial crime
have something special about it. The film, Denial, detailed (high net worth individuals).
the libel case brought against Mishcon’s client, Deborah
Lipstadt (played by Rachel Weisz), by Holocaust denier
David Irving (Timothy Spall). Mishcon’s deputy chairman, The Seats
Anthony Julius, represented Lipstadt in real life and got For their first seat, trainees highlight their preferences
the full Andrew Scott treatment on the big screen. An- for general departments as opposed to specific seats.
other claim to fame for Julius was acting for Lady Diana For their following seats, trainees submit three team-
during her divorce from Prince Charles. specific preferences from a list that also states who the
supervisors are for each seat. Most interviewees received
As you can ascertain from above, Mishcon’s cases get “a mixed bag” of their preferences: “HR does their best to
quite a bit of attention in the public domain. This has been accommodate everyone’s preferences, but it’s not always
especially true in recent years throughout the firm’s rep- possible.” Sources agreed that “they try to guarantee your
resentation of Gina Miller, first in 2017 to prevent Theresa first choice at least once, but there’s only so much they can
May from invoking Article 50 without Parliamentary ap- do.”
proval, and then again in 2019 for a judicial review of Bo-
ris Johnson’s decision to prorogue Parliament in the run “... a lot of international matters, as well as
up to Brexit. “It’s not necessarily the type of work you do high-profile matters that garnered much
every day,” a Mishcon trainee admitted, “but it’s interest-
media attention.”
ing that the firm positions itself like that. It engages in the
important topical issues of the day.” Trainees can undertake several seats within the dispute
The True Picture

resolution realm. These include finance and banking

Chambers UK showers praise on several of Mishcon’s con- litigation; fraud defence; insurance litigation; and tax
tentious practices including financial services, civil fraud, litigation. Fraud defence was popular among sources,
insurance, defamation/reputation management and tax who emphasised its “very busy” and “fast-paced” nature.
(UK-wide), as well as banking litigation, employment, and “The team specialises in obtaining injunctions or discharg-
real estate litigation (in London specifically). But Mishcon ing injunctions brought against clients,” interviewees re-
certainly isn’t a one-trick litigation pony: beyond its litiga- vealed. During their six months, trainees had seen “a lot
tion practice, the firm also focuses on corporate, employ- of international matters, as well as high-profile matters that
ment, IP, real estate and private client. The firm achieves garnered much media attention.” For instance, the team
top-tier rankings for its lower-mid market corporate M&A
work, and gains other accolades in competition, IP, gam- Seat options: real estate; corporate; litigation; private;
ing, sport, and planning. In Chambers High Net Worth, the employment

454
chambersstudent.co.uk Mishcon de Reya LLP M
Chambers UK rankings Mishcon’s insurance litigation team primarily acts for
Art and Cultural Property Fraud
policy holders against insurers. One trainee highlighted
Law Gaming
the number of sectors that you can encounter in the seat:
Banking Litigation Immigration
“With insurance, you might be working with an individual in
Competition/European Law Insurance
relation to their expensive car or you might be working for a
Corporate/M&A Intellectual Property
pharma company against their insurer.” The team acted for
Data Protection Litigation
Jersey-based care home Cheval Roc on an insurance cov-
Defamation/Reputation Planning
erage claim against Zurich in connection with a landslide
Management Real Estate
affecting the client’s property and business. Sources felt
Employee Share Schemes & Real Estate Finance
they’d got especially good exposure to clients through
Incentives “meetings for witness briefings.” Elsewhere, doc review
Real Estate Litigation
Employment was a common task, as well as working on expert reports
Retail
Family/Matrimonial and taking the first draft of witness statements.
Sports Law
Financial Crime
Tax
Financial Services “... a few smaller matters that you tend
to run on your own – there’s a lot more
responsibility in that sense.”
acts for Russian businessman Georgy Bedzhamov, who On the non-contentious side of things, many interview-
is alleged to have been part of a large-scale fraud which ees had spent six months in a real estate seat. Sources
led to the collapse of Vneshprombank. Closer to home, here got involved in “a good mix of work,” including vari-
the team acted for Ocado in a claim against its former ous leases and lettings, sales, licensing matters, and oc-
founder, a former employee, and their new business ven- casional cross-over matters with the planning team. The
ture – Today Development Partners – for theft and mis- group continues to advise Capital & Counties CG on its
use of Ocado’s confidential information. Due to the scope Covent Garden portfolio worth £2.6 billion (and most re-
and complexity of some matters, sources noted that they cently advised on its purchase of 5 and 6 Henrietta Street
were often “working in quite large teams” that could lead for £35 million); it also guided property developer Chels-
to “more admin tasks like performing disclosure exercises, field through the legal aspects of its development next
gathering the initial documents and creating spreadsheets to Knightsbridge tube station. Many interviewees high-
and schedules.” However, trainees were also able to do “a lighted that the real estate seat provided “a few smaller
lot of letter drafting to court or to the other side” and “have matters that you tend to run on your own – there’s a lot more
some involvement in drafting witness statements.” Overall, responsibility in that sense.” On this front, sources took
sources agreed they were getting “a good balance” of charge of things like “assignments of leases and wayleave
tasks. agreements.” Other tasks included managing data rooms,
completing Land Registry forms and SDLT (Stamp Duty
The finance and banking litigation seat does what it says Land Tax) returns, and reviewing sections of documents.
on the tin: “It’s litigation concerning financial institutions.” From time to time, sources were also able to “have the
Interviewees explained that “while there are some nu- first go at a sale agreement or lease agreement.”
ances, it’s still litigation at the end of the day, and it’s all
kind of commercial.” At the time of research, the team was The firm’s employment practice is one of the smaller
acting for Richard Lloyd, the former executive director departments at the firm. It handles both contentious and
of Which?, in a high-profile case against Google, which non-contentious matters, so trainees saw “the full gamut:
sought damages to compensate 4.3 million UK iPhone us- from High Court tribunal claims to advisory work to employ-
ers for Google unlawfully collecting their internet search ee handbooks and equal opportunity policies.” The team re-
history for advertising purposes. Another recent matter cently advised Harrods on three tribunal cases; one was
The True Picture

saw the department act for The ECU Group as a claim- brought by an existing employee in relation to detrimen-
ant against multiple HSBC entities in commercial court tal whistleblowing treatment, while another surrounded
proceedings for unlawful foreign exchange trading prac- an employee termination for gross misconduct. Day-to-
tices. Day to day, trainees were involved in “a lot of gen- day responsibilities were varied for trainees: on conten-
eral case management,” especially on matters like large tious matters, sources told of “attending client meetings,
group actions. Other tasks included liaising with counsel having the first draft of settlement agreements and liaising
and corresponding with the other side; putting chronolo- with counsel.” Trainees were also able to attend tribunals
gies together; preparing claim forms; and attempting the and mediations when opportunities arose. On the non-
first draft of application notices and draft orders. Some contentious side, interviewees mentioned helping with
also tried drafting advice to clients and “getting involved the “drafting of advice for senior executives as well as em-
in some legal analysis.” ployees” and “conducting training sessions for clients.”

455
 M Mishcon de Reya LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Mishcon’s private seats cover the likes of immigration, rep- “... they’re looking for people who are good
utation management, private commercial litigation, private with clients and are able to work their way
wealth disputes, and tax and wealth planning. Multiple around a room.”
sources had spent time in the private commercial litiga-
tion seat. ‘But how can commercial litigation be private?’ Other interviewees added that though the people at
we hear you cry. We had that same question. One source Mishcon are serious when it comes to work, they are
admitted that “the name didn’t make much sense to me at “also looking to appreciate the fun things.” Sources were
first,” but went on to explain that “it involves private client pleased to say that “you can usually find people to go
work, but instead of family or trust matters it relates to high for a drink with on a Friday if trainees aren’t completely
net worth individuals’ business interests.” For trainees, this slammed.” Firmwide, trainees highlighted the firm’s “very
involved “a lot of pre-action correspondence and writing good” summer party (“last summer it was at the V&A!” ) but
strongly worded letters,” as well as a decent level of client noted that events “tend to be split by department, just be-
exposure: “It involves a lot of problem-solving for clients.” cause it’s easier to manage at that level.” Trainees are also
tasked with organising “fundraisers for our chosen charity
– we put on quizzes, bake sales, we do Tough-Mudders – it’s
Trainee Life a nice way to get to know the rest of the firm.”
Seats came with varying working hours, though many
admitted that “it’s generally been quite a busy training con- The firm also takes its diversity efforts seriously, train-
tract.” Most agreed that real estate had better hours (of- ees reported. “It’s something that’s on everyone’s radar,” a
ten 9am to 7pm), while litigation seats were more likely to source reflected. Others praised the firm’s diversity and
have “a number of shockers –but not for prolonged periods.” inclusion committee and noted that Mishcon is “doing a
During busier spells, trainees might leave closer to 9pm, lot of work regarding recruitment at both trainee-level and
with the occasional 1am finish (i.e. a ‘shocker’). Sources more generally.” This trainee also flagged how Mishcon’s
weren’t too fazed though, and noted that “when you’re on “looking at what kind of barristers we instruct because it’s
an injunction, that’s just the way it is.” Most felt they could often very male-dominated.” Like most law firms, “if you
make time for their private lives, though warned that “if look at the statistics, it’s not as diverse as it should be,”
you’ve got a busy week, you probably wouldn’t book plans but interviewees were encouraged by the presence of
for 6.30pm on a weekday.” Beyond that, trainees felt en- “groups set up to tackle areas like socio-economic, ethnic,
couraged to take leave as and when, and make the most and LGBTQ+ diversity.”
of their weekends uninterrupted.
In the build-up to qualification, the firm releases a jobs
“The firm is full of big personalities,” interviewees high- list and trainees must apply for two or more positions.
lighted. “That’s something that’s looked upon favourably – Trainees apply with their ‘Mishcon CVs’, which outline
they’re looking for people who are good with clients and are what experiences they’ve gained from their seats and
able to work their way around a room.” Although sources how that applies to the role. Some were under the im-
were acutely aware that “it’s a commercial environment pression they should speak to partners “to express inter-
where people take the work seriously,” they also found est in qualifying in the area and get the ball rolling,” while
Mishcon to be “a place where you can feel at home and others reckoned the firm is trying to “eliminate the ‘coffee
be supported, especially as a junior member of the firm.” culture’ element to qualification.” Trainees then interview
Trainees especially appreciated the mentoring system in with their chosen departments and should be prepared
place, which sees them paired up with “a senior partner to undertake “a case study or activity” in some instances.
who you can talk to.” Alongside this, there’s also a ‘buddy In 2020, Mishcon retained 13 of 16 qualifiers.
system’ which pairs first-years up with second-years:
“They always ensure there’s people you can talk to.”
The True Picture

Mishcon Position:
Alongside the firm’s clients and practice expertise, trainees were
also drawn to the international work on offer. Sources flagged
Mishcon Private as an area where “we get a lot of international work
– it’s not just UK-based.” Mishcon closed its New York office earlier in
2020, but also opened a new office in Singapore.

456
 www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
chambersstudent.co.uk Mishcon de Reya LLP M

Mishcon de Reya LLP

Africa House, 70 Kingsway London, WC2B 6AH
Tel: 020 3321 7000 Twitter: @Mishcon_de_Reya Partners: 128
Email: [email protected] Facebook: Mishcon de Reya LLP Associates: 404
Website: www.mishcongraduates.com Instagram: @mishcon_de_reya Total trainees: 30

Contacts
Firm profile
Graduate recruiter:
Based in London with offices in New York, Mishcon de Reya services an international community of
Lucy Partridge,
clients and provides advice in situations where the constraints of geography often do not apply. The Graduate Recruitment and
work we undertake is cross-border, multi-jurisdictional and complex. Trainee Development Adviser
Our clients are dynamic and sophisticated and we reflect that in our belief in challenging the conven- Training partner:
tional or accepted ways of working. We fiercely guard our clients’ interests, recognising the significant Claire Broadbent and
nexus between business affairs and personal affairs. Nadim Meer

We appreciate the privilege of sitting alongside our clients as a trusted advisor. Building strong personal Application criteria
connections to our clients and their businesses is important to us. It is for these reasons we say ‘It’s Training contracts pa: 15
business. But it’s personal’. Applications pa: 1,500
Mishcon de Reya has grown rapidly in recent years, showing more than 100% revenue growth since Minimum required degree
2010. A central role played by the Academy, the firm’s in-house place of learning, development and new grade: 2:1
thinking, the active and innovative social impact strategy and various diversity initiatives are reflected in Minimum UCAS points or A
its platinum level award from the investors in People standard. levels: AAB
Vacation scheme places pa:
Main areas of work 35 - 40
We are organised internally into six different departments: corporate, employment, dispute resolution,
Dates and deadlines
intellectual property, private and real estate. The firm also has a growing number of specialist groups
Vacation scheme applications
which include: art; betting and gaming; finance and banking; fraud; immigration; and insolvency. open: 1st October 2020
Vacation schemes 2021
Training opportunities deadline: 15th January 2021
Our trainees are typically high-achieving and intelligent individuals with good interpersonal skills and Open day deadline: Please see
out-going personalities. Strength of character and the ability to think laterally are also important. our website for more information
Trainees have the opportunity to gain experience, skills and knowledge from across the firm in four www.mishcon.com/graduates
six-month seats involving contentious and non-contentious work. Because of the relatively few train-
Salary and benefits
ing contracts offered, trainees are exposed to high-quality work with lots of responsibility early on.
First-year salary: £42,000
Trainees are supported with a wide ranging training and development programme in addition to the
Second-year salary: £45,000
Professional Skills Course. Trainee performance is monitored closely and trainees can expect to receive
Post-qualification salary: £72,000
regular feedback in addition to mid-seat and end-of-seat appraisals.
Holiday entitlement: 25 days

Vacation scheme Sponsorship

We run three vacation schemes, one in Spring and two in Summer. LPC fees Yes
As well as being paid for the vacation scheme, those not living within commuting distance of London GDL fees Yes
will be provided with free accommodation. Our vacation schemes have been designed to provide stu- Maintenance grant pa £7,000
dents with an opportunity to gain an insight into the role of a trainee, our culture and our people. We
run a fun and informative workshop programme covering all practice areas of the firm, combined with
individual and group work sessions.

Other benefits
The True Picture

Whilst on the training contract there are core benefits including: 25 days holiday, income protection
and life assurance. Other optional benefits include: health screening, dental insurance, private medical
insurance, travel insurance, critical illness cover, gym membership, season ticket loan, group pension
scheme, yoga classes, childcare vouchers, cycle scheme, in-house doctor, bonus scheme and give-as-you
earn schemes.

Open days and first-year opportunities

Our open day will run on Thursday 26th November 2020 and our first-year open day will run in March
2021. Please see our website for more information www.mishcongraduates.com

University law careers fairs 2020

BPP, Bristol, Cambridge, Durham, Kings, LSE, Manchester, Nottingham, Oxford, Sheffield, UCL,
Warwick.

Org ID: 292 2 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... 457

Date: ............................
 M Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP

The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Location: London How to get into Morgan Lewis
Overseas offices: 30
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 40/58/17
Seats: 4x6 months; overseas seats; occasional
secondments
First-year salary: £47,000
Qualification salary: £115,000

Philly spread: the petite London office of this US giant is a grower, not a
shower.

The Firm to one source. Other practices like antitrust and labour
Morgan Lewis – or more specially, its London office – is and employment are fully-fledged departments “rather
proof that you need to see the full jigsaw to appreciate than mere support for the corporate teams.” Trainees do
each individual piece. The firm as a whole is a global gi- four seats of six months apiece and “by the time you’re
ant that made more than $2 billion revenue in 2019, has done, you know most of the partners in London.” There are
offices in 15+ countries (including 17 in the US alone) and no mandatory seats, trainees simply submit first and sec-
scores upwards of 30 rankings in Chambers Global. You’d ond preferences to HR. “It works well,” a source said, “I’ve
struggle to guess any of this based on the firm’s modest always got what I’ve asked for.” International secondments
London presence. The office houses almost 100 lawyer- are available at Morgan Lewis, but destinations change
sand welcomes fewer than ten trainees a year; Chambers yearly and the uptake varies as (perhaps surprisingly)
UK awards the firm one ranking in securitisation. “His- “they’re not always highly sought after.”
torically this was an American outpost,” trainees admitted.
“But we’re no longer just backup lawyers in London and this
is a genuine office in and of itself.” The Seats
Morgan Lewis’s corporate group – aka corporate and
While the UK base does take an auxiliary role on US-led business transactions – is a “broad umbrella” with tech
deals, that’s not the whole story, and Morgan Lewis’s transactions, life sciences and investment management
commitment to the London office is clear: in 2020 the nestled underneath. Trainees are “drafted onto discrete
firm added a four-person investment funds team from matters” in M&A, private equity, outsourcing, projects and
Morrison & Foerster, building on last year’s high-profile more. The firm has represented General Motors, Gros-
lateral hiring spree of three corporate partners and two venor Capital and We Soda – recent projects include ad-
tech lawyers. “We’re growing quite quickly and effectively,” vising Russian tech giant Yandex NV on a restructuring
one trainee mused. “I don’t see any signs of things slowing and Abercrombie & Kent on the acquisition of the world’s
The True Picture

down.” The firm’s trainee intake has also nearly doubled oldest travel company Cox & Kings. Londoners often han-
within just five years.The appeal for new arrivals came dle the UK elements of US deals and we heard of trainees
down to a small intake, and big starting salary: £115,000 getting stuck into drafting board minutes, share purchase
for NQs. “I think they’re very generous,” one deadpanned. agreements and term sheets, as well as document review
and due diligence. One found themselves grappling with
“We’re growing quite quickly and “Russian law nuances for New York-specific documents,”
effectively. I don’t see any signs of things while another “drafted the due diligence report for a small

slowing down.”
These are common themes among US firms, so what helps Seat options: antitrust; corporate; finance; investment
Morgan Lewis stand out? “It interested me more than other management; labour & employment; litigation; struc-
US firms as it wasn’t just finance and banking,” according tured transactions

458
chambersstudent.co.uk Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP M
Chambers UK rankings submissions and advising companies drafting supply and
Capital Markets
commercial agreements.

Amazon, McDonald’s, Deutsche Bank and Oxfam are

venture capital investment. They were giving me a lot of real some of the mega clients in employment. Combine a
responsibility.” global scope with the unprecedented effects of Covid-19
and you get “an incredibly interesting time to be in employ-
The finance department tends to act lender-side for ment law.” Trainees dealt with ad hoc company queries,
banks and large lending institutions like HSBC and Wells grievances, tribunal disputes, data protection, redun-
Fargo, though Morgan Lewis does advise some borrow- dancy claims and the “employment aspects of corporate
ers too. Asset-based lending is common: “We work on a deals.”
lot of security-backed facility documentation for lenders,”
trainees said. The firm advised the European Bank for
Restructuring and Development on a loan to Chinese Trainee Life
company Universal Energy, financing construction of a The firm enforces a mandatory 20-hour minimum pro
new 30-megawatt solar power plant in Kazakhstan; and bono commitment. “100% of fee earners meet it,” trainees
investment adviser Cyrus Capital on £110 of million work- confirmed, warning us: “You’ll be chased if you don’t bill
ing capital facilities for beleaguered airline Flybe. Train- those hours.” Some of their favourite projects were assist-
ees dipped into such varied projects as music and film fi- ing food banks; domestic violence and non-molestation
nance, project finance in Europe and Asia, and sovereign cases; and collaborating with the Amicus charity to help
bond financing. We got insight into how Morgan Lewis US death row prisoners. With so much on offer, trainees
operates: “All the documents have to be in a certain font. If need not stop at 20 hours: “I’ve done 178 this year,” one de-
not, partners won’t read them.” That may sound ridiculous, clared. Love for pro bono aside, Morgan Lewis has “never
but the trainee said: “You suddenly realise it’s indicative of had that stereotypical US corporate office vibe,” sources
their consistency and attention to detail.” insisted. They were more likely to highlight the firm’s in-
ternational outlook, especially as “the chair of the firm is
“You suddenly realise it’s indicative of their amazing at fostering a global feeling of unity between the
consistency and attention to detail.” offices.”

There’s also a structured finance practice that focuses “The chair of the firm is amazing at
on capital markets and securities, structured transac- fostering a global feeling of unity between
tions, and warehousing for formidable clients like Black-
the offices.”
Rock, Citigroup and Merrill Lynch. “A small, partner-heavy
team” means trainees get “lots of associate-level work, Here in the UK, the social scene varies by team. “We have
though it’s very document-heavy. Confirming 16 different some groups that are super social, and others that really
documents may sound dull, but it feels quite important.” In aren’t,” a trainee suggested. There’s a budget for the in-
a mega matter, Morgan Lewis advised JPMorgan on the take to spend on events – a comedy club trip was one
establishment of a $20 billion collateralised commercial highlight in 2019 – but socials “spring up more naturally”
paper programme targeting US and European investors. alongside formal seasonal parties and month-end inter-
nal kitchen drinks. Sources reckoned more could be done
Commercial litigation, arbitration and white-collar inves- on the diversity front, acknowledging it is “taken seri-
tigations all appear in the disputes department. Typical ously. The issue with smaller offices like ours is they might
clients include huge multinational companies and banks; not have the same resources as larger ones, or staff specifi-
insurance is a growing niche. Trainees’ experiences vary cally dedicated to diversity.” They pointed to the firm’s US
by who their supervisor is, but they’ll typically be prepar- efforts as proof of a commitment to the cause: Morgan
The True Picture

ing trial bundles, completing factual and legal research Lewis has a 25% female equity partnership in the States,
or taking notes in hearings. One got to interview witness- far higher than average. As for London, interviewees
es in Eastern Europe, “which was fantastic experience.” championed the annual community impact week, links
The competition group has a “European focus” rather with underprivileged local schools, and a new diversity
than American leanings – sources noted a split between task force as evidence of progress.
investigations, merger control and competition litiga-
tion. Sainsburys, Procter & Gamble and Tata Steel are all “The US firm ‘up all night’ reputation hasn’t really proven
competition clients, and Morgan Lewis played a role in true,” a grateful source noted. “The hours can be really
the landmark Court of Appeal ruling that multilateral in- long, but not nightmarishly so.” Teams differ – a seat in
terchange ‘swipe’ fees infringed EU antitrust rules. Com- funds can be “quite taxing,” as can competition. Transac-
mon tasks for trainees here included bundling, proofing tional departments typically finish later, but “a 12-hour
stretch would be considered a fairly normal, long day”

459
 M Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

across the firm as a whole. Weekend work plagued some, Trainees were less chuffed with qualification, lamenting
but it wasn’t common. “It’s a huge positive that we’re so that “it’s not transparent at all. That’s one thing that needs
busy,” one source enthused. “People hate having nothing improving.” In 2020, the firm retained five of eight quali-
to do more than they hate long hours.” That’s the spirit… fiers.

Where there’s Well, there’s a way:

Morgan Lewis runs a firm-wide ‘ML Well’ health and
wellbeing initiative, inviting speakers to deliver stress
management talks alongside an online portal for
employees with concerns.
The True Picture

460
 www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
chambersstudent.co.uk Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP M

Morgan, Lewis & Bockius UK LLP

Condor House, 5-10 St. Paul’s Churchyard, London EC4M 8AL
Tel: 020 3201 5000 Partners: 40
Email: [email protected] Associates: 58
Website: www.morganlewis.com Total trainees: 17
UK offices: London
Overseas offices: 31, including
London
Firm profile
With 31 offices across North America, Asia, Europe and the Middle East, the firm provides compre- Contacts
hensive corporate, transactional, regulatory and litigation services to clients of all sizes across all major Graduate Recruitment Team
industries. The firm’s regulatory and industry focused practices help clients address legal, government 020 3201 5000
Training partner: Lisa Cargill
and policy challenges. Founded in 1873, Morgan Lewis comprises more than 2,200 legal professionals.
Application criteria
Main areas of work Training contracts pa: 6
Morgan Lewis’ London office offers a wide range of business and commercial services, including: Minimum required degree grade:
competition; corporate; debt and equity capital markets; finance and restructuring; labour and High 2.1
employment including employment litigation and immigration advice; investment management; Minimum A levels: AAB
structured transactions; tax; international commercial disputes; arbitration and white collar matters. Vacation scheme places pa: 10
Morgan Lewis is also strong in various business sectors, including life sciences, financial services and
Dates and deadlines
technology, where the firm’s leading regulatory and commercial lawyers provide a real insight into
Training contract applications
their industries. open: 14th October 2020
Training contract deadline, 2023
Training opportunities start: 14th July 2021
Morgan Lewis’ London training programme is led by an experienced training principal. Other part- Vacation scheme applications
ners and our trainee supervisors also have broad experience of working with trainees. Following a full open: 14th October 2020
induction into the firm, the programme will provide you with consistently high-quality, challenging Vacation scheme 2021 deadline:
assignments, working directly with senior lawyers across a range of practices and industry groups on 31st January 2021
Spring open day applications
complex and frequently cross-border matters. Through this hands-on and varied experience, you can
open: 1st December 2020
expect to build a thorough understanding of the firm’s business and of working with international,
Spring open day applications
high-profile clients.
close: 28th February 2021
Over two years you will complete four, six-month seats with the opportunity to gain experience in at
least three distinct areas of law. International secondment opportunities to our Dubai and Singapore Salary and benefits

offices may also be available. In addition to formal appraisals, the office environment allows regular First-year salary: £47,000 pa

contact with, and feedback from, the training principal, supervisors and other lawyers. Trainees will Second-year salary: £52,000 pa
Post-qualification salary:
have the opportunity to actively participate in all in-house associate training sessions, and to take part
£115,000 pa
in pro bono work and business development activities.
Holiday entitlement: 25 days pa

Vacation scheme Sponsorship

Morgan Lewis offer a limited number of placements during the summer each year. The aim of our LPC fees: Yes
placement scheme is to provide candidates the opportunity to gain an insight into life as a trainee at GDL fees: Yes
the firm. Maintenance grant pa: £10,000

To apply for a place on our summer programme applicants should complete the firm’s online applica- International and regional
tion form which is available on our website www.morganlewis.com. The closing date for applications Offices with training contracts:
The True Picture

is 31st January 2021. London

Overseas seats: Dubai,
Singapore
Other benefits
Life assurance, private medical and dental insurance, long-term disability insurance, pension, season
ticket loan, employee assistant programme, cycle to work scheme and NQ qualification leave.

University law careers fairs 2020

Birmingham, BPP, Bristol, Cambridge, Durham, Exeter, KCL, Leeds, LSE, Oxford, Warwick and York.

Org ID: 3516 3 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... 461

Date: ............................
 M Morrison & Foerster (UK) LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Morrison & Foerster (UK) LLP

The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Locations: London Get hired at MoFo
Overseas offices: 16
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 24/59/14
Seats: 4x6 months
First-year salary: £46,000
Qualification salary: £118,000

The London office of this tech-focused MoFo is growing year on year.

The Firm To accommodate all the new faces, the firm recently relo-
What do you call a California-headquartered firm in cated to four floors of the Scalpel building in the heart of
London with “a big tech focus” and “an incredibly strong London’s financial district. But while the office is certainly
international presence?” Morrison & Foerster, if we’re be- growing, trainees said it’s still “pretty small, which makes a
ing formal. Otherwise, MoFo is just fine – the nickname is huge difference in terms of the quality of training they can
actually used by the firm itself. Excited trainees spoke provide.” With an intake of around seven a year, trainees
glowingly of MoFo’s “massive, techy deals” and “huge, praised an “incredibly supportive, welcoming culture.”
global clients.” A lot of these clients are tech companies
or companies that invest in tech, like Tokyo-headquar-
tered conglomerate SoftBank, which is a key client of the The Seats
firm. Technology is an important sector for the firm, but Listen up MoFos. The firm decides where trainees sit first.
MoFo has other strings to its bow – clients of the London For subsequent seats, trainees state their preferences,
office include financial institutions, investors, private eq- with second-years taking precedence. Sources said
uity houses and real estate companies. trainees are likely to sit in corporate, finance, or litiga-
tion. We also heard split seats were “fairly common.” The
Chambers Global ranks MoFo highly in data protection, firm tries to ensure “the seats will complement each other,”
outsourcing, and its technology, media and telecom work. such as finance and restructuring, or tech transactions
Locally, Chambers UK notes the firm for capital markets, and data privacy.
IT, and outsourcing. MoFo scoops dozens more rankings
in its native US, as well as in the Asia-Pacific region – giv- For one lucky MoFo (usually a second-year), there’s an
en the prevalence of the tech industry there, it’s some key opportunity to do a secondment in the firm’s Singapore
jurisdictions for the firm. Go to chambers.com for a full office. Unsurprisingly this is an in-demand spot, so “the
breakdown. firm evaluates who goes based on what you’ve done so far
and what your interests are.” This year’s secondment didn’t
“There are new partners coming in quite go ahead due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
regularly.”
The True Picture

“You could be working for a tech company

MoFo has 16 international offices – nine in the US, five in and then an investment company.”
Asia-Pacific and two more in Europe in Berlin and Brus-
sels. London is a strong piece of the MoFo puzzle. With Corporate “was absolutely the best seat to have done first,”
a current headcount of over 80 lawyers, sources noticed according to one giddy trainee. “You get exposed to loads.”
“there are new partners coming in quite regularly and The team handles private and public M&A, venture capi-
bringing new clients.” The firm recently boosted its white tal and corporate reorganisations, but M&A formed “the
collar and investigations practice with a couple of part-
ners from King & Spalding, while the finance department Seat options: bankruptcy and restructuring; capital
doubled in size in the last year with a flurry of hires in- markets; corporate/M&A; data privacy and technology
cluding partners from Latham & Watkins. transactions; employment; finance; private equity real
estate; litigation

462
chambersstudent.co.uk Morrison & Foerster (UK) LLP M
Chambers UK rankings The team recently represented Ubitricity, which provides
Capital Markets Outsourcing
charging points for electric vehicles, on contracts for the
Information Technology
installation of charge points in Portsmouth, Hammer-
smith and Berkshire. Trainees here could expect to do
“drafting, liaising with outside counsel, due diligence, and
main core” of trainees’ work. “No day is the same,” they research.”
said. “You could be working for a tech company and then an
investment company.” The team recently acted for Sound- “Helping people who’ve tried to claim
Cloud in its $75 million investment from broadcasting disability benefits.”
company Sirius XM. Trainees were tasked with “due dili-
gence, putting comments into the transaction document, And one more thing about the work at MoFo – it’s a no-
and drafting ancillary documents.” They were pleased with no if you’re not into pro bono. Like most American firms,
their responsibilities, with one telling us: “I did a fair bit of MoFo takes pro bono seriously. Associates have a pro
project management, coordinated the review processes and bono hours target to hit and it’s highly encouraged at the
got a reasonable amount of client contact.” Despite being trainee level too. Firmwide pro bono counsel Rachel Wil-
“very busy,” sources said “you never feel like you’re on your liams circulates opportunities. To get involved, “you flag
own. You’re well looked after.” your interest then try to get a partner or associate on board.”
Trainees told us they’d been “encouraged to take the lead”
Over in finance, trainees can gain experience with both on pro bono matters. In London, MoFo works with anti-
borrowers and lenders in acquisition and leveraged fi- poverty charity Z2K, “helping people who’ve tried to claim
nance, corporate banking, derivatives, debt trading and disability benefits and had their application denied.”
investment, and restructuring. The firm recently advised
fund managers Pemberton Asset Management and Gold-
Point Partners as lenders in a $155 million refinancing. Trainee Life
Sources were “mainly involved in leveraged finance deals,” In its native US, MoFo has Californian roots (headquarters
but we heard of trainees working on “refinancings and are in San Francisco). Year to year, our trainee interview-
receivables financing” too. Trainees had “administrational ees often describe a ‘Californian influence’ on the firm’s
and organisational tasks, like indexing files.” Sources found culture. But don’t be mistaken: no one here is kicking back
this seat was more about “where things are rather than in flip flops. MoFo is as busy as US firms come. “Every de-
‘here’s what the law says,’” so it was their job “to help as- partment has peaks and troughs,” which could mean “late
sociates find the relevant emails.” And as with many trans- nights or early mornings when there’s a big project on.” On
actional departments, “you’re swamped with hundreds of average, trainees can expect to be in the office for about
emails!” Trainees could also expect to review “ancillary ten hours a day.
documents like board minutes and directors’ certificates.”
“When you’re pulling late night finishes,
The litigation department does “traditional commercial you’re doing it for people you want to work
litigation, white-collar crime and investigations. We also
with.”
have an arbitration practice and we do civil litigation.” The
firm recently acted for the liquidators of investment vehi- A better example of the firm’s Cali cool might be the of-
cle Saad Investments in a long-running dispute to recover fice’s dress-for-your-day policy. But above all else, what
$400 million in damages from Samba Financial Group. really stood out to our sources this year was “the firm’s
Sources felt they’d been given “meaningful tasks, such as sense of community,” which meant that “when you’re pull-
interviewing employees, writing reports and developing the ing late night finishes, you’re doing it for people you want
chronology of that individual.” There was also doc review, to work with.” On the social side, trainees highlighted
research, formulating arguments, drafting witness state- impromptu get-to-know-you lunches, “fortnightly cheese
The True Picture

ments and letters to opposing counsel to do, along with and wines (which are really pizza nights)” along with “infor-
“summarising case judgments, analysing news (keeping mal drinks on a Friday at around 5pm.” During lockdown,
track of news updates), and attending hearings.” the firm organised a pub quiz: “About half of us tuned in.”
That’s enough to give you MoFo FOMO.
The technology transactions seatis precisely that:” a
commercial tech seat dealing with commercial tech con- Trainees are compensated with a chunky salary befit-
tracts.” The group does a lot of advisory and outsourc- ting of a US firm: trainees start on £46,000 and NQs are
ing work for tech companies, guiding clients on working ushered in with £118,000. Our sources were keen to stay
with AI, the Internet of Things, cloud computing, social on at MoFo. To do so, “you communicate your choice [of
media, blockchain, and semiconductor technologies. The practice] and grad recruitment will approach the head of
team works with big global companies (like UPS) as well department. They’ll see if there’s a business case for you
as emerging tech clients (like gardening app Candide).

463
 M Morrison & Foerster (UK) LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

qualifying there.” In 2020, the firm retained all five quali- last two partner hires were women. Trainees also said
fiers. “the firm continues to be active in driving its D&I initiatives”
and were encouraged that “the firm wants juniors to drive
One area trainees felt the firm could improve is gender these diversity initiatives and ideas.” The London office es-
diversity at partner level. At the time of writing, MoFo’s tablished its first ethnic minority affinity group in 2020.

One friendly MoFo:

“When I was working late, associates would frequently
check in to see how I was doing – they weren’t even part of
the deal! The firm markets itself as being a friendly place
and it really, really is.”
The True Picture

464
 www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
chambersstudent.co.uk Morrison & Foerster (UK) LLP M

Morrison & Foerster (UK) LLP

The Scalpel, 52 Lime Street, London, EC3M 7AF
Telephone: 0207 920 4000 Twitter: @MoFo_LondonGrad Partners: 24
Email: [email protected] Facebook: MoFoLLP Associates: 41
Website: www.careers.mofo.com/london/ Instagram: @mofo_londongrad Total trainees: 7
UK offices: London
Overseas offices: 16

Firm profile Contacts

Graduate recruiters:
Morrison & Foerster is a leading global firm, with over 1,000 lawyers in key technology and finance
Rebecca Nasskau
centres in the US, Europe and Asia. In Europe we have a team of around 130 lawyers in our stra- [email protected]
tegic hubs of London, Berlin and Brussels. We work alongside our colleagues in the US and Asia, 0207 920 4000
drawing on cultural, jurisdictional and market knowledge to deliver the best advice and client Training partner:
service. Dynamic technology and life sciences companies, some of the largest financial investors Jeremy Jennings-Mares
and financial institutions, leading consumer product companies, and other market leaders come 0207 920 4000

to MoFo for our expertise, knowledge, advice, and individually tailored client service. We handle Application criteria
some of the world’s largest cross-border transactions and resolve some of the biggest disputes Training contracts pa: 7
across multiple jurisdictions. Our firm was built on, and continues to succeed, because of the Applications pa: 400
talent of our lawyers and their innovative approach in the practice of law. We practice in a colle- Minimum required degree grade:
gial environment where we value teamwork, diverse perspectives and employee wellbeing. As our 2.1 or equivalent
Minimum A levels: AAB
nickname MoFo suggests, we take our work seriously but we don’t take ourselves too seriously.
Vacation scheme places pa: 15

Main areas of work Dates and deadlines

Bankruptcy and restructuring, capital markets, corporate/M&A, tax, data privacy, employment, Training contract applications
equity derivatives, financial services regulation, financial transactions, high-yield, investigations, open: October 2020
Training contract deadline, 2023
disputes, arbitration, private equity real estate, outsourcing and technology transactions.
start: 4th January 2021
Vacation scheme applications
Training opportunities open: October 2020
Trainees are given the support and training required to excel in their work; from trainee induction Summer vacation scheme 2021
sessions, regular training via our MoFo Academy and significant daily responsibility. This combi- deadline: 4th January 2021
nation enables our trainees to develop the necessary skills to deliver exceptional client service on
Salary and benefits
complex global matters. The training period consists of four six-month seats, with the potential First-year salary: £46,000
of a seat in our Singapore office. There is an active mentoring programme and a formal review Second-year salary: £50,000
process four times annually to provide continuous support and development. Post-qualification salary:
£118,000
Holiday entitlement: 25 days.
Vacation scheme
We are looking for dynamic and driven individuals who can display a genuine enthusiasm for Sponsorship
a career in law. We value diversity, have a strong commitment to pro bono and want our future LPC fees: Yes
trainees to share this philosophy. GDL fees: Yes
In 2021, we will be running two two-week summer vacation schemes from 14th June to 25th June Maintenance grant pa: Yes

and from 28th June to 9th July. Our vacation schemes provide insight into life at MoFo and offer the International and regional
opportunity to consider whether we are the right firm for you. Summer associates will gain a good Overseas seats: Singapore
picture of how much responsibility our trainees are given; it’s also a chance to meet and learn more Client secondments:
about our London-based attorneys and staff. From time to time subject to
client requirements
The True Picture

Other benefits
Pension, medical insurance, dental insurance, group life assurance, group income protection, em-
ployee assistance programme, best doctors, gym membership, childcare vouchers, season ticket
loan and cycle scheme.

University law careers fairs 2020

We will be attending a number of the virtual law fairs scheduled for this Autumn, including:
• Cambridge Law Fair
• Oxford Law Fair
• Durham Law Fair
• Warwick Law Fair
• Kings College London Fair
• Three Aspiring Solicitors Diversity Law Fairs

Org ID: 7854 7 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... 465

Date: ............................
 M Muckle LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Muckle LLP
The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Location: Newcastle How to get into Muckle
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 34/46/5
Seats: 4x6 months
First-year salary: £24,500
Qualification salary: £37,500

It’s centenary time for this North Eastern powerhouse, and if you give a
Muckle about practising law with some personality, you’ll keep reading.

The Firm up with Kevin Maloney, in order to discuss “what you’ve

This Newcastle-based legal outfit has carved out a pre- enjoyed, what you haven’t enjoyed, and what preferences
mier reputation for itself in the North East since its found- you have.” Of course, the firm takes into account busi-
ing in 1920 – so much so that its work and name carry far ness need, but trainees felt it mostly “balances out” with
beyond its local stomping ground. Trainees recalled that their preferences. In addition, “you don’t really know what
they were eager to get in on the unique “community feel” you’re going to like until you try it,” a sage trainee pointed
that Muckle created: “I really like that we have one office. out. The element of any surprise is typically removed
It’s a fairly large office but you still know everyone and come the final seat, as “you usually get your preference.”
feel connected to the firm.” Interviewees felt that having
just the one location didn’t have any drawbacks, espe- “Really good at making you feel like you
cially considering the sense of “stability” it brings. Oth- helped facilitate the transaction.”
ers flagged the appeal of Muckle’s strategic stance and
emphasised that “we’re trying to be leaders in the North Trainees that had sat in corporate found it to be “a very
East, but that doesn’t stop us from taking on national work.” busy and exciting team.” It’s one of the firm’s biggest de-
Indeed, one notable example of this reach is the firm’s partments (next to real estate) and covers the classic
representation of The Football Association (without any corporate transactions including sales, and asset and
bias towards the Toon Army, we’re sure) and its Chartered share purchases. Sources had “acted for buyers and
Standard Clubs across the country. sometimes for sellers,” which involved “drafting sharehold-
er agreements, articles of association and lots of ancillary
“We’ve always tried to grow with strategic documents.” Trainees were pleased to get decent client
add-ons to the work we do as a firm.” contact too: “I’ve recently been speaking to clients on the
phone and sitting in on client meetings.” The team recently
On its home turf of the North East, Chambers UK awards acted for Hays Travel on the acquisition of 555 former
Muckle tip-top rankings for both its banking & finance Thomas Cook stores. Further afield, the group recently
and corporate/M&A expertise, and commends its con- represented Sandman Hotel Group during its acquisition
The True Picture

struction, employment, IP, litigation and social housing of Portmarnock Hotel & Golf Links in Dublin. It’s not all
practices. “We’ve always tried to grow with strategic add- deals and acquisitions though: “There’s some non-trans-
ons to the work we do as a firm,” graduate recruitment actional stuff, like advising on company structures and buy-
head and partner Kevin Maloney elaborates. “In the North back agreements. It’s a good balance.” Overall, sources
East, there’s a lot of landed estate particularly in Northum- appreciated that the people in the corporate team are
berland, so we’ve grown our agricultural and estates offer- “really good at making you feel like you helped facilitate
ing with the recruitment of David Towns.” the transaction.”

Seat options: corporate; banking, restructuring & insol-

The Seats vency; commercial; construction & engineering; real es-
Trainees’ first seats are allocated to them before starting. tate, employment; dispute resolution; charities & social
From the second seat onwards, trainees have a catch- enterprise; education & private client.

466
chambersstudent.co.uk Muckle LLP M
Chambers UK rankings leagues in that “everyone is really good at their job – they
Banking & Finance Intellectual Property
are insanely clever – but they also have personal skills.”
Construction Litigation
This allowed interviewees to “feel more comfortable with
Corporate/M&A Real Estate
the people you work with.” Muckle also holds regular so-
Employment Social Housing
cial events to reinforce this sense of camaraderie: “The
BEAM team [Be Engaged at Muckle] put on social events
for employees. We had a table tennis tournament when it
was Wimbledon, and there’s a trainee-organised quiz, which
In the dispute resolution seat, trainees had come across is an annual tradition.” Another trainee highlighted a suit-
“any dispute you can think of! There’s such a variety of ex- ably festive “trip to Leeds to go around the Christmas mar-
perience within the firm, so we end up dealing with a lot.” ket.”
This included “simple contractual disputes, construction
disputes, procurement cases and IP matters,” among other “It definitely looks like a diverse place to
areas. Elsewhere, trainees cut their teeth on “breach of work.”
warranty claims and breach of SPAs [sales and purchase
agreements]” with the occasional “debt recovery matter or Looking around their office, interviewees were also
other ad hoc query” thrown in for good measure. Recently, pleased to see “it definitely looks like a diverse place to
the team advised the Caribbean Premier League in rela- work. I’ve had more team heads who are women, which is
tion to IP issues over unauthorised use of CPL’s name and nice.” Gender diversity at Muckle won much praise, while
registered marks, as well as in relation to contractual dis- ethnic diversity was summed up like this: “There’s defi-
putes with franchise holders. The team also represented nitely representation – not as much as female representa-
Mandale Construction Limited in relation to a group ac- tion, but overall, it’s pretty diverse.” Every so often, the
tion brought by homeowners over alleged defects in six firm schedules certain weeks in the calendar to honour
properties built by the client. Day to day, sources found aspects of diversity and wellbeing: “There was a specified
they could “get involved in client meetings and calls very diversity week, a ‘green’ week, a mental health week, and a
early on” and appreciated the “experience and exposure to healthy eating week,” one source eagerly reported.
the whole disputes process.” Other typical tasks included
reviewing agreements and other documents, as well as Hours-wise, things kick off a little earlier at Muckle: most
drafting advice to clients. “I started to get more autonomy reported getting to the office for around 8.30am, regard-
as I went through the seat,” one trainee described. “Every- less of seat. Home time was considerably more variable:
thing was still checked, but it was more driven by me.” “If I’m not busy I can get out at 5pm on the dot, but it de-
pends on what needs to be done,” one representative inter-
Real estate covers development, corporate support and viewee summarised. In corporate, trainees were general-
education sector matters. Among highlights of late, the ly leaving closer to 7pm, though “when transactions were
department acted for the North Air Ambulance Service, on, it would be a lot later.” However, when these late nights
Teesside, during its acquisition of a new headquarters rolled around, trainees reiterated that “you’re never stay-
building, which included the development of the site to ing alone,” with this source adding that “when I’ve stayed
include an office block, operations room and a new air- until 11pm, the whole team has been here too.” While the
craft hangar. Elsewhere, the firm’s real estate lawyers hours can sometimes be long, interviewees still reckoned
also advised the McAleer Family Trust on its acquisition they had enough time for life away from work because
of Bridge House, Guildford, from Aviva for £17.7 million. “people don’t want you staying for the sake of staying.”
Trainees sitting here got stuck into tasks like “drafting
lease reports, SDLT [Stamp Duty Land Tax] returns, and a Come qualification time, sources revealed that the pro-
lot of Land Registry work.” To read about Muckle’s banking cess is “relatively informal, mostly because we don’t take
seat, go online. a huge cohort of trainees.” Indeed, with an intake of four
The True Picture

to five trainees per year, several years have garnered

100% retention stats. At the time of our calls, the firm re-
Trainee Life tained its sole qualifier, while another second-year was
A gander at the firm’s website reveals that there is a due to go through the qualification process later in 2020.
‘Muckle Way’ to working: this involves promoting the val- All trainees need to do is have “informal chats with team
ues of trust, teamwork, respect and care. How does this heads and Kevin [Maloney, training principal] so they can
play out in practice? “I can’t think of a single person who gauge interest. Then they tell you well in advance whether
works here who doesn’t have most of those things,” a train- there’s room in the department you’re interested in.”
ee reflected. Sources also noticed similarities among col-

467
 M www.chambersstudent.co.uk
M A-Z of Law Firms
uckle LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Muckle LLP
Time Central, 32 Gallowgate, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 4BF
Tel: 0191 211 7777 Partners: 36
Email: [email protected] Associates: 46
Website: www.muckle-llp.com/careers/graduate-recruitment/ Total trainees: 9
Twitter: @MuckleLLP UK offices: 1

Contacts
Firm profile Graduate recruiter:
Muckle LLP is a leading commercial law firm in the North East of England. The firm has an excel- Alison Appleby, 0191 211 7879
lent client base of successful private and public companies, property investors and developers, Training partner:
financial institutions and public sector and educational organisations, which recognise that its Kevin Maloney,
[email protected]
innovative commercial skills are a major benefit in enhancing its service delivery to them.
Application criteria
Main areas of work Training contracts pa: 4
Corporate; banking; restructuring and insolvency; commercial; construction and engineering; Applications pa: 130
real estate; real estate dispute resolution; employment; dispute resolution; charities, sports and Minimum required degree grade:
education; private client and agriculture, estates and rural property. 2:1 or other
Minimum A levels: 3 high grade
Vacation scheme places pa:
Training opportunities 20 - 25
Each trainee undertakes 6 months in each of 4 seats. There are no compulsory seats. We discuss
seat rotations with trainees and where possible we try to accommodate preferences but these are Dates and deadlines
always be subject to business requirements. Training contract applications
open: 1st November 2020

Vacation scheme Training contract deadline, 2023

start: 31st March 2021
The closing date for applications for the vacation scheme is 31st January each year. Applicants for
Vacation scheme applications
the 2021 vac scheme need to be in a position to be able to start a training contract in September
open: 1st November 2020
2023. Successful candidates are selected at interview. The vacation scheme takes place in June/July
Vacation scheme 2021 deadline:
each year across 4 weeks with each successful candidate undertaking one week. There are usually 31st January 2021
20/25 applicants on the vac scheme each year. The scheme is unpaid. Trainees are recruited either
via the vacation scheme or by direct application which no preference on either. Salary and benefits
First-year salary: £24,500
Second-year salary: £26,500
Other benefits
Post-qualification salary: £37,500
27 days holiday a year and flexible holiday option, pension, permanent health insurance after six
Holiday entitlement: 27 days
months service, life assurance, corporate discounts and salary sacrifice schemes.
Sponsorship
University law careers fairs 2020 LPC fees: Yes
University of Newcastle upon Tyne and Northumbria University. GDL fees: No
Maintenance grant pa: No

International and regional

Client secondments: Occasional
The True Picture

468
Org ID: 344 3 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................
chambersstudent.co.uk Northridge Law LLP N

Northridge Law LLP

The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Location: London How to get into Northridge
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 7/15/3
Seats: 4x6 months; secondments
First-year salary: £38,000
Qualification salary: £65,000

Europe’s largest sports boutique law firm remains in a league of its own.

The Firm tween the disputes and non-contentious sides,” a source

If full-service law firms are like decathletes, with an all- said; bottom line, this is a less rigid training contract than
rounder approach but with the occasional dodgy shot- most. The relaxed approach has pros and cons: trainees
put, boutique firms resemble 100-metre sprinters – they might get more say over their workload but lack the cer-
do one thing, and they do it very well. The squad at North- tainty of a “well-trodden path” as at bigger firms, and bou-
ridge focuses squarely on sport and the varied legal chal- tiques come with fewer options by default. “Where I go
lenges is poses. The firm was founded in 2017 by four depends on client needs and where the work is in the firm –I
departing partners from Charles Russell Speechlys, and could be seconded next year, but it’s up in the air,” a source
it hasn’t taken long for Northridge to pull ahead of the explained.
pack: Chambers UK ranks it as one of only two firms in the
top tier for sports law nationwide.
The Seats
Within this 25-a-side team, Northridge hires just two Contentious work at Northridge includes litigation,
or three trainees each year. “The size of the firm cre- sports arbitration, disciplinary processes, rights of ap-
ates greater opportunity for trainees to make an impact,” peal (“always involving the Court of Arbitration for Sport”)
our sources told us. “Trainees are relied upon to perform and regulatory issues “before big governing bodies, act-
key tasks – and we’ve now got a body of work under the ing as secretariat for barristers running reports.” The firm
Northridge banner that we can point to and demonstrate recently represented Premier League Rugby in “land-
what we’re capable of.” Clients like the Football Associa- mark proceedings” brought against Saracens Club for
tion, Chelsea FC, Premier Rugby Limited and the British breaches of salary regulations; and Chelsea FC, success-
Horseracing Authority are among the prestigious names fully reducing a two-window transfer ban to one after a
on the books. “Undoubtedly the biggest draw of the firm case of transfer of minors was referred to the Court of
is the calibre of clients,” trainees said. “Across all areas Arbitration for Sport. “Because of the team’s size, you’re
of the practice, we see household names.” That doesn’t very much a part of things once you’re staffed on a project,”
mean Northridge has settled for its current league table sources suggested. “Inevitable” trainee tasks like draft-
position: “The firm has kept up its push for innovation and ing emails and document review are present here, but
momentum, which you might not get at a more established sources warned/boasted that “you’ll be exposed to work
The True Picture

firm. There’s a constant appetite to be as forward-thinking that’s normally set aside for an associate.” Drafting witness
as we possibly can.” In one example, the firm established a statements, letters, or text for an independent report;
gambling and betting practice in 2019 with the introduc- project case management; “communicating with clients
tion of partner Melanie Ellis. without having to be filtered”; or “niche and often fairly
original” research tasks are a few examples. “We’re often
“…we’ve now got a body of work under the dealing with issues that haven’t been considered in a sports
Northridge banner that we can point to and context before,” a source explained. “The jurisprudence is
quite young in sport, so you’re coming up with potentially
demonstrate what we’re capable of.”
ground-breaking solutions and finding precedent.”
Trainees spend roughly six months at a time in conten-
tious and non-contentious teams, and “everyone does a Seat options: all areas of Northridge’s practice, both
secondment” of some length. “There’s some flexibility be- contentious and non-contentious

469
 N Northridge Law LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Chambers UK rankings a real understanding that even as a junior you may have
Sports Law
good knowledge in a particular area.” One of the benefits
of growth, though, is that “the social life has become a bit
more structured. More thought is put into running events,
On the non-contentious side, trainees can juggle M&A, though there’s still that culture of people informally going
investments, and corporate and sporting governance. for a beer on Friday.” Interviewees sang their hearts out at
Northridge has recently got to grips with the growing karaoke, got festive at seasonal parties and pooled their
trend of transfer receivables, a process whereby football wits for a Sherlock Holmes escape room.
clubs pay in instalments for the transfer of a player “with
banks getting involved to loan the money to clubs up front.” “There’s still a sense of excitement
The firm advised Deutsche Bank on the launch and es- knowing that we’re all in something quite
tablishment of its football receivable financing practice
unique together.”
in 2019; depending on the transaction, the firm might
advise the lender or club. “A steady stream” of commer- In 2019 the firm rolled out its Northridge Track scheme,
cial deals includes contracts, talent endorsement deals partnering with early growth stage companies “with an
and sponsorship agreements, Northridge again acting interest in the sports and entertainment markets, and the
on both sides in different deals. The firm advised Betway application of technology within them.” The purpose of
during negotiations of its multimillion-pound title spon- the scheme is to assist with fund-raising activities in this
sorship renewal for West Ham Football Club. Trainees space and to help create new business relationships.
were quick to “take on some of the drafting and substan- Trainees reckoned this exemplifies the “firm’s approach
tive work” alongside the basics including contract review. and strategy, it shows we’re operating commercially as
“You might be dealing with a footballer and engaging with well as legally.” Another addition was the appointment of
a brand in a talent endorsement deal, so you draft the con- Tessa Jones as the firm’s first legal director: “She’s really
tract and liaise with brand teams or the player’s agents.” interested in training and takes a big interest in trainee de-
velopment. Lawyers here are so busy, but now there’s some-
“The jurisprudence is quite young in sport, one pushing you to develop yourself.” Trainees generally
so you’re finding precedent.” felt “well supported throughout” their training contract.

“We’re at the forefront of exciting and niche areas, with lots “There are times when hours are softer and times when
of exciting corporate work with startups,” trainees told us. you’ll be in late,” we heard. “It’s fairly in keeping with con-
They also enjoyed international travel as “lots of disputes ventional City firms.” Interviewees reported more “peaks
are heard in Switzerland,” and the firm has advised clients and troughs” in contentious practices: 9.30am to 7pm is
on prep for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Northridge an “ordinary” day when the tide is steady, but more in-
aims to continue running client secondments for train- tense waves call for “a couple of weeks working beyond
ees, which are usually UK-based but in the past have oc- midnight each night as well as the occasional weekend.”
casionally been situated abroad.” If you get the opportu- The non-contentious side is “more predictable,” and train-
nity for a secondment, its rarely a bad thing,” one source ees said it’s “rare to be working super late nights or into the
said. “You get input into where you’re placed, but it wouldn’t morning.” As well as healthy starting salaries (£38,000
make a lot of sense to question any you end up with because for first years and £40,000 for second years), the firm’s
they’re so valuable.” Common destinations include the FA, profit-sharing bonus helps sweeten the deal: “It helps you
prominent Premier League football clubs, or entertain- to see this as your business to an extent, and makes you
ment agencies like CSM Sports and Entertainment. feel invested beyond how a normal trainee might.” The bo-
nus is tied to how the firm performs overall, so the idea
behind it is to encourage everyone to contribute to North-
Trainee Life ridge’s success and reap the rewards of that success.The
The True Picture

Though the firm has expanded its practice since it began, firm isn’t as obviously forward-thinking on diversity: “At
“Northridge has demonstrated a willingness to maintain the the moment, there is an over-representation of men,” as in
initial culture,” according to our sources. “You’re not at a much of the sport world. “We’ve still got work to do and
major law firm where you’re invisible; there’s still a sense it’s something the firm is continuing to address,” sources
of excitement knowing that we’re all in something quite agreed. They pointed to the incoming trainee class –three
unique together.” It’s easier to get to know your colleagues out of four are women – alongside promotions of senior
when “you can fit everyone round a dinner table. The firm’s female colleagues and charity initiatives with Stonewall
size allows for connection between everyone, and there’s as evidence of a more diverse future to come.

470
www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
chambersstudent.co.uk Northridge Law LLP N

Northridge Law LLP

90 Bartholomew Close, London, EC1A 7BN
Tel: 020 3957 8800 Linkedin: Northridge Law LLP Partners: 7
Email: [email protected] Associates: 15
Website: www.northridgelaw.com Total trainees: 3
UK offices: London

Contacts
Firm profile Graduate recruitment:
Northridge was launched in October 2017 by a team of the UK’s most prominent sports lawyers, creat- [email protected]
Training partner:
ing the biggest sports law practice in the UK.
Jonathan Ellis,
Having previously grown a top tier sports practice, our founding partners were ideally placed to posi- [email protected]
tion themselves at the forefront of the market. The firm launched with 16 fee earners and an enviable 020 3957 8800

client list (including The Football Association, leading Premier League football clubs, the Welsh Rugby Application criteria
Union, Premiership Rugby and sports stars such as Thierry Henry and Cesc Fabregas). Training contracts pa: 1-2
But we are not just about sport. Our skills and approach allow us to advise when the stakes are highest, Minimum required degree
regardless of the industry. grade: 2:1

The success of this strategic vision is already evident: having retained our existing clients we quickly Dates and deadlines
attracted major new clients — marking the firm out in only a few short months as a leader in its field. Training contract applications
open: 1st December 2020
Main areas of work Training contract deadline 2021:
Our large contentious team at Northridge represents clients in commercial disputes, challenges to rules 31st January 2021

and regulations, and in disciplinary proceedings. Salary and benefits

We are also market leaders in the governance and regulation of sport. Our team has unique depth of First-year salary: £38,000
experience and is trusted by clients to advise and support them on the most sensitive and high-profile Post-qualification salary:
issues. £65,000*
*plus discretionary performance
We provide the full range of corporate and commercial advice. Our abilities as ‘deal-makers’ in sport related bonus and firm wide
are widely recognised and we also have a wealth of experience in technology, media, retail and beyond. profit share
Holiday entitlement: 25 days

Training opportunities Sponsorship

During your training contract you will receive high quality training in all areas of our practice, both LPC fees: Yes
contentious and non-contentious. A secondment to clients such as The FA or a Premier League football GDL fees: Yes
club is also envisaged as part of each trainee’s two-year contract. Maintenance grant: Yes

Vacation schemes International and regional

The firm offers a vacation scheme. The deadline for applications for placements in 2021 is 31st January Offices with training contracts:
London
2021.
Client secondments:
We undertake regular second-
Other benefits ments to The FA and Premier
In addition to traditional bonuses based on recorded hours and other individual contributions, each League football club. Other sec-
ondments to further high-profile
member of the team (including trainees) automatically shares in the firm’s profit pool.
clients are possible.
Benefits include private medical care, permanent health insurance, life assurance, pension, market lead-
ing enhanced maternity pay, season ticket loan and 25 days’ holiday (changing to unlimited holiday on
The True Picture

qualification).

Org ID: 23023873 0 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................471

 N Norton Rose Fulbright chambersstudent.co.uk

Norton Rose Fulbright

The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Location: London How to get into Norton Rose Ful-
Overseas offices: 50+
bright
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 154/352/99
Seats: 4x6 months; client secondments; overseas seats
First-year salary: £48,000
Qualification salary: £87,500

This Rose in the concrete jungle takes its finance-focused brand to the
far corners of the earth.

The Firm The long list of international secondment opportunities

“On one deal I worked on, there were seven jurisdictions in- was another attractive notion. Popular destinations are
volved,” one of our trainee sources recalled. “We worked “becoming more and more competitive to secure,” accord-
like one big machine, as if we were all in the same time ing to interviewees. Overseas seat options vary with each
zone – it really struck me how seamless everything was.” rotation, but common locations include Hong Kong, Ath-
It’s a good thing the firm is such a well-oiled operation: ens, Moscow and Singapore; there are also popular seats
with 50+ offices globally from Austin to Brussels to Cape in project finance in Sydney, and asset finance in Paris.
Town (and most of the rest of the alphabet), NRF is about The latest addition to the menu is New York, following an
as international as the law can get. “I’ve never worked on a office move for London’s global head of trade finance to
domestic transaction… ever,” another trainee in the corpo- the Big Apple. To get an overseas seat, trainees submit a
rate department realised during our call. CV that’s passed on to their office of choice; the decision
is relayed back to London on whether the trainee is a fit
Worldwide, the firm’s greatest strengths lie in infrastruc- for the type of work on offer. “It’s always good to get in
tural finance and large-scale investment projects. Cham- touch with a partner in the overseas office and build a con-
bers Globalrecognises the firm as a worldwide leader nection prior to applying,” sources advised.
in projects and shipping finance, and the firm amasses
numerous strong rankings around its core of finance ex- As for the process in London, trainees complete a form at
pertise. Beneath that umbrella, juniors find opportunities the beginning of the contract and then at the end of each
in a lot of interesting specialist areas like climate change, rotation. Each trainee ranks their top three preferred
energy, agribusiness, asset finance, aviation, commodi- seats and supervisors. All trainees are required to do a
ties, insurance and mining –the London office is the nerve seat in banking and a seat in corporate, plus two optional
centre of all of this world-class expertise. “Norton Rose seats (possibly including a secondment).Veterans of the
Fulbright has a reputation as one of the strongest firms process told us: “The more senior you are, the more say you
in the City,” trainees said of their motivation for joining. get. The trainee development team do their best to accom-
The True Picture

“They’ve got real strength in the banking sector, so they’re modate everyone but there will always be negotiations and
ideal if you want to specialise in that.” compromises made.” Trainees also complete mandatory

Beyond all the transactional and financial work, trainees

can get stuck into disputes too. Unsurprisingly, the firm Seat options: banking; capital markets; commercial;
is in its element in cross-border disputes and investiga- construction; corporate; dispute resolution; employ-
tions, for which Chambers Global ranks the firm. The firm ment and pensions; energy, transport and infrastruc-
also has a growing presence in the tech sector. ture; environmental; European and competition law;
finance; insolvency; insurance and reinsurance; intel-
“I’ve never worked on a domestic lectual property; IT and communications; life sciences;
media; private equity; real estate; regulatory; shipping;
transaction… ever.”
tax

472
chambersstudent.co.uk Norton Rose Fulbright N
Chambers UK rankings on the $6.4 billion sale of its aviation finance group to
Asset Finance Infrastructure
Japan’s Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group. Trainees have the
Aviation Insurance
opportunity to work in all three areas of asset finance,
Banking & Finance Intellectual Property
and this is “an excellent seat for training as we do a great
Banking Litigation International Arbitration
deal of transaction management.” Typical tasks range from
Capital Markets Investment Funds
drafting security documents to CP checklists and mark-
Commodities Litigation
ing up client comments on documentation. “We also often
Competition/European Law Outsourcing
visit ship registries around London to do signings in front of
Construction Pensions
the registry officials,” a source told us. “It’s really great to
Corporate/M&A Professional Negligence
get out there.” The airline industry has had a rough time
Employee Share Schemes & Projects
that’s only got worse following the global Covid-19 pan-
Incentives Real Estate
demic – this might lead to opportunities for NRF’s conten-
Employment Real Estate Finance
tious aviation practice.
Energy & Natural Restructuring/Insolvency
Resources
Shipping “…the money maker at Norton Rose, which
Environment
Tax is why it’s the busiest seat.”
Financial Crime
Telecommunications
Financial Services Trainees suggested that project finance is “known as the
Transport
Fraud money maker at Norton Rose, which is why it’s the busiest
Information Technology seat.” A mammoth list of sectors fall in here: power, re-
newables and nuclear, oil and gas, mining, petrochemi-
cals, water and waste, social infrastructure, and tele-
attendance at Croydon Law Centre, handling pro bono coms. Trainees have the option of spending three months
consumer, housing and employment matters. doing more ‘pure’ projects work, and the other three on
the financing side: “I was able to deal with the start of a
power purchase agreement project, which was great ex-
The Seats perience,” one said. “Although there’s a lot of admin work
NRF’s banking department consists of four subgroups: involved such as managing the conditions precedent, the
project finance; asset finance; derivatives and capital firm started giving me more client access as I began to
markets; and general banking. Everything’s mapped out build confidence.” Some of the largest recent projects
“in a huge leaflet which trainees receive before they start, with NRF’s name attached include the Beatrice offshore
explaining exactly what each team does.” In the general wind project in Scotland, for which the firm advised a
banking practice you’ll find asset-backed lending, acqui- consortium of lenders on a £4.1 billion refinancing; and
sition finance, restructuring and refinancing, advising cli- the Canadian capital Ottawa’s Stage 2 Light Rail Transit
ents in industries ranging from energy and infrastructure Project (the city’s government is the client).
to life sciences and healthcare. You’ll recognise names
like Shell, JP Morgan and Coca-Cola, whose bottling com- Our sources described the derivatives and capital mar-
pany HBC called on NRF when extending its €800 million kets seat as “very technical, and not so popular” as a re-
revolving credit facility. The firm advises both borrowers sult. The department splits off into securitisation, deriva-
and lenders, acting for Wells Fargo during its £20 million tives, bonds and trustee subgroups, but though “there
asset-based facility for Laura Ashley. Trainees in bank- are four separate units, the new head of the team is keen
ing generally “manage and run the conditions precedent for us to operate as one team and make sure trainees get
checklists” while also getting to draft “insurance and in- as much variety of work as possible.” Norton Rose advises
demnities contracts, warranties and security documents.” both debtors and creditors, often on international pro-
Sources who did a general banking seat in the Dubai of- jects like the Republic of Kazakhstan’s double-tranche
The True Picture

fice found “there is a lot more responsibility here as op- €1.15 billion international bond issuance. Trainees had the
posed to London, as the team is much smaller. I would do chance to work on the bonds team on issuances for sov-
a lot of background work for associates in London, but in ereigns. “I really enjoyed going through the consistencies,
Dubai it would sometimes just be me and the partner.” cross-checking figures, corresponding with the Financial
Conduct Authority, drafting announcements and compil-
A high-flying aviation practice is the engine of the asset ing signature packs for the bond issue documentation,”
finance team, which also tackles rail and shipping mat- one such source said. Trainees who sat with the “smaller
ters. Lawyers here advise on all aspects of aircraft sale securitisation practice” were quick to praise the level of
and purchase transactions, including manufacturer pur- supervision as well as the opportunities available to “see
chase orders. easyJet, P&O Ferries and Société Géné- and gain experience in the more technical areas of law.”
rale are some of the clients here; Norton Rose recently The firm recently advised AIG as the insurer on receiva-
advised the transportation finance division of DZ Bank bles sold by Manchester-based direct debit system op-

473
 N Norton Rose Fulbright chambersstudent.co.uk

erator FastPay into a securitisation structure, with a first rotations.” Some also bemoaned “inconsistency in how we
tranche valued at $80 million. receive feedback,” and some departments did better than
others at work allocation. Corporate seemed to be the
“…gain experience in the more technical best performer in that sense; capital markets drew the
areas of law.” most criticism.

Norton Rose’s corporate department is carved up by cli- Supervisors were generally praised for their attitude
ent type rather than practice –one team handles M&A and towards trainee hours and workload: “There’s no face-
equity capital markets for a range of businesses, while time pressure, and my supervisor actively tells me to leave
the other solely advises financial institutions. Big banks when there’s no work to be done.” Trainees in most seats
like HSBC, Lloyds and Santander fill out the roster – NRF got started at 9am and could finish up by 7pm, outside
acted for Citigroup and Goldman Sachs as financial ad- of some extreme exceptions. “There were some 5.30am
visers to private equity firm Advent during its £4 billion finishes when I was working on bond issuances,” a trainee
acquisition of UK defence and aerospace manufacturer in capital markets yawned. Uncertainty around “when to
Cobham. Trainee tasks in the corporate seat range from start and stop” can creep in during remote working peri-
“basic day-to-day document lists and making sure large ods, but “it isn’t horrific, it’ll just take time getting used to.”
corporate transactions are all up to date,” to more demand-
ing “drafting of outsourcing agreements and managing “...James Bond-like with their laid-back
service agent agreements.” There’s also an insurance side and humble personalities. People are
to the practice. “We see a lot of portfolio business transfer-
extremely clever.”
ring from one insurer to another. That comes with a com-
bination of corporate and litigious elements,” one trainee Our interviewees pointed to the firm’s flex scheme and
explained. “I was revising and drafting court documents, general support during the troubles brought by Covid-19
preparing bundles and occasionally sitting in on sanctions as evidence of a supportive and globally in-sync culture.
hearings.” “The response wasn’t just taken at management level and
passed down; everyone was consulted about it and had a
The dedicated disputes seat comes with litigation, com- say,” they said, using this as an example of Norton Rose’s
mercial arbitration and investigative cases for clients in standard way of doing business. Looking around at their
tech, mining, commodities and a host of other industries. peers, one trainee described colleagues as “James Bond-
Trainees are tasked with contacting counsel and com- like with laidback and humble personalities. People are
municating between parties, preparing data rooms, legal extremely clever, but everyone is very down to earth.” Pre-
research, due diligence and interaction with government sumably they’ve never seen the Roger Moore Bond films.
entities. “The tasks aren’t as high-level due to the nature of Where NRF definitely differs from 007 is in dress code, as
litigious work,” a source suggested. Norton Rose’s litiga- “there’s a strongrespect for individual and personal inter-
tion clients include HSBC and the Gwynt-y-Mor offshore ests, as well as work/life balance. Having a life outside of
wind farm, which sought assistance with an Ofgem ju- work is strongly encouraged and attitudes towards clothes
dicial review valued at £14 million. The department also and expressing your individual personality are relaxed.”
acted for Spanish construction firm Sacyr in ICC arbitra-
tion and English court proceedings defending $900 mil- Looking at the global picture, another trainee told us
lion claims brought by the Panama Canal Authority fol- that “having a very diverse group of people helps ensure
lowing the canal’s expansion. the international culture of the firm is prevalent,” and vice
versa. Working with colleagues all over the world under-
standably promotes an inclusive mindset. Trainees reck-
Trainee Life oned the firm is “best at ethnic diversity,” though still with
Throughout each seat, sources appreciated the trainee room to improve there and in gender, LGBTQ+ and other
The True Picture

development team keeping communication channels respects. Conversations around mental health and well-
open and providing transparency wherever possible, being have become more common in the current climate.
especially during the 2020 lockdown: “Given the current “The global head of financial institutions, James Bateson,
economic climate, those phone calls have been so reassur- sponsors the Breathe Network, which distributes a newslet-
ing.” Norton Rose asked lawyers and staff to volunteer to ter with articles on how to monitor and maintain your men-
reduce their working hours by up to 20% in response to tal health while working from home,” we learnt. “There are
the pandemic. “The decision was taken by an optional vote also daily emails to remind us of the trainee development
with widespread approval,” we heard. If anything, trainees mental health first aiders, and there are counselling ses-
were less impressed with the firm’s efforts prior to lock- sions available.”
down, with a few grumbling that “the trainee development
team isn’t as organised or helpful as it could be. It can be re- To avoid competition between trainees, NRF doesn’t pub-
ally frustrating when that delays us finding out about seat lish a jobs list before the NQ process begins. Trainees can

474
chambersstudent.co.uk Norton Rose Fulbright N

submit applications to up to three departments and don’t

need to have completed a seat there. “Although there’s
been uncertainty, I don’t think anyone is too concerned – the
firm is keen to keep their trainees on.” Once the process
concluded, 32 of 41 qualifiers stayed on at Norton Rose.

Early blooming Roses:

The firm runs a partner mentor scheme for new trainees,
who also get a third or fourth seat mentor “from the start
of the LPC, to gain useful insight before joining and build an
ongoing relationship throughout your training contract.”

The True Picture

475
 www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
N  orton Rose Fulbright chambersstudent.co.uk
N

Norton Rose Fulbright LLP

3 More London Riverside, London, SE1 2AQ
Tel: 020 7444 2113 Fax: 020 7283 6500 Partners: 1,100+*
Email: [email protected] Assistant solicitors: 3,700+ *
Website: www.nortonrosefulbrightgraduates.com Total trainees: 86
LinkedIn: NortonRoseFulbrightGraduatesUK Twitter: @NLawGrad UK offices: London, Newcastle
YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/nortonrosefulbright Facebook: NortonRoseFulbright Overseas offices: Over 50 cities
across Europe, the United States,
Firm profile Canada, Latin America, Asia, Aus-
We provide the world’s preeminent corporations and financial institutions with a full business law tralia, the Middle East and Africa.
service. We have more than 3,700 lawyers and other legal staff based in Europe, the United States, *denotes worldwide figures
Canada, Latin America, Asia, Australia, the Middle East and Africa.
Contacts
Graduate recruiter:
Main areas of work graduate.recruitment@norton-
Recognised for our industry focus, we are strong across all the key industry sectors: financial in- rosefulbright.com
stitutions; energy; infrastructure, mining and commodities; transport; technology and innovation; Training partners: Dan Metcalfe
and life sciences and healthcare. Through our global risk advisory group, we leverage our industry and Claire O’Donnell
experience with our knowledge of legal, regulatory, compliance and governance issues to provide
Application criteria
our clients with practical solutions to the legal and regulatory risks facing their businesses.
Training contracts pa: up to 45
Wherever we are, we operate in accordance with our global business principles of quality, unity Applications pa: 3000+
and integrity. We aim to provide the highest possible standard of legal service in each of our offices Minimum required degree grade:
and to maintain that level of quality at every point of contact. 2:1 or equivalent
Minimum UCAS points or A lev-
els: AAB at A-level or equivalent
Training opportunities
Vacation scheme places pa:
There’s no progress more vital than what you’ll experience on our training contracts. Over two up to 50
years – broken into four six-month seats – you’ll hit all kinds of new firsts with us, big and small.
You’ll explore new areas, for instance. Each seat will take you through different sectors and prac- Dates and deadlines

tice areas, with at least one seat in each of corporate, banking and litigation. One of your seats will Training contract, 2023 start:
Apply 26 Oct – 13 Dec 2020
almost certainly be on secondment too – your first encounter with working in a new country, or (finalist and graduates)
maybe six months spent working in a client office. As you move from one milestone to the next, Apply 31 May – 11 Jun 2021
you’ll have a sizeable team at your back. A partner mentor to turn to and to learn from. A trainee (Penultimate law)
buddy to teach you the ropes. And the whole trainee development team, to keep you on track from Winter vacation scheme 2020:
day to day. Apply 14 Sep – 1 Nov 2020
Spring vacation scheme 2021:
An impeccable academic record and intellectual rigour are prerequisites. We expect successful Apply 5 Oct – 22 Nov 2020
candidates to have at least AAB at A level (or equivalent) and be on track for a 2:1 (or equivalent). Summer vacation scheme 2021:
You’ll have an enquiring mind, strong interpersonal skills, and the motivation to make constant Apply 16 Nov 2020 –
17 Jan 2021
progress. You’ll never stop pushing yourself forward, grasping every opportunity – both at home
and abroad – that our firm has to offer. You’ll be interested in business too, and keen to build Salary and benefits
relationships within a firm that’ll help you make progress with purpose. First-year salary: £48,000
Second-year salary: £52,000
Vacation schemes Post-qualification salary: £87,500
Finding the place you want to start your career is a moment you’ll always remember, and that’s Holiday entitlement: 25 days
exactly the kind of insight we offer on our vacation schemes. Whether you’re with us virtually or Sponsorship
The True Picture

in person, we pack a lot into these four schemes.. You’ll network with colleagues. You’ll present LPC fees: Yes - £10,000
group projects on legal issues. It’s a lot of new ground to cover, but if you want to understand what GDL fees: Yes - £8,000
it’s really like to work here, nothing else comes close.
International and regional
Offices with training contracts:
Open days and first-year opportunities London
Everyone remembers the first day they walked through the doors of their future firm. For many
of our lawyers, that happens on our open days and first step programmes. First Step caters to
first-year undergraduates, while our open days are designed for undergraduates, graduates, first
years and career changers of all degree subjects. Either way, it’s the opportunity to step through
our doors, make a first impression, and use our packed schedule of interactive sessions to discover
whether law is right for you. For more information and to apply please visit our website.

476
Org ID: 309 7 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................
chambersstudent.co.uk Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP O

Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP

The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Location: London How to get into Orrick
Overseas offices: 25
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 34/50/14
Seats: 6x4 months
First-year salary: £45,000
Qualification salary: £120,000

Like the waltz’s triple meter, Orrick’s three-sector focus on tech, energy
and finance is the heart of its global operations.

The Firm get one of your three preferences,” said trainees.The firm
What makes a waltz a waltz? What makes it so distinc- also offers client secondments.
tive? It’s the 3:4 beat. That beautiful, continuous oom-
cha-cha flowing through the piece. But since you came “You tend to be dealing with multiple
here to learn about legal careers, we’ll be brisk: in the companies, like three or four at once.”
legal dancehall of fame, Orrick is the mighty waltz, with
the three beats oom-cha-cha-ing through it: technology, For their corporate seat, trainees sit with either M&A or
energy and finance. “These are pervasive throughout the the technology companies group (TCG) – many end up
firm,” trainees told us. “Even if you don’t do a finance seat, doing both over the course of their training contract. TCG
you’ll come across the area anyway.” focuses on venture capital work not only in the tech sec-
tor but also life sciences and energy. The team works
Orrick started life in sunny California and went on to es- with a lot of start-ups and early-stage companies on their
tablish its expertise in these key sectors, with particular funding rounds and advises them on corporate govern-
skill in the projects sphere. In its London base, the firm is ance. The team recently advised software platform Codil-
highly ranked in venture capital in Chambers UK; renew- ity on its $22 million Series A financing. There’s also some
able energy and commodities trading are also strengths. work with investors: the team recently advised Stripe and
Trainees wanted to “be part of a smaller, more agile team” Goodwater Capital on a £144 million financing round in
in London alongside Orrick’s international reach – the Monzo, for example. “It’s an exciting and fast-paced area,”
firm has over 25 offices across the US, Europe and Asia. trainees reflected. “You tend to be dealing with multiple
The firm’s intake size was another selling point, with one companies, like three or four at once.” As a trainee, typical
source reckoning “you’d have to fight over getting a small tasks included drafting ancillary documents and “manag-
piece of work” at firms with bigger intakes. “Here, you’re ing the signing process.” Trainees also appreciated getting
one of six so you can build connections and learn more.” “a lot of direct contact” with people outside of the firm,
like shareholders: “It’s a good way to build up confidence.”
The True Picture

The Seats Trainees found transactions in M&A quite different to

Orrick trainees get to do six seats, each lasting four those in TCG, “in that they tend to be quite drawn out – they
months. “I really like it,” one source said. “Four months is happen over months rather than weeks.” The team mainly
just enough time to really get a feel for an area, and then handles mid-market deals and a hefty amount of renew-
you get to see so much more.” A transactional/corporate
seat is compulsory, as is a contentious seat. Real estate Seat options: M&A & private equity; tax, technology
used to be a key seat, but the firm currently doesn’t of- companies group; complex litigation & dispute resolu-
fer it since the departure of a ten-lawyer team to Forst- tion/international arbitration, cyber & privacy enforce-
ers. Seat allocation is “pretty straightforward” – trainees ment and litigation; employment; banking & finance;
are assigned their first seat randomly, then for following restructuring; energy & infrastucture; cyber, privacy and
seats they submit three preferences to HR. “You normally data technology; competition

477
 O Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Chambers UK rankings sion.” Testament to the firm’s finance strengths, major ac-
Commodities Private Equity
countancy firms call on Orrick in times of need, including
Energy & Natural
members of the Big Four. For example, the team recently
Resources acted for KPMG in relation to the collapse of Carillion, ad-
vising on investigations by regulators like the Financial
Reporting Council. The firm also represented EY in a £13
million claim brought by a former partner who alleged he
able energy M&A: it recently advised NextEnergy on an was constructively dismissed. Trainees can also decide to
£8.5 million acquisition of a solar project in Northern Ire- devote a litigation seat entirely to cyber and data privacy,
land. Beyond the energy sector, the team advised French which is “a new area the firm is looking into” – two part-
TV studio CANAL+ on its acquisition of ROK Studios, a ners who focus on this space recently joined the team.
Nigerian production house. There was sometimes over- Alongside research, doc review and bundling, interview-
lap with TCG: “When clients have grown, we help in sell- ees found “there’s also good opportunity for courtroom
ing them on.” Interviewees experienced “a lot of buy-side experience.”
mandates” which entailed “a lot more due diligence.” Along
with getting to draft ancillary documents, trainees were
also tasked with “managing the documents list, which was Trainee Life
often 30 to 40 pages long!” “There’s always a buzz around the place,” trainees told us,
highlighting “the fact we work with tech clients – a lot of
“Big infrastructure projects.” that culture comes to us from the industry.” Trainees felt
the innovative culture associated with tech companies
The energy and infrastructure team is known for its re- had rubbed off on the firm, “not just as a matter of brand-
newables expertise, but it also has oil and gas clients. ing, but in the way people work.” Others pinned Orrick’s
(The big news here is that Orrick recently nabbed a re- buzz on its California roots, noting: “We still have a West
newables team from Watson Farley Williams). “Big infra- Coast style, even in London.” This translated into an envi-
structure projects” are the norm here, and interviewees ronment where “everyone from PAs to partners is willing to
described a smattering of project finance work too. Train- have a conversation with you.”
ees worked on projects including offshore wind farms,
broadband infrastructure and solar projects. The team re- Another US law firm staple you’ll find at Orrick is pro
cently acted for Future Earth Energy on a £150 million en- bono. All lawyers have a 20-hour target and “almost eve-
ergy-from-waste facility in Derbyshire, and advised Con- ryone goes above and beyond that.” Trainees felt “spoiled
rad Energy on the acquisition and development of three for choice” with pro bono opportunities. Many had worked
power plants. Trainees here also found themselves “as- with charities LawWorks and Together for Short Lives,
sisting the M&A team in buying and selling energy assets.” providing advice to support children with serious condi-
This included working on operation and maintenance tions and their families. “We help make sure the local au-
agreements, engineering procurements and construction thority and the NHS are giving them the appropriate care
contracts. Energy trainee responsibilities were similar to packages,” one trainee explained.The firm also works with
those of corporate seats, though some mentioned getting learning disability charity Mencap, “representing people
to “assist in drafting shareholder purchase agreementsan- trying to get their Personal Independence Payments rein-
dattend client meetings.” stated.”

In previous years, trainees could do a split seat between “Quite a few 11pm finishes.”
competition and litigation. Now the seats are separate,
and there isn’t any litigious work in competition. The When it came to having a life outside the firm, trainees
team deals with merger control matters and assists cli- admitted “some weeks are easier than others.” Overall,
The True Picture

ents with investigations by the Competition and Markets most found their hours” quite good,” but be warned: ‘quite
Authority (CMA) or the European Commission. Clients good’ for this bunch meant 9am starts and 8pm finishes
include big names like eBay and Microsoft – the team re- on average. “We know what we’re signing up for,” they in-
cently helped Telenor get initial merger clearance from sisted. As expected, corporate seats usually required lat-
the European Commission for its $3 billion acquisition of er stints with “quite a few 11pm finishes.” Equally though,
a majority stake in a Finnish telecommunications group. sources found “if you don’t have that much to do, teams
The seat was “quite research-heavy” for trainees and in- are happy for you to take advantage of that.” Many noted
volved a fair bit of proofreading and drafting articles. they “felt appreciated” when they worked hard hours.
We’d also feel appreciated on a trainee salary of £45,000,
Litigation and arbitration sources dabbled in FCA in- which takes a “massive jump” to £120,000 for NQs. It’s not
vestigations and “large, 20-year-old disputes,” as well as the highest-paying of the US firms, but none of our inter-
“cases in the commercial court or the Queen’s Bench Divi- viewees sniffed at it.

478
chambersstudent.co.uk Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP O

Qualification starts out informally at Orrick. Trainees fixed-term contracts until the end of 2020, and delayed
usually have a chat with partners in the practices they’re its final decision on permanent NQ positions until later
interested in to gauge whether there’s space for an NQ. in the year.
During the fifth seat, they can apply for up to three de-
partments. This then “gets discussed at UK partner level,”
before being taken to the US for final approval. In light
of the Covid-19 pandemic, Orrick offered all six qualifiers

Ten lawyers a-leaping:

Orrick’s social highlights included the Christmas party and
letting off steam at a trampoline park in Wandsworth.

The True Picture

479
 www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
O  rrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP chambersstudent.co.uk
O

Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe (UK) LLP

107 Cheapside, London, EC2V 6DN
Tel: 020 7862 4600 Fax: 020 7862 4800 Twitter: @orrick Partners: 32 (London)
Email: [email protected] Facebook: orrickrecruiting Associates: 70 (incl Of Counsel)
Website: www.orrick.com/careers/london/graduate-recruitment (London)
Total trainees: 14
Firm profile
UK offices: London
Orrick is a global law firm with more than 1,100 lawyers in 25 offices located throughout North Overseas offices: 25
America, Europe, Africa and Asia. We focus on three sectors: technology and innovation, energy and
infrastructure and finance. We aim to be a best place to work for the best talent and we are always Contacts
adapting to the ever-increasing pace of innovation. Financial Times selected Orrick the Most Innovative Graduate recruiter:
Law Firm in North America for 2016- 2018 and runner-up in 2019, and Fortune named us 15th on its Sophia Eleftheriou
[email protected]
2019 list of the 100 Best Places to Work, the fifth year in a row we’ve been listed. 020 7862 4600
Training partner:
Types of work Sushila Nayak
Orrick has earned a global reputation advising both established and emerging companies, banks and
international financial institutions. Our clients include the most disruptive technology companies, 20% Method of application
of US and UK unicorns, 10 of the world’s largest 25 public tech companies, 7 of the top 15 energy Online at
companies globally, 14 of the top 20 global financial institutions, 2 of the 3 most successful fintech www.orrick.com/careers/
london/graduate-recruitment
companies and 3 of the top 10 most active VC investors in European fintech, funds and government
entities. We were named a 2019 Technology Group of the Year by Law360, and rank 3rd globally for Application criteria
venture capital and #1 in Europe for the past 17 consecutive quarters (PitchBook). Chambers ranks us Training contracts pa: 6
Band 1 for both renewable energy and infrastructure. Applications pa: 300
Minimum required degree grade:
2:1 or other
Main areas of work
Minimum UCAS points or A
Antitrust and competition, arbitration, banking and finance, banking and debt capital markets, capital levels: None
markets, commercial law, commercial litigation, emerging companies, employment, energy and
infrastructure, intellectual property, international dispute resolution, mergers and acquisitions, private Dates and deadlines
equity, professional negligence, restructuring, structured finance, tax and technology. Training contract applications
open: 1st October 2020
Training contract deadline, 2023
Training opportunities
start: 29th May 2021
If you set your standards high and have a strong work ethic then Orrick could be for you. We are Vacation scheme deadline:
looking for bright, talented graduates of any discipline who are looking for a firm offering a broad- 31st January 2021
based training contract. Applicants should have or be on track to achieve a 2.1 degree. Orrick is a firm
for those looking for a high level of responsibility from day one. We value team players and aim to give Salary and benefits
First-year salary: £45,000
individuals the opportunity to flourish in an inclusive and supportive work environment, encouraging
Second-year salary: £49,000
interaction across our international offices. We support learning through a focus on training and a
Post-qualification salary:
mentoring programme that will provide trainees with the right foundation for building their legal £120,000
career. A genuine open door policy means trainees work closely with partners and associates. Our Holiday entitlement: 25 days
two-year training programme is made up of four six-month seats with regular appraisals throughout.
Our dedicated trainee partner oversees the supervision of our trainees. There is an extensive training Sponsorship
LPC fees: Yes
programme with regular and focused sessions on legal and soft skills to enhance your development as
GDL fees: Yes
a lawyer. Maintenance grant pa:
GDL: £8,000
Other benefits UPC: £9,500
Pension, group income protection scheme, life assurance, private medical insurance, dental care, subsi-
The True Picture

International and regional

dised gym membership, season ticket loan and childcare voucher scheme.
Offices with training contracts:
London
Vacation scheme Overseas seats: None
The primary route to applying for a training contract with us is to apply for a space on one of our Client secondments: Yes
summer vacation scheme programmes which will take place in June and July 2021. Our vacation
scheme offers participants an opportunity to London office of a US law firm in action and get an insight
into what life as a trainee would be like here. During the two-week scheme you’ll spend time in two
of our London practices, working on real work alongside our trainees, associates and partners. There
will also be a variety of social opportunities and events that run throughout the scheme, giving you an
opportunity to really get to know our team.

University law careers fairs 2020

Aspring Selectors, Bristol, City, Oxford, Cambridge, UCL, University of Law, BPP, Surrey.

480
Org ID: 7290 5 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................
chambersstudent.co.uk Osborne Clarke LLP O

Osborne Clarke LLP

The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Locations: London, Bristol, Reading How to get into Osborne Clarke
Overseas offices: 26
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 148/315/45
Seats: 4x6 months; client secondments
First-year salary: £38,000 (Bristol); £43,000 (London and
Reading)
Qualification salary: £52,000 (Bristol); £54,000 (Reading);
£71,000 (London)

Future-facing Osborne Clarke has a decidedly ‘unstuffy’ approach to

practising law –a stance that pays dividends for trainee happiness across
its UK network in Bristol, London and Reading.

The Firm a major player.” However, they remained assured of the

If you were to create a word cloud of OC’s homepage, firm’s ongoing ability to “attract high-quality work,” as
it’s very clear which words would loom large. There are evidenced by top-bracket nods to the office’s mid-market
(at the time of writing) five mentions of the word ‘digital’, real estate expertise, as well as its IP, employment, and
four variations of ‘transform’, a handful of appearances of corporate/M&A abilities.
‘strategy’ and a few of ‘evolve’. The message OC is putting
out there is received loud and clear: this is a firm that’s Bristol and London take on a fairly even split of OC’s
gearing up for the future. It’s certainly a message and im- trainee pool, while the Reading office typically takes
age that piqued the interest of many interviewees. “The on around three newbies every year. Before starting, all
tech focus was a big draw,” one confirmed, adding that “it trainees are provided with a list of the available seats in
does pervade everything we do. The OC solutions team are their office from which they are required to submit their
always presenting new ideas to clients, and the transition top five preferences. It’s worth emphasising that while
to remote working during the Covid-19 pandemic has been Bristol and London have largely similar offerings in terms
very smooth.” Others were attracted by the firm’s track of seats, Reading is more “limited to the core areas,” sourc-
record of expansion: “It’s great to be with a firm that’s as- es pointed out. This includes seats in disputes, employ-
pirational. While we started as a regional firm in Bristol, we ment, commercial, corporate, banking, and property. We
have gone on to expand throughout much of the world.” In- were also informed that moving offices between seats is
deed, today OC boasts a network of nearly 1,000 lawyers “feasible but not too common” and done on a case-by-case
spread across 26 offices worldwide. basis. None of our interviewees reported any significant
issues with the assignment system. One insider appre-
“We are a leader in Bristol for sure.” ciated the “firm’s personal approach to the process” and
The True Picture

explained that “they take the time to meet with everyone

“Alongside CMS and Burges Salmon, we are a leader in Bris- for a proper chat.” However, there were some grumbles
tol for sure,” a source confidently declared, while another concerning “how late in the process you find out what your
billed OC as “the top firm in Reading.” Their claims are next seat will be.”
largely supported by Chambers UK, which rates the firm
highly as a national leader outside of London in a host
of areas including corporate/M&A, banking, employment,
and information technology. Across Bristol and Reading,
OC picks up a clutch of 14 top rankings in most commer- Seat options include: corporate tax; employment; in-
cial areas of practice, including IP, corporate, banking, centives; commercial; corporate; commercial disputes;
and real estate. In London, sources were humbler, reflect- property disputes; banking; real estate; planning; pro-
ing that “we don’t yet have the resources to be considered jects. Go online for the full breakdown by office.

481
 O Osborne Clarke LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Chambers UK rankings as possible. I’ve sat in on strategy calls, attended hearings

Banking & Finance Litigation
and drafted a lot of the correspondence to the other side.”
Capital Markets Media & Entertainment
Commercial Contracts Outsourcing
OC’s projects group has three strands: energy, renewa-
Competition/European Law Pensions
bles and regulation; project finance; and construction.
Construction Pensions Litigation
Insiders told us that incoming trainees should be mind-
Corporate/M&A Planning
ful that most of the project finance work is done in Lon-
Data Protection Private Equity
don, while Bristol tackles most of the construction issues.
Defamation/Reputation Product Liability
“The projects team deals with large-scale developments
Management Projects
such as hospitals and student accommodation, plus devel-
Employment Public Procurement
opments for the armed forces,” one source summarised,
Energy & Natural Real Estate
before adding: “We will take that project from its infancy
Resources Real Estate Finance
in terms of investment, all the way through to construc-
Environment Real Estate Litigation
tion, operation, management and refinancing.” Recently
Financial Services Restructuring/Insolvency
the team acted for EE on the £896 million Emergency
Health & Safety Retail
Services Network project contract, which was designed
Information Technology Tax
to provide a next-generation communication system for
Infrastructure Telecommunications
the three emergency services and public safety users;
Intellectual Property Transport
advised fund Foresight Solar on a £245 million debt re-
Investment Funds financing for a portfolio of solar assets; and represented
private sector partner Equitix and Graham on a bid to
build new student residences on the University of York’s
East Campus.
The Seats
Under OC’s disputes umbrella, you will find construction, “I was running the whole completion
regulatory, insolvency, IP disputes and employment liti- call with the directors of a big housing
gation teams. Trainees can also opt to spend a stint within
company!”
OC’s commercial litigation team, which “handles lots of
cool stuff, including arbitrations, data protection issues London’s real estate team focuses on commercial mat-
and corporate disputes, often in the technology, energy ters, while Bristol tackles a fair bit of residential work too,
and projects sectors.” Clients include BB Energy Group, representing large housebuilders such as Taylor Wimpey.
PWC, Vodafone, Dell and the master of mouth-watering In Bristol, the firm recently advised housing association
food advertisements, Marks & Spencer. “You tend to have Sovereign on setting up a joint venture with Crest to de-
your own section of a case to manage,” sources explained, velop 1,200 homes, as well as a school and shops, on the
“which involves a lot of tracking documents, conducting outskirts of Bristol. In London, OC’s lawyers acted for
research and acting as a point of contact for our overseas private equity-backed Uncommon on its £80 million ac-
offices.” We also heard of trainees in their second year quisition of Templar House in High Holborn (the former
drafting applications, witness statements and court or- site of London Underground’s headquarters); they also
ders. Recently the team represented BB Energy Group in advised Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs on the real
a $130 million claim over oil-trading losses incurred from estate due diligence aspects of a senior loan that was be-
the liquidation of Moroccan oil refinery SAMIR. ing provided to logistics group Logicor. Smaller transac-
tions, “which can involve selling garden land for £10,000
The regulatory disputes team mainly focuses on prod- to a residential buyer,” are also available for trainees to
uct liability and public procurement cases – “a pressing take charge of. On larger transactions, trainees may be
subject in the current climate resulting from Covid-19,” as “reviewing certificates of title on an energy deal,” draft-
The True Picture

sources pointed out. Food and products are specialisms, ing reports on title or even “running the whole completion
but OC also handles health and safety crisis manage- call with the directors of a big housing company – scary
ment. One trainee provided us with a rather vivid exam- but great experience!” The firm also has a smaller prop-
ple: “If someone fell down a lift shaft in a shop and died, erty litigation arm, which kept one trainee busy with lots
we would be called in to handle all the legal aspects.” On of ‘right to light’ cases. “It’s an archaic area of law where
a less traumatising note, the firm recently represented you have to serve and keep track of notices on every single
Siemens Mobility as it secured a contract from London interested party. It involves a lot of paper!” Recently, the
Underground to supply new trains (worth over £1.5 bil- team in London defended fund manager Foresight Group
lion) for the Piccadilly, Bakerloo and Central lines. “Your after one of its subsidiaries, Kent Solar, was accused of
responsibility can be limited on the basis that cases are in- trespassing due to its placement of an electricity cable
credibly technical,” one insider told us. “However, the team (across the River Medway) to connect its solar farm to
is fantastic and they make an effort to include you as much

482
chambersstudent.co.uk Osborne Clarke LLP O

the national electricity grid. The matter was settled on one insider pointed out, adding that “it means everyone
favourable terms. is keen to check in on you all the time.” Some sources
felt that social cohesion may be more limited in London
“Your workload can be incredibly broad…” where the office is spread over three floors compared to
Bristol, “where we have the building to ourselves and our
OC’s commercial team has a wide remit and was flagged own atrium.” However, London sources felt their newly
as one of the firm’s more popular seats by our insiders. revamped cafe created ample mingling opportunities for
“You have partners who focus on transport and energy; everyone at mid-morning and lunchtime, remarking that
partners who focus on gaming and apps; retail; aviation; “it’s been great way of getting people to mix together from
as well as advertisement and technology.” Aviation in par- all the different floors.” There are many opportunities to
ticular was identified as a hot topic due to the impact of socialise outside the office too. We were told that “the
Covid-19 on the industry. However, other businesses have banking team loves going for a beer after work” and that
thrived under Covid-19, like Amazon: the firm recently trainees have a budget to put on a social every six weeks
worked with Leaseplan to review the contractual frame- (one of the last socials pre-lockdown was held at Bounce
work governing the purchasing, leasing and maintenance in Farringdon). There’s also an annual Christmas party
of delivery vehicles to Amazon’s UK local delivery net- (which, in the past, has been held at the Oxo Tower and
work. The department also acted for Eversholt Rail Group the Hilton Hotel), a summer party and a variety of sports
during its collaboration with Alstom to develop a new hy- teams to join.
drogen-powered train. The future is now! “Your workload
can be incredibly broad,” trainees emphasised; they were “It’s recognised that bad mental health
kept busy on everything from drafting sponsor agree- comes from being overworked and under-
ments to reviewing supply contracts.
supervised.”
Bringing it back to the style of supervision, our interview-
Trainee Life ees reflected that “they always want you to be busy, but
OC makes its intentions clear on its website: ‘For us, stuffy never overworked. It’s recognised that bad mental health
stereotypes and fussy formality have been left in the past comes from being overworked and under-supervised.”
– where they belong. We push forward because we don’t Thankfully, sources were pleased to report that “by the
have time for rigid hierarchies and inflated egos, but we standards of a City firm, it’s pretty good in terms of work/
make time for energy and ambition.’ This sounds pretty life balance.” One trainee expanded on this point: “I’m cur-
ideal to us, but how does this refreshing stance stand up rently averaging 9am until 6.30pm. In transactional seats,
to reality? Quite a lot apparently. “I have quite a loud, out- you might be busy for a week and be in consistently late.
going personality and I was conscious that I might not fit in For example, in banking I did around three of those weeks in
the serious world of law, but everyone has been very willing a six-month period.” On the whole, there wasn’t a huge dis-
to chat and make me feel welcome,” one relieved source crepancy in hours between trainees in Bristol and Read-
relayed. To keep things casual, there’s also “a dress for ing, with those working in London clocking in a handful of
the day policy, so most people will be wearing jeans and extra hours a week.
a jumper,” another pointed out (although more formal at-
tire is worn for client meetings and court visits, etc...). Our OC opts for a structured approach to qualification. One
interviewees also expressed surprise at the willingness trainee provided a helpful breakdown: “We speak to HR
of senior members to train the firm’s junior members, as about our preferences, which they then relay back to the
this trainee detailed: “I was recently tasked to review a cer- business and provide a list of the jobs available. Typically,
tificate of title and add my comments. The partner took the you’re required to do an application and go through an in-
time to go through the document page by page for a couple terview process with the head of the department.” The re-
of hours to make sure I understood the task.” sulting experience is “not overwhelmingly scary, and the
The True Picture

firm makes an effort to keep everyone on.” True enough,

In Reading, we were unsurprised to hear of a more inti- OC’s retention rate has been consistently decent over the
mate office environment. “We don’t have a high turnover years. 2020 proved no different, as all but one out of 23
of staff, so you tend to be the new person for a long time,” qualifiers were kept on.

483
 www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
O  sborne Clarke LLP chambersstudent.co.uk
O

Osborne Clarke LLP

One London Wall, London EC2Y 5EB
Tel: 0117 917 3484 Twitter: @OC_Trainee Partners: 270+
Email: [email protected] Facebook: osborneclarketrainee Associates: 850+
Website: joinoc.com Total trainees: 45
UK offices: Bristol, London,
Reading
Overseas offices: 26
Firm profile
Osborne Clarke LLP is an award-winning multinational law firm. The firm has grown rapidly, with Contacts

26 global offices and it is proud to say that its influence and impact can now be applied almost any- Graduate recruiter:
Zoe Reid
where. The core sectors Osborne Clarke works in all thrive on innovation; digital business, energy,
Training partner:
financial services, life sciences, real estate, retail, recruitment and transport. The firm’s sector teams Catherine Wolfenden
include lawyers from all legal disciplines, effortlessly blending expertise, insight and enthusiasm.
Crucially, they think sector-first, organising themselves around the current affairs and future chal- Application criteria
Training contracts pa: 25
lenges of the industries they serve, rather than traditional legal practice areas.
Applications pa: 1500
Minimum required degree
Main areas of work grade: 2:1
Main areas of expertise include; banking and finance, business regulation, commercial, corporate, Minimum UCAS points or A
employment and benefits, litigation, pensions, projects, real estate, restructuring and insolvency levels: AAB
Vacation scheme places pa: 35
and tax.
Dates and deadlines
Training opportunities Training contract applications
Osborne Clarke’s high profile clients expect the firm to be brilliant, so they put a lot of effort into open: 1st October 2020
Training contract deadline, 2023
helping their people be the best they can throughout their careers — not just at the start of it. The
start: 15th January 2021
firm fosters the brightest and the best, with class-leading training and development programmes, Vacation scheme applications
and a unique climate of learning and discovery for everyone. Osborne Clarke places value on in- open: 1st November 2020
dividuals and respect their needs, motivations and choices. Workplaces are designed to promote Vacation scheme 2021 deadline:
collaboration, often featuring open plan structures that make it easy to fit-in, mix and get involved. 15th January 2021
Trainees will also find flexible and imaginative approaches to everyone’s work/life needs, with a
Salary and benefits
connected infrastructure that is adaptive and tailored to bringing out the best in people. Trainees First-year salary:
will complete four seats: corporate or banking, real estate or tax, litigation, and one other. In each £38,000 – £43,000
seat, a senior lawyer will supervise their day-to-day progress and give trainees regular feedback, so Second-year salary:
they know how they’re doing. They’re there to help trainees up their game. Every three months, £39,250 – £45,000
Post-qualification salary:
there will be a formal progress review to help trainees track their development. Osborne Clarke’s
£52,000 – £71,000
trainees get lots of responsibility. And they find that it’s what differentiates their training contracts Holiday entitlement: 25 days
from others.
Sponsorship
LPC fees: Yes
Vacation scheme
GDL fees: Yes
Each of the firm’s vacation scheme placements runs for two weeks over the summer and offers a Maintenance grant pa: £6,500
great opportunity for candidates to really get to know the firm. The placement follows a structured
programme which allows candidates to spend time in two different departments and get involved International and regional
in real client work. Beyond work there are plenty of social events organised by our trainees. Offices with training contracts:
Bristol, London, Reading
Client secondments: Available
Other benefits
The True Picture

25 days’ holiday (plus a Christmas shopping day), pension, permanent health insurance, private
medical insurance, life assurance, cycle to work scheme, employee assistance programme and sea-
son ticket loan.

Open days and first-year opportunities

Osborne Clarke’s two-day Insight Scheme for first-year law and second-year non-law students is
designed to equip candidates with the tools needed to apply for the firm’s vacation scheme. The
two-day programme, which runs over Easter, will give an insight into the firm from partners,
trainees and the recruitment team, along with the opportunity to shadow one of the firm’s lawyers.

484
Org ID: 9463 3 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................
chambersstudent.co.uk Paul Hastings (Europe) LLP P

Paul Hastings (Europe) LLP

The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Location: London Get hired at Paul Hastings
Overseas offices: 22
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 29/71/14
Seats: 4x6 months; client secondments
First-year salary: £50,000
Qualification salary: £133,000

Move over HP, trainees are feasting on PH sauce: brewed in California

and on the rise in London, it’s seasoned with juicy finance work and an
“entrepreneurial” tang.

The Firm many end up doing a short litigation course to fulfil SRA
“I was looking for a US firm with a smaller trainee intake,” requirements. Split seats and client secondments were
one of our interviewees began. A solid start to a law firm also not unheard of, but “the lack of an international seat
dating profile; so why did they end up swiping right for was a little disappointing to some.” Despite the quite small
Paul Hastings? “You get high-level work from the start intake, there can be some competition between trainees
here,” they suggested. “I wanted to hit the ground running.” for popular seats, especially following the firm’s expand-
Born in California, PH has expanded its empire to 22 of- ed London presence. “Build a relationship with the partner
fices worldwide; the London base is squarely focused on in the team you want to join, and they will then push for
all things finance. This clear vision for the practice was you,” insiders advised.
also appealing for trainees; the firm’s Chambers UKrank-
ings in capital markets, real estate finance, restructuring,
and hotels and leisure law sweetened the deal. The Seats
Paul Hastings’ leveraged finance practice advises on
Following several years of expansion and lateral hires bank and bond financing transactions for lenders, spon-
from the likes of DLA Piper, Cooley, Hogan Lovells and sors and borrowers. With the likes of NatWest, Barclays
Baker McKenzie, the Paul Hastings London crew outgrew and Goldman Sachs filling up its client list, the firm helps
its previous two-building office space. In 2019 the team move some big money: PH advised those banks and more
relocated to 100 Bishopsgate, filling the 36th and 37th in arranging a $3 billion financing package for British
floor.Interviewees were chuffed to bits about the move: market research business Kantar. Working on loan deals,
“It has greatly improved our culture, we’re all now physi- trainee sources waxed lyrical over the level of respon-
cally one team,” they reasoned. “Now we’re all in the same sibility they received because of the firm’s lean staffing
office, the socials are much better attended, and we truly model. “I got to run with the transaction. I was instructing
work and operate as one.” local counsel and I was on calls to the client every night,”
The True Picture

one source said. Other common trainee tasks in this seat

“I got to run with the transaction. I was include managing the conditions precedent process and
instructing local counsel and I was on calls drafting ancillary documents, creditor agreements and
notice letters.
to the client every night.”
With just over 100 lawyers in the London digs, Paul Hast-
ings recruits fewer than ten trainees each year. The firm
directly allocates first seaters into a department; trainees Seat options: corporate/M&A; private equity; leveraged
get more say over where they’re going next the longer finance; restructuring; structured finance; CLOs; credit
they’ve been with the firm. Sources picked up on an un- funds; private funds; corporate real estate; real estate
written rule that trainees should do a corporate and a real finance; data privacy; litigation; employment; financial
estate seat; because Paul Hastings is so finance-focused, services regulation and tax

485
 P Paul Hastings (Europe) LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Chambers UK rankings Trainee Life

Capital Markets Real Estate Finance
“We get a lot of responsibility to run deals,” interviewees
Hotels & Leisure Restructuring/Insolvency
agreed. “It can be both stressful and challenging. We get
to work on high-profile matters which means we naturally
have more work.” With more work comes more takeaway-
The real estate finance seat also includes some fund fi- fuelled late nights: 8pm finishes meant “a good day,” but
nance work. This department dedicates their efforts to our sources were still in the office at 10pm, midnight and
corporate, finance and tax for real estate, regularly ad- even 3am when matters reach their peak. “It is quite gru-
vising on both sell and buy-side joint ventures. For train- elling at times, and during some seats I took a taxi home
ees, that meant mostly working on CMBS (commercial every day,” an especially tired trainee reported. “I worked
mortgage-backed securities): “They’re large-scale real back-to-back 2ams for a couple of weeks.” Busy periods
estate loan agreements – to purchase a skyscraper, for ex- come and go, and like its fellow American titans, Paul
ample.” Paul Hastings recently advised Deutsche Bank Hastings compensates its hard-working team very well
on a £142.5 million CMBS for a loan backed by the Intu indeed. An impressive £133,000 NQ salary will pay for as
Shopping Centre in Derby. Trainees who dipped into the many Ubers home as you could need.
fund finance side tackled financings for hedge funds:
“The client was lending to a big fund in Ireland and there A modern glass office gave PH trainees the chance to
were 12 borrowers within the structure. I had to make sure take collegiality to the next level: “The other day I was
everyone signed the documents, it was pretty intense.” PH’s waving to my colleague through my office window while he
big name clients include AIG and JP Morgan. Trainees was out for dinner.” There’s also a heavily-discounted gym
here also handled conditions precedent, amended facil- downstairs and “amazing meeting rooms” to charm clients
ity agreements and drafted non-disclosure agreements. in. Paul Hastings doesn’t run many formal socials, leading
to one unforgettable complaint: “We don’t have big balls
“There were a few late nights, but it was all like they do at other firms.” Make of that what you will.
good fun.” When they had evenings to spare, trainees also enjoyed a
casual drink every so often.
As well as CMBS, structured finance lawyers at Paul
Hastings specialise in RMBS (residential mortgage- “I called the associate on the deal while
backed securities) transactions, fund-linked products they were on holiday... I woke them up, but
and collateralised loan obligations (CLOs, which get their
they were more than happy to help.”
own seat). The practice involves big finance clients once
again: PH advised Citigroup as the arranger and placer Matthew Poxon took on the role of training principal in
on a €478 million CLO. Trainees in the structured finance March 2020, and strengthening care and support for
seat were mostly busy with RMBS deals. Hectic closings trainees has been at the forefront of his priorities. Inter-
come with long hours, but big responsibility too: “There viewees were full of compliments for supervisors: “My
were a few late nights, but it was all good fun. My role was last partner was really supportive, especially for junior fe-
to finalise about 100 legal documents with all the parties male lawyers and trainees,” one said. “I had a query of how
involved; I then spoke to accountants to get the cashflow to react to a situation at work; she instantly gave me a call
sorted and money transferred to the lenders.” Uncle Ben and talked me through it.” Associates also had trainees’
would be proud. backs, sometimes a bit too enthusiastically… “I called the
associate on the deal while they were on holiday,” a source
That’s not all for capital markets – trainees can also do a recalled in guilty tones. “I woke them up, but they were
credit funds seat including tax and CLOs. This is “one of more than happy to help!” We’re sure they were.
the busiest seats” as it’s a fast-growing area at Paul Hast-
ings. The firm advised Fairfield Real Estate Finance on all With the Los Angeles HQ calling the shots on a global
The True Picture

its loan-on-loan (LOL, funnily enough) facilities totalling scale, some trainees felt London can be left out of the
£100 million. Credit funds deals are often private, but the loop on firm-wide decisions. That’s an issue come quali-
clients tend to be the same large financial organisations fication time, as HR in the UK seeks final hiring approval
that crop up time and again. Trainee responsibilities are from the States before making offers. Before then, train-
similar too – those we spoke to spent their days drafting ees declare an interest in a chosen practice area to qual-
procurement policy note (PPN) documents and most-fa- ify into, but many weren’t sure when they’d get the good
voured-nation (MFN) agreements, and managing condi- news (or not). “Some intakes are approached early on in
tions precedent. “I’m constantly on the phone to clients,” a their fourth seat; others have found out they are qualifying
source boasted. “It’s a small team so you get to do lots of one or two months beforehand,” we heard. Paul Hastings
drafting, and the team is happy to give you responsibility did not wish to disclose its retention figure in 2020.
once you’ve built some experience.”

486
chambersstudent.co.uk Paul Hastings (Europe) LLP P

Yin to my Yang:
The firm recently launched the PH Balanced initiative, a
platform that provides support on the topic of work-life
balance. The group hosts discussions and programmes
addressing mindfulness, mental health and stress
management.

The True Picture

487
 www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
P Paul Hastings (Europe) LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Paul Hastings
100 Bishopgsgate, London, EC2N 4AG
Tel: 020 3023 5100 Linkedin: Paul Hastings Vacancies: 7/8
Email: [email protected] Twitter: @Paul_Hastings Partners: 30
Website: www.paulhastings.com Facebook: Paul Hastings LLP Associates: 71
Total trainees: 14
UK offices: 1
Overseas offices: 22
Firm profile
With lawyers serving clients from 22 worldwide offices, we provide a wide range of services across Contacts
Europe, Asia and the US. Graduate recruiter:
Yvette Croucher,
[email protected]
Who we are Training partner:
We are client-focused professionals with a commercial mindset and a collaborative approach to Matthew Poxon
delivering value in everything we do. We combine business acumen, industry knowledge and deep matthewpoxon@paulhastings.
legal expertise. We think and act creatively and proactively to meet the needs of our clients. com

As well as being client-centric, we are people-centric. We value each individual and their unique Application criteria
perspective. Paul Hastings is not for the hierarchical or the entitled but for the inclusive, creative Training contracts pa: 7-8
Minimum required degree grade:
and entrepreneurial. We hire smart people from diverse backgrounds who are the right fit for our
minimum 2:1
collegial, client-centric and future-focused culture.
Dates and deadlines
Main areas of work Training contract applications
Our London office focuses on corporate M&A, private equity, leveraged finance and private/credit open: 1st October 2020
funds. There are also opportunities to gain experience in other practice specialisms, including real Training contract deadline, 2023:
31st July 2021
estate finance, securitisation, corporate and structured finance, tax, payment systems, financial
Apply – online: www.paulhast-
services and regulation, fintech, data privacy, employment, litigation and corporate crime. ings.com/office/london/training-
contracts
What we do
We advise clients on matters that are of the highest value to them. We help them maximise Salary and benefits
First-year salary: £50,000
opportunities, create and protect value, and nimbly manage risk in a dynamic, uncertain
Second-year salary: £55,000
marketplace.
Post-qualification salary:
We always play to our strengths. We don’t offer ‘products’ or ‘off-the-shelf’ solutions. Each client is £133,000
unique and each challenge demands a tailored approach. We can deliver creative solutions because Holiday entitlement: 25 day
we are leaders in our chosen practices and industry sectors.
Sponsorship
LPC fees: Yes
How we do it GDL fees: Yes
We pride ourselves on the strong relationship we develop with our clients. We invest time in un- Maintenance grant pa: £10,000
derstanding their businesses and what it takes to make them even more successful. per course

We encourage and reward entrepreneurial flair, original thought and new ideas. Our people have International and regional
the confidence, experience and expertise to question and to continually sharpen our thinking and Offices with training contracts:
the solutions we offer our clients. We empower our people to deliver those solutions and because Hong Kong
of this, our teams can move mountains to provide exceptional client service. Overseas seats: None
Client secondments: Potential
Training Programme
The True Picture

We offer an extensive and instructive training programme for our trainees, spending six months
in four practice areas with opportunities for a client secondments.

Work placement
We offer informal work placements over the summer months and applications should be made
in January.

Other benefits
Standard benefits to include private medical, pension, life insurance, employee assistance pro-
gramme and active wellbeing plan (monthly allowance for gym/wellbeing activities).

Open days and first-year opportunities

Spring 2021 and open to second/third year undergraduates. Apply from January 2021.

488
Org ID: 25003 2 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................
chambersstudent.co.uk Penningtons Manches Cooper LLP P

Penningtons Manches Cooper LLP

The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Locations: London, Basingstoke, Birmingham, Cambridge, How to get into Penningtons
Guildford, Oxford, Reading
Overseas offices: 6
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 125/226/24
Seats: 4x6 months
First-year salary: £30,000 (£38,000 London)
Qualification salary: £50,000 (£62,000 London)

“A fascinating array of work” awaits trainees at an increasingly

international outfit with seven offices in the UK.

The Firm Trainees only had good reports on the vacation scheme
June 2019 probably feels like a million years ago now, and initial application process: “Out of all the applica-
but we should not forget this momentous month – for it tions I submitted, I found PMC the least invasive, it wasn’t
is when Penningtons Manches merged with shipping- too centred around critical thinking nor was it too rigorous.
focused Thomas Cooper to form a firm with specialist Everybody was super friendly.” Happy to be part of a mod-
flavours. We’ll let Chambers UK lay them out for us: PMC est intake, trainees told us they “received a lot of client
earns strong rankings for corporate, employment, family, contact in all the seats, often working on high-value, cross-
clinical negligence, personal injury, immigration, real es- jurisdictional matters.” Management is hoping to offer in-
tate, IP, IT and travel across various regions of the country. ternational seats in future: the Covid-19 outbreak delayed
The firm has offices in London, Basingstoke, Cambridge, those plans for now but they are hoping to launch this
Guildford, Oxford, Reading and Birmingham and all but in 2021.
the last house trainees; you’ll also find the PMC banner
flying over cities in Europe, South America and Asia.
The Seats
Penningtons coupled up with Thomas Cooper to strength- Trainees submit top seat choices to HR and discuss de-
en its litigation and international arbitration practice, partment rotations two months in advance. “I was lucky,
and former TC trainees were delighted with the merger: I got all my choices,” one beamed; others who were less
“The resulting firm is a good size, it has a great range of lucky weren’t put out, “it’s what you sign up for.” It’s rare
seats and everyone is so supportive.” When we called up to move offices during the training contract – regional
PMC’s cohort, 18 trainees were in the capital; five were trainees may get to relocate but are unlikely to get a spot
in Guildford; Oxford housed four; another four split their in London. PMC doesn’t have any compulsory seats and
time between Basingstoke and Reading; and two were trainees can do the same seat twice over if they particu-
in Cambridge. Many were drawn to the firm by colourful larly enjoyed it and/or hope to qualify there.
The True Picture

seat choices like marine trade and energy, social housing,

clinical negligence and IP/IT, but prospective applicants M&A is the name of the game in corporate, especially for
should note that not every seat is available in every office. tech and life sciences clients: in the early months of 2020,
Employment and IP/IT are only available in London, Read- nearly 50% of transactions fell under the tech or life sci-
ing, Cambridge and Oxford, for example. London has the ences umbrella. The other half came from private wealth,
largest range of seats as a whole.
Seat options: corporate; banking & finance; commer-
“The resulting firm [PMC] is a good size, it cial dispute resolution; marine, trade & energy; real es-
has a great range of seats and everyone is tate investors; property litigation; construction, social
housing; commercial IP/IT; employment; personal inju-
so supportive.” ry/clinical negligence; family; private client; contentious
private client (go online for breakdown by office)

489
 P Penningtons Manches Cooper LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Chambers UK rankings dispute if a vessel had been hired out and delivered back
Banking & Finance Intellectual Property
late or damaged in transit.” Typical trainee tasks in the
Clinical Negligence Litigation
seat include bundling, technical research, drafting wit-
Commodities Pensions
ness statements and instructing counsel and experts. A
Corporate/M&A Personal Injury
source with a taste for litigation was left very satisfied,
Court of Protection Private Equity
finding the cases here “extremely interesting.”
Defamation/Reputation Real Estate
Management Real Estate Litigation
Education, tech, life sciences and hospitality clients
Education Retail
call on PMC’s help with employment issues, including
Employment Shipping
discrimination claims and confidentiality agreements.
Family/Matrimonial Social Housing
Ocado, 20th Century Fox, the AA and several major law
Immigration Travel
firms covered in Chambers Studentfed work into this
Information Technology department recently. Matters can get sticky – non-profit
organisation CABI recently needed advice when a com-
plaint was filed against an overseas employee who’d al-
legedly used discriminatory language about one of their
real estate or retail clients. All Saints, Onward Luxury and colleagues in another jurisdiction, a case involving par-
Gordon Murray Design are on PMC’s books – the firm re- ties in Brazil and Trinidad & Tobago. Trainee workloads
cently advised shareholders of medical communications in this seat split evenly between contentious and non-
agency ISO Health on its acquisition by the W20 group, contentious matters, but settlement agreements were
and Pookchurch on its merger with Bolney Wine Estate to the most common fare. “If someone is having a tough time
form one of the UK’s largest vineyards. Trainees received at work, they come to us,” they summarised. Sources at-
plenty of responsibility in the seat, often working directly tended client meetings, tribunal hearings and High Court
with partners: “It was just myself and the partner on a file, cases, with matters hotting up in the run-up to Christmas:
and the client needed help with company filings. I was tak- “We had a three-day window to get 45 witness statements
ing board minutes, drafting resolutions and liaising directly drafted. I drafted ten in two days, which were then used in
with the clients.” Penningtons often acts in private equity court; it was a highly valuable experience.” Following the
and venture capital investments, typically in the lower festive mayhem, trainees settled down to draft disclosure
mid-market. letters and direct overseas counsel.

“You’re relied upon a lot and receive “We had a three-day window to get 45
endless client contact.” witness statements drafted... it was a
highly valuable experience.”
There’s often overlap between corporate and private cli-
ent; this team handles personal wealth management, tax There’s a similar advisory practice in IP, IT and com-
planning, asset protection and advising family business- mercial. Tech and life sciences start-ups seek help with
es. High net worth individuals fill up the department’s commercial exploitation issues and IP protection; media,
client roster. Trainees were drafting “wills, tax compli- fashion and retail brands can also be found here. We
ance, probate and letters to banks and trustees.” As a seat heard from trainees who’d advised on cases of all stripes,
with ‘client’ in the name it’s only right that it comes with from the advertising boards displayed on primetime tele-
plenty of client contact: “I attend around four meetings per vision to IP rights on flour derived from peas. Wait, what?
week.” Trainee roles include taking notes and drafting let- “The client company wanted to isolate a protein to develop
ters based on the results. “The private client seat is great, a flour equivalent for people with gluten intolerance,” in-
you’re relied upon a lot and receive endless client contact,” siders explained. In the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic,
a source said. trainees found themselves drafting facemask disclaim-
The True Picture

ers, “doing research and putting together the statement.

Marine trade and energy legal issues range from casual- We had to make it clear there was no guarantee of avoiding
ties at sea to commercial shipping disputes. PMC acts for contracting Covid-19 while wearing a mask.” Article writing,
shipowners, yacht firms and renewable energy compa- drafting policy agreements and GDPR compliance filled
nies in a mix of wet (incidents at sea) and dry (land-based) the rest of trainees’ days; they found supervisors here
shipping cases. “Dry shipping involves a lot of contractual were “particularly good at giving feedback” on trainee
disputes and it’s quite litigation-heavy,” a trainee noted, strengths and weaknesses.
which means plenty of opportunities to go to court and
attend hearings. “I went to a big three-week trial a couple Penningtons’ clinical negligence practice encompasses
of months into the seat,” one beamed. Matters may involve birth injuries and delayed diagnosis of cancer claims, pri-
salvage issues, the process of recovering a ship and its marily representing the claimant. Some partners have a
cargo after problems at sea: “We would work on the cargo broader personal injury docket –the Guildford office picks

490
chambersstudent.co.uk Penningtons Manches Cooper LLP P

up a Chambers UK PI ranking. Claims are often brought PMC’s diversity committee oversees a panoply of groups
on behalf of children or those who lack capacity – client including LGBTQ+, gender, ethnic minority and mental
identities can often be extremely secretive. One trainee health initiatives. Aiming to improve employee wellbeing,
ran us through the steps of a typical clinical negligence the firm recently appointed several employees to take
case: “Firstly you collect details from the client and how the up the mantle of ‘mental health champions’ and provide
event has impacted their daily life, then draft up witness a check-in service for colleagues. “We can chat to them
statements and review their medical records to see if the about any problems,” interviewees confirmed. Penning-
client has any pre-existing medical conditions that could tons also monitors physical health via a station where
affect the case we’re bringing.” Typical follow-up tasks anyone can check their general health and blood pres-
include preparing schedules, attending client meetings, sure – helpful if all that bundling has you feeling faint.
dealing with experts and reading reports. Sources were
impressed with the attitude of this department, joking We heard nothing but good about the firm’s training and
that you “learn a lot more than just photocopying! The team support systems. New arrivals receive a partner men-
were really conscious of my professional development and I tor for the duration of the training contract along with a
got to learn some of the cases inside out.” buddy and supervisor in each seat. “If I need anything, I
know I can catch up with my mentor over lunch,” a trainee
noted. HR keeps an eye on mid-seat reviews to make sure
Trainee Life everyone’s getting the right work; commercial litigation
Referring to their colleagues by the adorable nickname takes things a step further with a checklist “to make sure
‘PennPeople’, trainees described team PMC as “friendly, you’re getting the right exposure – we all have to attend a
talented and down to earth,” suggesting that this is also mediation, receive sufficient client contact, and draft court
what the firm looks for in trainees. Every office has an documents.” Every three months, the managing partner
open plan layout, which helps lawyers of every seniority leads a meeting to discuss plans for the future and keep
get comfortable with one another: “Open plan really helps trainees up to speed; “sustainability and the environment
to prevent the daunting knock on a partner’s door.” Another are both a big push right now,” we heard.
source described partners as “very approachable, you
work and laugh with them while you’re here.” DMCs in the “In two years I’ve been in the office past
kitchens are essential to the foundation of firm friend- 8pm twice.”
ships – the collegial spaces are “a social hub” in offices
like Guildford. If you’re looking for a more happenin’ so- Trainees spent longer in the trenches in some depart-
cial scene, London is where it’s at – there’s a drinks trol- ments than others. Litigation and shipping seats are
ley in the office every Friday. “A different floor hosts the notorious for longer hours, but insiders had very few
drinks every week and we all congregate together on that complaints in general – an average day for most ran from
floor.” Impromptu hangs are less likely in smaller bases 9am to 6pm. Late nights can drift closer to 9pm, and PMC
like Cambridge where “there aren’t really casual drinks compensates Deliveroo for anyone still in the office past
events.” 8pm. Don’t reach for those chopsticks yet: “In two years
I’ve only been in the office past 8pm twice,” a source re-
As for firmwide socialising, Penningtons runs an annual vealed. “Partners usually leave around 6pm and there’s
ski trip. Across the network you’ll also find a cinema club, no facetime culture.” With that in mind, trainees noted a
sports competitions, curry night and even cake making wage disparity between the London and regional offices,
contests for trainees to unleash their inner Mary Berry. but most were left unfazed: “Londoners get paid more but
“The whole firm gets together every three months” in some the regional salary is still very generous.” Qualification sal-
form, and trainees across the UK plan what they’re going aries rise to £50,000, or a decent £62,000 in the capital.
to wear (thus avoiding awkward matching outfits) to firm-
wide dinners and drinks on the active WhatsApp group. When HR releases the NQ job vacancies, trainees sub-
The True Picture

We also heard about the ‘coffee randomizers’ diversity mit a cover letter and CV online to the department they
and inclusion initiative, where anyone and everyone from want to qualify into. Interviews will follow shortly after.
an office is welcomed to come together and discuss The firm offers meetings early in the qualification pro-
pressing topics and how the firm can address them, such cess to provide tips on how to get a cover letter in tip-top
as “religious worship.” shape. Penningtons retained 15 of 18 qualifiers in 2020,
with one on a fixed-term contract. A point to note: train-
“If I need anything, I know I can catch up ees are technically able to apply to any office location for
with my mentor over lunch.” an NQ role, but are more likely to move offices further
down the line.

491
 www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
P Penningtons Manches Cooper LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Penningtons Manches Cooper LLP

125 Wood Street, London EC2V 7AW
Tel: 020 7457 3000 Fax: 020 7457 3240 Partners: 141*
Email: [email protected] Associates: 318*
Website: www.penningtonslaw.co.uk Total trainees: 24*
* denotes worldwide figures
UK offices: Basingstoke, Bir-
Firm profile mingham, Cambridge, Guildford,
Penningtons Manches Cooper is a leading UK and international law firm which provides high qual- London, Oxford, Reading
ity legal advice tailored to both businesses and individuals. Today, we have UK offices in the City of Overseas offices: Madrid, Paris,
Pireaus, Singapore
London, Basingstoke, Birmingham, Cambridge, Guildford, Oxford and Reading while our growing
overseas network stretches from Asia to America through our presence in Singapore, Piraeus, Paris, Contacts
Madrid and Sao Paulo. Graduate recruiter: Helen Lewis,
020 7457 3000
Main areas of work
Application criteria
Our main areas of practice are dispute resolution, corporate and commercial, real estate, private client
Training contracts pa: circa 16
and family. We have established a strong reputation in a variety of sectors, particularly private wealth,
Applications pa: 800
shipping, technology and property. By joining forces with the partners and staff of Thomas Cooper Minimum required degree
in July 2019, we have added significant depth to our core practice. The move builds on the expansion grade: 2:1
of our litigation and arbitration offering and has introduced us to the maritime community in which Minimum UCAS points or A
Thomas Cooper has long been a key player. Among our clients we count multi-national corporations, levels: AAB
Vacation scheme places pa: 40
public companies, professional partnerships, banks and financial institutions as well as private
individuals, owner managed businesses and start-ups. Our broad international focus is supported by Dates and deadlines
well-established links with law firms throughout the world. Penningtons Manches Cooper is a member Training contract applications
of Multilaw and the European Law Group, networks with representatives in over 100 countries, and open: 1st October 2020
many of our lawyers play leading roles in various international bodies. Training contract deadlines,
2023 start: 31st July 2021
Vacation scheme applications
Training opportunities open: 1st October 2020
Penningtons Manches Cooper seeks high calibre candidates with enthusiasm, drive and resilience, Vacation scheme 2020 deadline:
good communication skills and commercial awareness. Strong academics are expected: three or more 31st January 2021
good A level passes and preferably a 2:1 or better at degree level. The firm has UK offices, giving you the
Salary and benefits
opportunity to work in or outside London. The ability to work outside London, while at the same time
First-year salary: £38,000
being part of a firm with a City presence, appeals to many of the trainees that we recruit. Whichever
Second-year salary: £40,000
office you are based in, you will be given a thorough grounding in the law, with four six-month seats Post-qualification salary: £62,000
across the firm’s divisions. Trainees get immersed in the work and culture of their own office, but come Holiday entitlement: 24 days
together with all the trainees on a regular basis and with the whole firm at sports and social events.
The firm is dedicated to delivering a varied training programme, avoiding too specialised an approach Sponsorship
LPC fees: Yes
before qualification. Penningtons Manches Cooper knows its trainees are happiest and most successful
GDL fees: No
when busy with good quality and challenging work. The value of giving its trainees responsibility and Maintenance grants pa: Yes
allowing direct contact with clients is recognised, with the knowledge that experienced solicitors are
always ready to give support when needed. International and regional
Offices with training contracts:
Vacation scheme Basingstoke, Cambridge, Lon-
don, Guildford, Oxford, Reading
The firm offers vacation scheme placements and applications are accepted from 1st October 2020 – 31st
Client secondments: Ad hoc
January 2021.
The True Picture

Other benefits
Life assurance, critical illness cover, pension, private medical insurance, minimum 24 days holiday,
interest free season ticket loan, sports and social events.

University law careers fairs 2020

We are attending virtual law fairs this year and will be at All About Laws Virtual Law fair Series from
26th October, Legal Cheeks Virtual Law fair on 10th November and BPP’s National and Regional Vir-
tual Law Fairs throughout autumn. For more information please visit our website.

492
Org ID: 322 3 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................
chambersstudent.co.uk Peters & Peters Solicitors LLP P

Peters & Peters Solicitors LLP

The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Location: London Get hired at Peters & Peters
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 12/27/4
Seats: 2x10.5 + 1x3 months
First-year salary: £40,000
Qualification salary: undisclosed

“Trainees do everything NQs do” at business crime, fraud and litigation

extraordinaire P&P.

The Firm secondment, usually to City-based employment firm CM

“We’re a specialist firm and we do what we do incredibly Murray. “It’s partly a business development secondment
well,” Peters & Peters managing partner Helen McDow- because we refer a lot of work between us,” a trainee noted.
ell begins. “If you ask people why they want to join us, the Qualification is informal by default: “The firm is trying to
work is one of our main draws.” This is not the kind of firm be more transparent about it. We know that we have to write
that offers every legal practice area under the sun and a short application form, but everyone doubts they’ll base
in fact there are just two departments: business crime, much of the decision on a nice letter.” Insiders were happy
and commercial litigation, civil fraud and asset recovery. to note “you can pretty much choose which group to qualify
“We might be small, but we really do handle the best cases into so long as you’ve done well. They want to keep people
around,” trainees declared. “The business crime group on.” The firm retained one of two qualifiers in 2020.
handles many of the largest prosecutions, so commercial
and civil litigation can be overshadowed, but we’re often
opposite magic circle firms on those cases – we really do The Seats
punch above our weight.” Some of the partners have even Trainees’ first port of call is usually the business
given evidence to Parliamentary committees on issues crime department, which handles traditional white-collar
like Brexit and extradition. crime, fraud and tax cases. Extradition orders, sanctions
issues, and Proceeds of Crime Act advice are some of the
Our sources were initially attracted to P&P by its laser- juiciest flavours here – trainees suggested “anything can
focused practice. “It was one of the first firms to do finan- pop up at any time” and every day is different. Where the
cial crime work, which I thought was really interesting,” one department once worked almost exclusively for individu-
declared. It would therefore be criminal of Chambers UK als, it’s expanded into internal investigations for corpo-
not to rank the firm top for financial crime, which it does; rate clients as regulations have become stricter. “Much
Peters also scores strong rankings for extradition, con- of our extradition work involves Interpol notices, which are
tentious regulatory financial services, POCA work and fascinating as they’re sometimes used as a political tool,”
asset forfeiture, and civil and tax fraud. Though it has just Helen McDowell tells us. “That means our lawyers have
The True Picture

the one office in London, the firm has the international to understand and analyse the context and motivation for
reach you’d expect in these practice areas. “I was drawn issuing such notices.” Representing Hermitage Capital
to the ability to travel and use my language skills,” a keen Management and its founder Bill Browder in one high-
trainee said. “Plus we’re small, so there are better career profile Interpol case, P&P helped secure dismissal of the
progression opportunities.” extradition notice brought by Russia on political grounds.
We’d recommend reading into this fascinating case if
“We might be small, but we really do you’d like to learn more about extradition law.
handle the best cases around.”
The firm is home to just 40 or so qualified lawyers and
recruits two trainees each year. They both spend ten and Seat options: business crime; commercial/civil litiga-
a half months in each department before a three-month tion; external secondment

493
 P Peters & Peters Solicitors LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Chambers UK rankings Trainee Life

Crime POCA Work & Asset
Working hours “aren’t too hectic,” a source suggested. “I’ve
Financial Crime Forfeiture been able to take stock every so often and actually learn.”
Financial Services Tax That’s fairly easy when average days run from 9.30am to
Fraud
5.30pm and trainees usually “only stay late once or twice
a year because we don’t have many tight deadlines.” This
remains consistent between the two groups.” Some peo-
ple are mad keen and work loads but we can set our own
Sources said the team let them liaise directly with clients hours,” a savvy source said. “You obviously can’t stroll in
and experts and felt they did “basically everything that at 2pm, but there’s no expectation to work late or at week-
NQs do,” albeit “with more supervision because smaller ends.” Supervision is generally hands-off: “They let us get
cases require only a trainee and a partner. We don’t just do on without breathing down our necks. I know I don’t have
loads of photocopying.” Trainees had also “been grabbed the final say on much, but I’m trusted enough to have a go.”
at a moment’s notice for a client meeting – you have no idea Relationships can “vary by fee earner: some are really good
what the case is about, but you take notes anyway and at giving us responsibilities that’ll benefit us in the long run,
pretend you know what you’re doing!” Recent cases have others just want things done and give us tasks a paralegal
ranged from representing the Hungarian national oil could do.” Trainees can track their progress via frequent
and gas company MOL, accused by Croatia of obtaining catch-ups with the training principal and a self-appraisal
a $100 million commercial advantage with a $10 million form for the midpoint and end of seats. “They’re very con-
bribe, to acting for a former Barclays senior executive in structive and a good way to keep on track,” we heard.
a Serious Fraud Office prosecution based on payments
made to a Qatari sovereign wealth fund. Trainees are un- While agreeing the trainee and NQ salary are “fair given
likely to go to court, as most cases will still be in the initial the hours,” we heard “some people still complain we don’t
stages during their time in the seat. earn as much as trainees at US firms. We often get calls
from recruiters telling us we can double our salary.” Train-
“We work across jurisdictions all over the ees told us the firm “didn’t give out much info about the
world and sometimes represent nation decision making” during the Covid-19 pandemic, and con-
cluded “transparency is a bit of an issue generally.” P&P did
states.”
accelerate bonuses as a means of helping lawyers and
Commercial litigation, civil fraud and asset recovery trainees get through potential financial hardship.
primarily deals with injunctions, search and disclosure
orders; fraud is also a large chunk of the practice. “We “What stands out the most is that people genuinely enjoy
handle lots of significant cases which have an international being around each other, in and outside of work,” trainees
element,” Helen McDowell notes. “From Africa and the said of the Peters culture. “There’s an easy-going atmos-
Middle East to Russia, we work across jurisdictions all over phere during the day, which culminates in socials everyone
the world and sometimes represent nation states.” Case attends – there’s always some sort of event lined up.” The
in point, the group recently represented the Republic of dedicated social committee organises firm-sponsored
Mozambique in $2 billion proceedings surrounding sov- drinks about four times a year, plus Christmas and sum-
ereign guarantees brought against private defendants. mer parties. Impromptu social nights are also common;
Peters also represented the Secretary of State of Health P&P also did well to maintain a close-knit atmosphere
and Social Care and the NHS Business Services Author- during the 2020 lockdown. “HR called everyone once a
ity in a £250 million+ claim against multinational pharma month to make sure we were doing okay and gave us all the
group Servier, alleging breach of EU and UK competition equipment we needed.”
rules in its sale and supply of a blood pressure-lowering
drug to the NHS. The international slant to Peters’ work means “several
The True Picture

paralegals are qualified lawyers from other jurisdictions,”

Trainees’ responsibilities in this group are “kinda similar” but trainees were critical of a lack of ethnic diversity at
to those in business crime, but typically with more court the firm. “The D&I committee meets once a quarter to push
time included: “If there’s a case on, they’ll let us go and take initiatives: we played videos on BAME history in the kitchen
notes.” The firm’s matters often involve the Middle East and had food events during Black History Month,” they re-
or the British Virgin Islands and most Peters trainees get called. More impressively, women account for 50%of the
“to travel at least once. Hardly any of our litigation only in- partnership, which you’ll struggle to say of many other
volves London.” It’s not all courtroom drama and interna- City firms.
tional travel – less scintillating desk work includes draft-
ing witness statements, applications and instructions to
counsel.

494
chambersstudent.co.uk Peters & Peters Solicitors LLP P

Downward facing trainee:

Trainees credited Head of HR Nikki Leatherland for “a
hugely increased focus on mental health: the firm now
provides mental health first-aiders, wellbeing seminars and
weekly yoga sessions.”

The True Picture

495
 www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
P Peters & Peters Solicitors LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Peters & Peters Solicitors LLP

15 Fetter Lane, London EC4A 1BW
Tel: 020 7822 7777 Twitter: @PetersandPeters Partners (and equivalent): 12
Fax: 020 7822 7788 Associates: 27
Website: www.petersandpeters.com Total trainees: 4
UK offices: London

Contacts
Firm profile Graduate recruiter:
Peters & Peters is a specialist practice best known for providing expert advice in business crime and Emily Wootton
020 7822 7777
regulation, civil fraud and commercial litigation. We act for governments, corporations, financial
[email protected]
institutions, professionals, executives and high net worth individuals. We also regularly advise
foreign regulators and international organisations. Many of our cases are high profile, complex and Application criteria
international in nature. Peters & Peters has been ranked as ‘top tier’ by the leading legal directories Training contracts pa: 2
across its practice for many years. Minimum required degree grade:
2:1
The firm prides itself on being able to provide a welcoming, supportive and collegiate environment,
exposure to high quality work and the opportunity to work with some of the most talented lawyers in Dates and deadlines
our fields of practice. Peters & Peters was also one of the first practices to develop a multi-disciplinary Training contract applications
approach to fraud cases, handling both civil and criminal proceedings, including asset recovery matters. open: September 2020

In doing so it has forged close working relationships with foreign law firms. Training contract deadline 2022
start: 31 May 2021

Main areas of work Salary and benefits

The firm’s key practice areas include anti-money laundering; anti-bribery and corruption; commercial First-year salary: £40,000
and trust litigation; competition litigation; corporate investigations, criminal antitrust (cartels); Second-year salary: £42,000
economic sanctions; extradition and mutual legal assistance; financial regulation; fraud (civil and Holiday entitlement: 25 days
criminal); HMRC inquiries and investigations; insider dealing; international asset tracing and private
Sponsorship
prosecutions.
LPC fees: Yes
GDL fees: No
Training opportunities Maintenance grant pa: No
Peters & Peters is a friendly firm, with a supportive culture and regular social and CSR activities. We
value our trainees highly and make every effort to assist them in becoming fully integrated into the firm. International and regional
Each trainee will be allocated a mentor and benefit from comprehensive training, ongoing feedback and Secondments: Yes
regular performance reviews. Our trainees sit with a partner or experienced lawyer and will have the
opportunity to get involved in all aspects of the firm’s work including client meetings, business develop-
ment activities and often international travel.
We are looking for trainees with strong academic ability, who will be able to cope with complex legal
issues and technical drafting. We recruit from a wide range of universities, taking both law and non-law
graduates who have achieved a degree at 2.1 level or above. As ours is very much a people business, can-
didates must demonstrate strong presentation and communication skills, as well as the ability to work
well in teams. Applicants should be commercially aware and demonstrate a keen interest in our work.
They will also be proactive, enthusiastic and have a sense of humour.
A career with Peters & Peters will be both exciting and challenging, but we require individuals who are
tenacious, driven and committed to taking on a steep learning curve. In return you will benefit from
early responsibility, a rewarding career, plenty of support and the opportunity to carry out high qual-
The True Picture

ity and stimulating legal work. As a trainee you will spend time within our two departments (business
crime and commercial litigation/civil fraud) and will also have the opportunity to experience a different
area of law through an external secondment. The firm deliberately has a small trainee intake to ensure
quality training, exposure to a wide range of practice areas and to maintain our excellent trainee reten-
tion rates.

Other benefits
25 days holiday, pension scheme, BUPA private medical insurance, life assurance, interest free season
ticket loan, employee assistance programme and subsidised health club membership.

496
Org ID: 326 2 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................
chambersstudent.co.uk Pinsent Masons P

Pinsent Masons
The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Locations: London, Birmingham, Leeds, Manchester, Scot- How to get into Pinsent Masons
land, Northern Ireland
Overseas offices: 17 Interview with senior partner Rich-
UK partners/solicitors/trainees:335/1,152/138 ard Foley
Seats: 4x6 months; client secondments
First-year salary: £27,000 (£41,000 London)
Qualification salary: £44,000 (£72,500 London)

Pinsent Masons has plenty of authority in the British legal landscape, but
trainees say it’s “as non-hierarchical as firms get.”

The Firm ness, from our strategy down, with the reasons we believe
Pinsent Masons has a jumbo presence in the UK: it’s got we exist, i.e. to champion change, to promote progress and
around 1,650 lawyers, eight offices from London up to to make business work better.” He goes on to say this in-
Aberdeen, and over 130 Chambers UK rankings (over 50 cludes “being vocal about using technology and process
of which are top-tier). And it’s not all about our fair isle. to deliver legal services and about the importance of diver-
Pinsent has 16 more overseas offices, serving Europe, Af- sity and inclusion, because those are the things that drive
rica, the Middle East and the Asia-Pacific region. Cham- the changes that will help us to deliver better services to
bers Global bestows it with no fewer than 30 rankings, clients.” Some of our interviewees were indeed attracted
and it’s one of just two firms with a top worldwide rank- to the firm’s efforts to “look for a diverse workforce.” We
ing in construction – an area of particular strength for the heard “a lot of people here have had career changes – not
firm. everyone is 22 years old.” Out of Pinsent’s 140 or so train-
ees on our list, around two-thirds were based in the four
Given this sheer enormity, trainees were surprised to find English offices: more than 40 in London, 20 in Birming-
a “personal” feel to the application process: “In the inter- ham, and around 15 apiece in Leeds and Manchester.
view they asked me questions like, ‘Who in your family do
you admire?’” But before you wax lyrical about Aunt Di-
ane’s unparalleled baked goods and her subsequent Ins- The Seats
tagram fame, consider this. Senior partner Richard Foley Trainees rank their seat choices before each rotation,
points out that 90% of the firm’s revenue comes from and as is the case with many firms, “there’s no guarantee
clients in five sectors: financial services, infrastructure, you’ll get your first choice.” But it’s also often the case that
energy, real estate, and technology and science. Pinsent trainees who may initially have been “a bit miffed” with
picks up Chambers UK rankings in all of these areas, win- their seat placement ultimately ended up enjoying their
ning top accolades in and outside London for construc- experience. There aren’t any international secondment
The True Picture

tion and planning work particularly. Outside the capital, opportunities, “but there’s a good list of secondments to
Pinsent is considered a national leader in banking and our UK clients.” Client secondments are run on a case-
finance, corporate/M&A, litigation, real estate, real estate
litigation, employment, pensions, IT, and IP. For a full list
of rankings go to chambers.com. Seat options: banking and restructuring; pensions; pro-
jects; property development and investment; property
“A lot of people here have had career planning and environment; energy and infrastructure;
changes – not everyone is 22 years old.” property disputes; construction advisory and disputes;
IP; litigation and regulatory; commercial; corporate; tax;
“A huge area of our focus over the past 18 months has employment; EU and competition. London only: finan-
been formulating our ‘purpose-led’ strategy,” Foley tells cial regulation; insurance; contentious tax; technology,
us. “That has been about aligning the whole of our busi- media and telecoms

497
 P Pinsent Masons chambersstudent.co.uk

Chambers UK rankings struction, the firm recently represented a consortium of

Banking & Finance Life Sciences
contractors in a £25 million dispute concerning the de-
Banking Litigation Litigation
sign of the Mersey Gateway Bridge between Runcorn
Capital Markets Local Government
and Widnes in Cheshire. Trainees in this seat are likely
Commercial Contracts Outsourcing
to work on adjudications, “which are really interesting.”
Competition/European Law Parliamentary &
Standard tasks included bundling and pulling exhibits
Construction Public Affairs together, “but I also got to draft big parts of witness state-
Corporate/M&A Pensions ments which are extremely technical – one was over 200
Data Protection Pensions Litigation pages long!”
Defamation/Reputation Planning

Management Private Equity The property development and investment team handles
Education Product Liability some big transactions, such as the £150 million acquisi-
Employment Professional Negligence tion of an Aparthotel for Aviva Investors. The firm also
Energy & Natural Projects does work in the residential property space – it recent-
Resources Public Procurement ly advised Guildford Borough Council on a residential
Environment Real Estate scheme of 1,500 new homes, for example.Trainees report-
Financial Crime Real Estate Finance ed handling matters start to finish: “As soon as the instruc-
Financial Services Real Estate Litigation tions come in you open the file, negotiate the documents,
Fraud Restructuring/Insolvency keep in contact with the client, and close the file.” Sounds a
Health & Safety Retail bit daunting to us, and trainees acknowledged this one is
Healthcare Shipping “easier to do as a third seat because it has by far the most
Hotels & Leisure Social Housing responsibility.” Trainees were also responsible for draft-
Information Technology Sports Law ing documents and producing lease reports – “I reviewed
Infrastructure Tax 180 for one project!” Property folks also “have links with
Insurance Telecommunications the projects team,” which handles a lot of lease agree-
Intellectual Property Transport ments. Sources said these are “a lot more complicated so
Licensing trainees can’t run them alone, but it’s really interesting to
be involved in.”

by-case basis. Trainees might also do a seat in a different Over in property litigation, trainees described two work-
office to the one they join. streams: disputes and asset management. The latter
involved serving statutory notices of dilapidations, and
“Big infrastructure projects like airports.” trainees reported “lots of contact” with clients’ agents,
“which are usually surveyors or asset managers.” The dis-
Work in projects, construction and engineering is split putes here aren’t usually too dramatic; “it’s more about
into two branches: construction and real estate projects. disputed cost.” For trainees that means a fair amount of
The construction arm involves “big infrastructure projects bundling. Pinsent recently brought a ‘right to light’ claim
like airports.” Case in point, Heathrow Airport is a client for RR Wing Portfolio, which is challenging the construc-
of the firm, and Pinsent recently advised Vinci Construc- tion of a 37-storey student accommodation development
tion Grands Projects on an engineering, procurement in Leeds.
and construction contract for the Nikolai Tesla Airport in
Belgrade. Real estate projects encompass hotel develop- Trainees may sit with planning, energy, environment
ments and student accommodation – the firm recently and infrastructure. The planning team recently advised
advised three universities (York, Leicester and Brighton) Land and Lakes on its £120 million development on the
on multimillion-pound student accommodation projects. Isle of Anglesey and is also advising Heathrow Airport on
The True Picture

Trainees were called on to do any research required at its £17.6 billion expansion project to develop a third run-
the start of a project, and project management was an- way. On the energy and environment side, the firm works
other key task: “We have an overview of what’s happening, with clients in the oil and gas, renewables and nuclear
so if partners come to you with a question you can answer power industries. The firm recently acted for Total on
it immediately.” Trainees also got client interaction: “They the £635 million sale of ten oil and gas fields to Petro-
email me their questions directly without CC-ing my super- gas. This is a standalone team, butthe group also “does a
visor.” lot of due diligence to support the property and corporate
teams.” Interviewees noted that they did “mainly planning
Construction disputes may be “a bit of an alien concept work” rather than energy, environment or infrastructure,
at first,” but trainees can get up to speed with 40-odd and reported “a really good mix” of contentious and non-
training videos (that’s one way to kill time in lockdown).To contentious work. Trainees drafted objection letters and
give an example of contentious topics in the world of con- attended planning inquiries – “it was really good to see one

498
chambersstudent.co.uk Pinsent Masons P

in action!” They also got stuck into research, which “was At the time of our interviews, sources observed “a lot of
cool to be involved in because it was directed at drafting promotions go to women” – half of the firm’s 2019 partner-
planning legislation for another country.” Newbies here ship promotions were women; in the 2020 class eight of
grappled with “tricky concepts” and were “expected to get 13 were men. Trainees did draw attention to a “lack of
up to speed quickly, but everyone is happy to spend time ethnic diversity – all the UK trainees were sat in a room re-
walking you through.” cently and only five out of 140-odd were ethnically diverse,
which made me uncomfortable.” The firm’s race and eth-
“If I’m working late, the whole team is nicity initiative SUN was established in 2018 to identify
working late, and we go out to celebrate and respond to the obstacles ethnically diverse people
face in recruitment and career progression. On the LG-
when the deal is complete.”
BTQ+ front, the firm was named the most inclusive UK
Trainees in corporate reckoned they “spent less time at employer by Stonewall in 2019. The firm has several di-
the printer than friends” in this seat at other firms. Still, versity networks lawyers and trainees can join, includ-
they’re not the ones running negotiations: rookies are re- ing a mental health group. Pinsent Mason-ers can also
sponsible for managing the due diligence process, run- get involved in their community through the firm’s CSR
ning data rooms and “making sure the external specialists programme: Starfish. As well as helping high school stu-
keep to deadlines.” A recent highlight saw the firm advise dents with reading and maths, trainees can assist home-
the Zurich Assurance on the £15 billion sale of its UK pen- less people with job applications through its partnership
sions business. It also advised Kids Planet Day Nurseries with Buses 4 Homeless.
on the acquisition of several nurseries. A London trainee
pointed out that not all clients are based in the capital, “The partners are always up for a pool
“so we don’t have many physical meetings, but I was usu- night.”
ally invited to join client calls.” This seat is a firm favourite
among newbies “because in every transaction you learn When it came to socialising, trainees reported office-
about a business you don’t know and their quirks are inter- wide socials like gin tasting. “You don’t have to be the big-
esting.” Others were pleased that “it’s always a team effort, gest drinker though,” they clarified. “They cater for every-
so if I’m working late, the whole team is working late, and one.” Trainees were disappointed “there’s nothing for us in
we go out to celebrate when the deal is complete.” the budget” for trainee-specific socials, but each office
has its own social committee with money set aside for
events.Given the size of the firm, the social life varied by
Trainee Life team. On a smaller team in the London office, “the only
Corporate and construction disputes were said to have time we socialised was if someone was leaving,” whereas
the longest hours, “but I’ve never pulled a literal all-night- other groups “do drinks all the time.” In Manchester, “the
er.” The latest clock out we heard among sources was partners are always up for a pool night” – that’s the sport by
3am, but a second-year reckoned their average finish- the way, before you get your swim gear out.
ing time was no later than 7pm. Trainees said there isn’t
a culture of staying “until everyone else leaves – if I need Across interviews, trainees praised their supervisors:
to leave at 6pm for a gym class, no one is going to tell me “They’re really good at protecting trainees against how
I have to stay on the off-chance someone needs me.” The some people might want to use them.” Even if your supervi-
firm’s ‘Dress For Your Day’ dress code means they can sor isn’t around, “not once have I been scared to ask some-
go straight from the office to the gym without an outfit one senior if I didn’t know what I was doing.” On this note,
change: “I wore a tracksuit to the office the other day. So trainees said Pinsent is “as non-hierarchical as firms get.”
long as you don’t have client meetings, you can dress how They felt the office setup lends itself well to a flat hierar-
you want.” chy. In London, “it’s all open plan so the partners don’t sit
separately from us.” A hot-desking system means “you get
The True Picture

Interviewees did point out that “teams can be really lean, exposure to lots of different people – every day if you want.”
with just a partner and trainee, because lawyers tend to The firms tells us all offices are moving to an open plan
drop off around the two-year-qualified mark.” They specu- and hot-desking setup. When it came to remote work-
lated that this might be because “the hours creep up but ing, “nobody actually worked from home until Covid-19 hit.”
the wages don’t.” Trainees start on £27,000 (£41,000 in Speaking of which, interviewees were pleased when a
London) rising to £44,000 (£72,500 in London) on quali- WhatsApp group was set up for associates and trainees:
fication. Speaking of which, trainees approaching qualifi- “I always had people reaching out to make sure I was okay.”
cation can apply to two different groups, as well as differ-
ent offices. In 2020, the firm retained 57 of 72 qualifiers.

499
 P www.chambersstudent.co.uk
P insent Masons chambersstudent.co.uk
A-Z of Law Firms

Pinsent Masons LLP

30 Crown Place, Earl Street, London EC2A 4ES
Email: [email protected] Facebook: PMGrads Partners: c. 480
Website: pinsentmasons.com/graduate Twitter: @PMgrads Associates: c. 1550
Instagram: @pm_grads Trainees: c. 180
UK offices: London, Aberdeen,
Belfast, Birmingham, Edinburgh,
Firm profile
Glasgow, Leeds and Manchester
At Pinsent Masons we are a purpose-led professional services business with law at its core. We recognise Overseas offices: Dublin, Madrid,
that our clients rarely have legal problems; they have commercial challenges and opportunities. That’s Munich, Dusseldorf, Paris, Hong
why we combine legal expertise with a wide range of complementary professional disciplines - enabled Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, Singa-
by process and technology – to address our clients’ most pressing needs. With over 480 partners and pore, Doha, Dubai, Johannes-
burg, Sydney, Perth, Frankfurt,
more than 3000 people operating globally from 25 offices around the world, our people champion Riyadh and Melbourne
change, promote progress and enable everyone to make business work better for people. 
Contacts
Main areas of work Graduate recruiter:
At Pinsent Masons we believe that if we do business in the right way and for the right reasons, success The Graduate Team
will flow from that. Some highlights from the last year include: [email protected]

• Launching the Mindful Business Charter with Barclays and Addleshaw Goddard. Over 50 organ- Application criteria
isations have now signed up Training contracts pa: 68
• Proud to be the highest ranked law firm on the Stonewall Workplace Equality Index 2020 Applications pa: 1500+
• Being ranked as a Times top 50 employer for women Minimum required degree grade:
2:1 or other
Training opportunities Minimum UCAS points: 300+
UCAS points
The two-year training contract comprises four six-month seats, spent in four different practice groups,
Vacation scheme places pa: 100
and combines regulatory and skills training. Seat allocations take account of trainees’ preferences and
aim to strike a balance between their choices and the firm’s requirements. In each seat trainees will be Dates and deadlines
supervised by a senior colleague who will guide them through their learning and development. There is Training contract applications
also full support from Pinsent Masons’ Graduate Development team who will meet trainees regularly open: October 2020
Training contract deadlines,
to discuss their on-going performance.
2023 start: May 2021
Vacation scheme applications
Vacation scheme open: October 2020
Over the course of a number of weeks, attendees will be fully immersed in all aspects of working life at Vacation scheme 2020 deadline:
Pinsent Masons. We design, structure and develop the placement programme to give you an experience December 2020
which is practical and enjoyable whilst authentically reflecting the Trainee Solicitor experience. Open day deadline: Please
check website
Working alongside trainees and qualified solicitors on real client projects, you’ll enjoy structured work-
based learning, skills training and presentations.The programme is available across all of our UK offices Salary and benefits
— with placements available in London, Aberdeen, Belfast, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds First-year salary: London
and Manchester. We typically recruit around 60-70% of our trainee solicitors through this programme, - £41,000, English regions -
but acknowledge that not everyone can undertake a placement and fill a number of Training Contract £27,000, Scotland - £24,000,
Belfast - £17,500
placements directly.
Second-year salary:
London - £44,000, English
Other benefits regions - £30,000, Scotland -
Private medical insurance; pension; life assurance; childcare vouchers; dental insurance; gourmet £27,000, Belfast - £18,500
Post-qualification salary: London
society and/or taste card; travel insurance; employee offers- discount website on a variety of providers
The True Picture

- £72,500, English regions -

and services; various social and sports clubs. £44,000, Scotland - £43,500,
Belfast - £30,000
Insight evenings Holiday entitlement: 25 days
Details of the dates and deadlines for the firm’s events are available online. Pinsent Masons’ events are
Sponsorship
open to all law and non-law students.
LPC fees: Yes
GDL fees: Yes
University law careers fairs 2020 Maintenance grants pa: Yes
Please find all details on our website.

500
Org ID: 31 4 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................
chambersstudent.co.uk Reed Smith LLP R

Reed Smith LLP

The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Locations: London, Leeds How to get into Reed Smith
Overseas offices: 30
Pro bono at Reed Smith
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 115/206/50
First-year salary: £45,000 Compensation at Reed Smith
Qualification salary: £90,000

You won’t be caught in the reeds at this US export: trainees get into the
depths of “market-leading deals” in a firm that’s still “got a human touch.”

The Firm The Seats

It may be headquartered in Pittsburgh and boast 30 of- Seat allocation has “definitely improved” since the arrival
fices across globe, but London is actually Reed Smith’s of a new trainee development officer in 2019. Trainees
biggest office, with the City’s Broadgate Tower housing previously gave four seat choices without any form of
no fewer than 380 of its lawyers. Internationally, Reed discussion with HR, but now get to meet with HR after
Smith shines when it comes to its shipping expertise submitting their (unranked) preferences. Some felt that
(both on financing and litigation fronts), which is ranked “it’s more personal now and you can tell they take our pref-
by Chambers Global in various jurisdictions but most no- erences into account,” while others were of the opinion
tably in the Asia-Pacific region. Other strengths from its that “you still don’t get much input, so it’s a mildly opaque
US roots include insurance, healthcare, corporate M&A, process.” Every incoming first-seater must indicate four
private equity and bankruptcy/restructuring. Many of seat and four (ranked) secondment preferences, but this
these areas are prominent in the London office too, and it is optional for their following seats. International second-
comes as no surprise to find RS rated as one of the best ments to offices in New York, Athens, Singapore and
in the UK for its insurance, shipping and commodities Dubai are offered every six months, plus a handful of cli-
work. The office is ranked for many of the typical big City ent options like stints at Shell and Barclays.
practices too (like banking, corporate, litigation and real
estate), but is particularly commended for its work in the Transport is “an excellent place to start for a first-seater,”
media & entertainment space, especially when it comes an insider suggested, given the high volume of client con-
to the music, film, TV and gaming industries. tact and the partners’ dedication to showing newbies the
ropes: “The volume and variety of work means that your
When speaking with our US sister guide Chambers Asso- legal skills will progress more than they might in another
ciate in 2019, firmwide managing partner Sandy Thomas practice area.” This department used to be called ‘ship-
told us that the firm will continue to grow in line with cli- ping’ but underwent a name change in 2019 as it covers
ent demand, but that growth won’t come at the expense both shipping and aviation matters (though seafaring af-
of RS’ employees’ wellbeing: “That’s at the front and cen- fairs form the bulk of the practice). The shipping portion
The True Picture

tre of our strategic development. We handle really impor- deals with both ‘wet’ and ‘dry’ matters. Wet shipping usu-
tant issues for others, which often involve a lot of conflict. ally involves things that happen at sea, like vessel colli-
There are some stresses we can’t eliminate, but others we sions and pollution issues, while dry shipping covers the
can.” For our trainee sources, it was this kind of culture contractual elements (like a charter party), though both
and atmosphere that won out when it came to making strands have disputes elements. We assume their names
their decision on where to train. Interviewees were keen are ‘wet’ and ‘dry’ because the sea is wet and contracts
to flag that despite the assumptions people make about are dry (joke!).
US firms, “it’s not full of Type A people,” with this trainee
declaring: “I’m not cut out for a cut-throat firm!” Another Seat options: energy and natural resources; entertain-
explained that “it’s not a caricature firm where it’s all bill, ment and media; European corporate; financial industry
bill, bill and everyone’s angry all the time.” Phew. group; global commercial disputes; IP, tech and data;
labour and employment; real estate; transportation; tax

501
 R Reed Smith LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Chambers UK rankings aspect of planning advocacy but weren’t too keen on “the
Asset Finance Fraud
large amount of paperwork when you’re amending deeds
Banking & Finance Information Technology
and leases” on the transactional side. A lot of the work is
Banking Litigation Insurance
precedent-based so there’s plenty of drafting practice to
Capital Markets Intellectual Property
be had, plus a high amount of client contact: “I ran mat-
Commodities International Arbitration
ters from start to finish and arranged the billing too – you
Construction Litigation
get lots of responsibility early on.” The team generally gets
Corporate/M&A Media & Entertainment
involved in all sorts of development and portfolio deals
Data Protection Pensions
worth over £100 million. Clients here include asset man-
Employment Real Estate
agement firm Oaktree Capital Management, the Daily
Environment Real Estate Finance
Mail & General Holdings, and engineering company Arup.
Financial Services Shipping
The department recently advised private equity outfit
Reuben Brothers on a £200 million development project
in Newcastle and investor Alpha Real Capital on a deal
“The arrests were the most exciting part that established ground rents across its £1 billion portfo-
lio of London hotels.
because I got to work with foreign lawyers
on high-speed and very commercial “I ran matters from start to finish and
issues.” arranged the billing too – you get lots of
responsibility early on.”
Trainees work in either the transport litigation or asset
finance sub-groups. Litigious work on the wet side in- Oddly enough, the financial industry group also does
volved researching different areas of shipping law, man- a fair bit with investors. For instance: the London office
aging hefty disclosure exercises and assisting on various recently contributed to a 40-person-strong team of RS
international vessel arrests: “The arrests were the most lawyers across Europe, Asia and South America that
exciting part because I got to work with foreign lawyers on represented a global investment management firm dur-
high-speed and very commercial issues.” On the finance ing the securitisation of a €535 million loan portfolio
side, “the team deals with client bids on non-performing secured by shipping vessels, real estate and wind parks
loans, so trainees do the due diligence and project manage- (some of which were subject to international enforce-
ment, which involves navigating big Excel spreadsheets.” ment proceedings). Crikey. Some trainees worked in the
The finance folks gave fewer positive reviews than their structured financesub-group, where they managed con-
litigation counterparts, citing low levels of client contact ditions precedent (CP) checklists and drafted documents
and an admin-heavy role. Long hours are to be expected for wider securities transactions. It’s reportedly a great
here, but at the same time “the team does some very im- seat training-wise: “My supervisor would draw out the
pressive market-leading deals. The commitment to the job structure of a deal on a whiteboard to show me where each
that the associates and partners showed was eye-opening.” agreement went in the deal and went through everything
All the big financial institutions appear on the client ros- clause by clause so I knew what I was doing.” Even though
ter, like Deutsche Bank, Bank of America Merrill Lynch it’s a technical area of law, trainees enjoyed the seat “be-
and HSBC, plus key industry players like shipowner Gard, cause you’re really encouraged to ask questions, and late
specialist marine insurer Standard Club and emergency nights are easier when you’re surrounded by lovely people!”
management company Ardent. The team recently rep- That said, 11pm finishes are few and far between, thank-
resented Donjon-SMIT OPA-90 (a marine salvage and fully. Although some “mindless doc review” is par for the
casualty responder) in a wreck removal matter after the course, rookies enjoyed liaising with internal teams and
‘Golden Ray’ vehicle carrier capsized near the Port of external counsel on bids for non-performing loan portfo-
Brunswick in the US. lios, and getting the responsibility to run matters, “which
The True Picture

showed the trust and confidence the team had in me.”

Those in real estate unanimously agreed it was a good
place to start “because the hours are generally very con- There’s less responsibility on offer over in labour & em-
sistent, so it gives you time to ease into your training con- ployment, according to sources, who put this down to the
tract and form relationships.” (Most people rock up at fact it involves high-value and complex issues. Rookies
9am and clock off around 7.30pm, we heard.) It’s a “very experience both the litigious and transactional elements
chill” group, so sources felt comfortable asking ques- of employment so it’s “a very varied seat with a range of
tions. Trainees typically end up working on both trans- tasks.” Trainees are expected to handle bundling, draft
actional and litigious matters. The former involves draft- settlement agreements and take notes at hearings on
ing lower-value leases and licences and managing data the contentious front. Whatever they were doing, sources
sites, while the contentious arm is, unsurprisingly, “very found the subject matter more engaging than it can be in
adversarial.” Interviewees enjoyed the problem-solving other seats and “received great one-to-one training from

502
chambersstudent.co.uk Reed Smith LLP R

the partner-supervisor.” This combo made the department pro bono mater: “We’re an unusually multi-lingual intake:
a target for qualification for some interviewees. The most half of us are non-English.”
exciting part of the seat was said to be attending tribu-
nals: “It was good to see how things work in practice and
being able to meet clients and listen to them every day.” Trainee Life
Given its cross-border capabilities, the firm has recently Interviewees tended to agree with this assessment of
assisted Netflix and Alibaba with the employment ele- the support available at RS: “Throughout every seat, I felt
ments of their respective international expansions. Other like the higher-up lawyers looked out for me like parents
clients include Channel Four, PwC, Microsoft and the do. Even though partners don’t have much spare time, they
Royal Bank of Scotland. Trainees were pleased with this want us to think they do. In a nice way!” Trainees were
team’s relaxed start time and consistency (sources would pleased to have regular catch-ups with their supervisors
typically know how their week would look in advance), al- but at the same time didn’t feel micro-managed. “They
though the day wouldn’t usually end until 9pm. don’t have to be about work,” said one source about their
supervisor chats. “I actually talk to mine about everything
Reed Smith’s global commercial disputes team covers except work!” RS’ London managing partner, Andrew Jen-
a hefty mix of finance, insurance, white-collar crime and kinson, also got a shout-out: “The way he leads the firm is
media disputes, as well as public inquiries and interna- inspiring. He creates such an open and warm atmosphere–
tional arbitration matters (on both the commercial and which I didn’t think was possible in private practice– by
investor-state side). Trainees can experience all of these doing things like bringing his husband to events.” As to
areas or opt to focus on just one. Insiders pointed out preserving good mental health, the firm has a ‘Wellness
that not many City firms handle international arbitration, Works’ programme which includes mindfulness events
“so I got a unique insight into something which is essen- and initiatives to encourage healthy living.
tially its own body of law, plus there were loads of different
procedures to learn, which was interesting.” This branch “In the main people stay positive – even
attracts several industry-leading clients, like Shell, min- when the stresses of the job are at their
ing company Vale and specialist protection & indemnity
most acute.”
(P&I) insurer Steamship Mutual Insurance. The group re-
cently represented a consortium of defendants – includ- The diversity and inclusion groups play quite a large part
ing Ukrainian oligarchs – in a $1 billion dispute concern- in the social life at RS; examples trainees talked about
ing Crimea-based assets and allegations of conspiracy included a breakfast seminar to celebrate Chinese New
(among others) arising from the sale of major steel cor- Year and a talk about transgender issues in the work-
poration, Industrial Union of Donbass – one of the largest place. The firm also curated videos of RS people cooking
transactions in Ukrainian history. their favourite recipes to celebrate Diversity Month. Inter-
viewees ranked the firm highly for its D&I efforts overall:
We’re told that the public inquiry side involves associate- “Lots of my peers joined the firm because they were so im-
level work: “I reviewed literally thousands of documents pressed with the visibility we have,” said one, while another
to find evidence that helped our client and helped frame added that “there’s a lot of open conversation around top-
our arguments, which was exciting!” Although “there’s a ics like religious observations; trainees spoke about their
lot of responsibility for someone fresh out of law school,” experiences of Ramadan during lockdown and wrote blogs
trainees are also expected to handle the “standard, boring about Eid that were circulated throughout the firm.” RS re-
tasks” like bundling, “which is possibly the worst thing in cently made the employee handbook gender-neutral too.
the world. You can’t get away from it, so I don’t want to be
a litigator anytime soon!” said a more transactional-orient- There are still a few impromptu gatherings within teams
ed source. Despite this, “the team lets you take on more though, lockdowns permitting. For example: “Asset fi-
and more responsibility, so by the end of the seat you get nance has long hours, so every so often people would say,
The True Picture

more drafting work and take control of trial prep.” Sources ‘I’ve had enough, let’s go to the pub!’ One day in the summer
scored this seat highly for enabling them to develop their the cricket was being shown in Broadgate Circle, so we got
legal skills but revealed that partner and client contact is a beer and watched a bit of it, which was lovely and quite
few and far between and that the hours can be long: on different to reviewing loan docs or whatever we were do-
occasion sources had worked until 4am. At the same time, ing!” All of this was felt to produce a culture with “very lit-
multi-lingual trainees were pleased they got to make use tle judgement or negativity. In the main people stay positive
of their language skills by translating documents. In fact, – even when the stresses of the job are at their most acute.”
RS has a database of its trainees and lawyers who speak
a foreign language in case they’re needed on a billable or

503
 R Reed Smith LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Enough room at the inn:

The NQ process varies depending on the group trainees
want to qualify into: some groups set case studies, some
do multiple interview rounds, and some don’t interview at
all: “There are always enough jobs because we’re a relatively
small intake. They want to retain as many people as possible.”
In 2020, 19 of 26 qualifiers were retained.
The True Picture

504
www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
chambersstudent.co.uk Reed Smith LLP R

Reed Smith
The Broadgate Tower, 20 Primrose Street, London EC2A 2RS
Tel: 020 3116 3000 Fax: 020 3116 3999 Twitter: @reedsmithllp Partners: 116*
Email: [email protected] Linkedin: reed-smith-llp Fee-earners: 256* (excluding
Website: www.reedsmith.com Facebook: reedsmithgraduatesuk partners, but including trainees)
Total trainees: 52
Firm profile * denotes UK figures
Reed Smith is a dynamic international law firm dedicated to helping clients move their businesses UK offices: London
forward. Our belief is that by delivering smarter and more creative legal services, we will not only enrich Overseas offices: Abu Dhabi,
our clients’ experiences with us, but also support them in achieving their business goals. Our long- Athens, Beijing, Century
City, Chicago, Dallas, Dubai,
standing relationships, international outlook, and collaborative structure makes us the go-to partner for
Frankfurt, Hong Kong, Houston,
the speedy resolution of complex disputes, transactions, and regulatory matters. Kazakhstan, Los Angeles,
Miami, Munich, New York,
Main areas of work Paris, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh,
Our practice groups include: commercial disputes, energy and natural resources, entertainment and Princeton, Richmond, San
media, finance, real estate and transportation. Our lawyers work with some of the most innovative Francisco, Shanghai, Silicon
Valley, Singapore, Tysons,
organisations in the world — from multi-billion dollar Silicon Valley giants to national banks. We have
Washington DC, Wilmington.
even represented some of the biggest pop stars on the planet.
Contacts
Training opportunities Graduate recruiter: Holly Allen
Ambitious and entrepreneurial graduates are rewarded at Reed Smith with a training programme that Graduate Recruitment Manager
is supportive, challenging and exciting, offering unparalleled client and international secondments. Our graduate.recruitment@reedsmith.
unique culture, which allows trainees to turn passions into careers, is one of the reasons our lawyers com
remain with us for such a long time, moving seats, jobs roles and even countries, but sticking with the Application criteria
firm. Training contracts pa: 25
We offer stimulating work in an informative, challenging and busy environment where your contribu- Applications pa: 1,500
tion counts from the year before you join, with our unique LPC/LLM programme, through to the end Minimum required degree grade:
of your training contract. With four seats over two years, you choose the practice or industry group 2:1

areas you would like to experience, as well as benefiting from a client or international secondment. Our Vacation scheme places pa:
20-22
intake per year is 25, meaning that at any given time, we will have 50 trainees in total. At Reed Smith, we
encourage all trainees to partake in either a client or international secondment. There are a number of Dates and deadlines
benefits we feel our trainees gain from doing so, including building commercial awareness and gaining Training contract applications
knowledge of our clients, our industries and our business. There is a remarkable choice of secondments open: TBC*
available for trainees. There are vacancies for training contracts commencing in February 2021 and Training contract deadline, 2023
beyond, which you can apply for via a Vacation Scheme. start: TBC*
Vacation scheme applications
Vacation placements open: TBC*
Our winter and summer vacation schemes offer students the opportunity to gain a strong insight into Vacation scheme 2021 deadline:
life at Reed Smith, as well as providing a solid account of the type of work encountered as a trainee. The TBC*
winter vacation scheme lasts one week and gives the students the chance to experience one seat, and *please check the website

the summer vacation schemes last two weeks, letting them try two seats. Alongside their seats, students Salary and benefits
will have the opportunity to attend various sessions to improve their legal and business skills. These First-year salary: £45,000
include a pro bono exercise and a variety of workshops, covering topics such as cultural intelligence, Second-year salary: £49,000
presentation skills, and business development. These sessions, alongside feedback from the seats, will Post-qualification salary: £90,000
allow the Graduate Recruitment Team and other people from across the business to assess the students Holiday entitlement: 25 days
suitability for becoming a Reed Smith Trainee. Additionally, throughout the vacation scheme, the
The True Picture

Sponsorship
attendees will get to experience the real culture of our firm through informal, relaxed socials alongside
LPC fees: Yes
our trainees.
GDL fees: Yes
Other benefits Maintenance grant pa:
In addition to a competitive salary (for 2020, not less than £45,000 pa in London), our trainee solicitor GDL: £6,000 LPC: £7,000
benefits package includes: 25 days’ annual holiday, cycle to work scheme, subsidised cafeteria, discount-
International and regional
ed gym membership, permanent health insurance, dental insurance, season ticket loan and much more. Overseas seats: Dubai, Singapore,
Athens, Paris
Open days and first-year opportunities
Client secondments: Yes
Undergraduate open days: Applications will open October 2020.
University law careers fairs 2020
We will be hosting and attending a mix of events in partnership with universities and societies.

Org ID: 66079 2 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................505

 R Ropes & Gray chambersstudent.co.uk

Ropes & Gray

The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Location: London Get hired by Ropes & Gray
Overseas offices: 10
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 24/85/12
Seats: 4x6 months; overseas seat in Hong Kong; ad hoc
secondments
First-year salary: £50,000
Qualification salary: £130,000

This “lean, mean private equity machine” and finance fiend is celebrating
ten years in London.

The Firm intake size combined with an “entrepreneurial atmos-

It may feel as though several centuries have passed since phere” made trainees feel “part of the firm’s business de-
2010, but it was a mere decade ago that Ropes & Gray velopment.” For example, “you can just chat with the man-
set up shop in little old London. “It still feels new, dynamic aging partner about business and suggest ideas.”
and exciting,” said trainees, but “we’ve now established
our foundations in the market.” Finance and funds are key
strands of work, but trainees singled out private equity The Seats
as the office’s “central core,” with one declaring: “We’re a Trainees usually submit their seat preferences in a “five
lean, mean private equity machine!” Private equity is a ma- to ten-minute informal chat with HR,” but one guarantee
jor focus for Ropes & Gray worldwide (the firm is highly is that everyone will sit in private equity at least once –”
ranked in Chambers Global), so a word of advice: “If private maybe twice!” The team is known for its buyout capabili-
equity doesn’t interest you in any way, don’t apply!” ties, handling mid-market deals all the way up to “massive
deals with huge clients” like TPG Capital. Trainees saw a
Trainees were tuned in to “the prestige that comes from lot of work with clients in the healthcare space –for exam-
the Ropes & Gray name, which is so big in the US,” espe- ple, it recently advised Baring Private Equity Asia on its
cially in its native city, Boston. Sources felt the London $1 billion acquisition of medical device maker Lumenis.
office “leverages that prestige while setting our own direc- “The standard of work we’re exposed to is wonderfully ex-
tion – we’re not a satellite office.” According to trainee re- citing and very complex,” enthusiasts told us. On the larger
cruitment partner Ruchit Patel, the firm expects to grow deals, trainees are “a long way down the pecking order
its asset management, restructuring and antitrust in the doing process-driven stuff,” but on smaller transactions,
next few years. He adds: “We’re attacking the elite financ- “they let us get our hands on a lot – at times you’re treated
ing work, elite private equity mandates, and elite work for like an NQ.” As well as conducting “strange and bespoke
strategic firms – all work that should provide trainees with research tasks,” trainees got to draft minor transactional
The True Picture

a rich and rewarding experience.” Currently, Chambers UK documents.

notes the firm’s high-end private equity capabilities na-
tionwide, as well as its mid-market banking and finance, The fiance team works on multibillion-dollar transactions
high-yield capital markets, and corporate financial crime in sectors such as energy, healthcare and tech for “big
work in London. dogs” like Virgin Media, which the firm recently advised
on a $4 billion loan and refinancing. Trainees described
“Entrepreneurial atmosphere.” three “reasonably distinct” strands of work. The first is
high-yield bond transactions “that come directly from the
Ruchit Patel continues that as the firm grows, so will the
intake size. “Historically we’ve taken about six or seven Seat options: finance; private equity; real estate; asset
trainees a year,” he says. “Looking forward, we’re thinking management; litigation & enforcement; data practice;
the intake will be close to ten or more.” The firm’s current antitrust; tax

506
chambersstudent.co.uk Ropes & Gray R
Chambers UK rankings don’t have to fit into an archaic machine. It’s less hierarchi-
Banking & Finance Financial Crime
cal and more inclusive.” Trainees were “proud” to see a lot
Capital Markets Private Equity
of women partners in the London office – the latest data
from the firm shows that 46% of partners in London are
women. We also heard that the firm has placed a lot of
US.” Second, “if a private equity client has a big acquisi- emphasis on work related to Black Lives Matter in recent
tion, we’ll do all the financing work.” And finally, there’s the months.
“pure, big-ticket” finance matters that partners bring in
directly. Working on big deals was “exhilarating” for train- During lockdown, some interviewees appreciated “team
ees, “as you feel really involved. Even unglamorous tasks bonding sessions via Zoom every evening.” One felt it re-
are valued!” These might include looking after checklists, flected the overall culture of “making sure people don’t
liaising with local counsel, drafting letters, and lots of feel left behind.” Beyond the limitations of lockdown, the
“process management responsibilities.” One lucky trainee firm throws Christmas and summer parties, and sporty
per rotation can also apply to do a finance secondment in Ropers can get involved in football, running and crick-
the Hong Kong office. et. Some wanted to see more socialising across teams.
“Trainees are often the link between everyone,” one said.
The antitrust team works with a lot of tech and pharma “We know the lay of the land better than the senior people!”
companies including big names like Google and Pfizer. Trainees themselves often lunch together and get drinks
“It’s so, so cool!” trainees praised. “Some of these huge on a Friday. “We’re all mates, which is good when you want
companies have internal antitrust counsel, but they out- to have a good old moan!”
source the most complex and cutting-edge work to us.” The
department mainly handles two types of work: merger re- “When the hours are long, all the bubble
views and investigations. On merger reviews trainees are baths in the world won’t help!”
in charge of due diligence and merger analysis. “It’s more
exciting than it sounds,” they assured us. “You’re having to And here’s where the going gets tough. “On busy days,
become an expert on something you previously had no con- you’re not leaving the office,” one warned. “In my first few
cept of.” One trainee recalled drafting “a whole suitcase weeks, I saw a couple of people who’d done all-nighters with
full of files” to submit to the European Commission. frazzled looks on their faces like, ‘Is it daylight already?’”
Among our interviewees, some clocked off around 8pm
Asset management is the new seat in town – and inter- while others “rarely left before midnight.” At the firm’s of-
viewees said: “It’s been really busy!” Trainees here get fice on Ludgate Hill, “we have an amazing rooftop terrace
involved in regulatory enforcement, private investment with really beautiful views, but no one uses it because eve-
funds and derivatives. On the regulatory enforcement ryone’s working all the time!”
side, the team works with “private equity houses that are
marketing their fund in the EU.” Trainees might get a go at Trainees get support from their supervisor, who’s usually
drafting marketing applications “and all the appendices to a senior associate: “If you’re going away for the weekend,
file to the local regulator.” they make it known that you’re not to be bothered at all.”
Newbies also get buddied up with a second-year train-
“We’ve always been encouraged to do pro ee, who for one was “the first person I call if I ever have
bono.” a problem.” The firm also doles out a monthly wellness
allowance of £33 to help soothe the sting of long hours.
As is common in US firms, pro bono is an important fix- “I spend mine on candles, bath bombs and self-help books,”
ture at Ropes & Gray. “We’ve always been encouraged to said one self-care guru. Not everyone was sold on the
do pro bono,” trainees told us. “There’s not a strong distinc- concept, with one commenting: “When the hours are long,
tion that pro bono hours are less important than client billa- all the bubble baths in the world won’t help!”
The True Picture

bles.” In fact, everyone has a 20-hour target. Some of the

pro bono work is connected to private equity and finance, How about a mighty salary then? The firm recently upped
such as assisting “a private equity fund that wants to set the first-year trainee salary to £50,000, while NQs can
up a semi-charitable arm.” build up a beautiful bath bomb collection with £130,000.
Ropes’s qualification process is usually “super informal,”
which means it “favours confident people who can have
Trainee Life frank conversations with partners.” This year’s process –
Given that the office has only been around for ten years, in the midst of lockdown – had to be “a bit more formal.”
“we’re only just starting to see people that trained here There are always nerves around qualification time, but in-
become senior associates.” Most current partners joined terviewees here found it “much less scary when you know
Ropes from other firms, “which means there’s no fixed the firm wants to develop homegrown talent.” In 2020, all
way of doing things,” trainees said, elaborating that “you five qualifiers were kept on.

507
 www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
R Ropes & Gray chambersstudent.co.uk

Ropes & Gray International LLP

60 Ludgate Hill, London, EC4M 7AW
Phone: 020 3201 1500 Partners: 24
Email: [email protected] Associates: 85
Website: www.ropesgray.com Total trainees: 12
UK offices: London
Overseas offices: 11

Firm profile Contacts

Since opening our London office in January 2010, we have assembled a fully integrated team built Graduate recruiter:
around bank/bond financing, financial services regulatory, funds, M&A, private equity (including real Katherine McAteer,
estate), restructuring and insolvency and tax. Our thoughtfully constructed, bespoke London office of- [email protected]
fering augments the firm’s traditional core strengths, such as private equity and funds, while retaining 020 3201 1607
the flexibility to identify and capture future growth areas. Clients have access to valuable insights and Training partner:
Rohan Massey,
expert advice from lawyers with an in-depth understanding of UK/European transactions and market
[email protected]
practice in Europe, Asia and the United States.
The London office’s government enforcement group regularly counsels a premier global client base Application criteria

concerning compliance with broad and impactful international statutes, including the Foreign Corrupt Training contracts pa: 7

Practices Act and UK Bribery Act, while the office’s litigation lawyers develop effective strategies for Applications pa: 305
Minimum required degree grade:
advocating on behalf of clients in various jurisdictions.
2:1
High-quality international transfers and lateral recruits make up the London team, which collectively Minimum A levels: AAB
speaks 17 languages and represents 13 nationalities. We are market insiders with a strong reputation Vacation scheme places pa: 20
within the UK and European business community and we have longstanding relationships with leading
local firms in all major European and Asian jurisdictions. Dates and deadlines
Vacation scheme applications
Culture open: 1st October 2020
We are looking for people with an entrepreneurial approach to dealing with clients and business de- Vacation scheme deadline:
velopment. Direct client contact is taken for granted and not just at senior levels – all our lawyers are 31st January 2021
encouraged and supported in playing their own part in active business development. This is balanced
Salary and benefits
by an open door policy ensuring candidates will have the support needed to build a successful career.
First-year salary: £50,000
Training opportunities Second-year salary: £55,000
The training contract in London is comprised of four six-month seats. We also offer an international Post-qualification salary: £130,000
seat in our Hong Kong office. Holiday entitlement: 25 days

Trainees who join us receive the best training available. This is reflected in the standard of both the Sponsorship
in-house ‘Trainee Training Programme’ and the practical training overseen by a supervisor. The small LPC fees: Yes
number of trainees we take on means we’re genuinely able to offer early responsibility and challenging GDL fees: Yes
work. Maintenance grant pa: £10,000

Vacation scheme International and regional

Our two-week paid scheme is a valuable opportunity for you to experience first-hand what it is like to be Overseas seats: Hong Kong
a trainee at the firm, and to understand the firm’s culture and expertise. You will also learn about how Client secondments: These are
law firms work as a business, and how we differentiate ourselves from our competitors. available on an ad hoc basis.

During the two-week scheme you will complete practice group and client work at trainee level. You will
also be mentored and supported by your trainee ‘buddy’ and will be invited to an evening event with all
The True Picture

of our trainee cohort. You can also expect to meet lawyers from each practice group, attend workshops,
and you will have the opportunity to interact with our employees at social networking events.

Org ID: 3650

508 0 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................
chambersstudent.co.uk RPC R

RPC
The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Locations: Bristol, London How to get into RPC
Overseas offices: 2
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 93/260/28
Seats: 4x6 months; overseas seats; client secondments
First-year salary: £35,000 (£38,000 London)
Qualification salary: £48,000 (£68,500 London)

In need of a lil’ TLC? Check out RPC: insurance and litigation expertise
meets a culture built on gratitude.

The Firm straightforward and relaxed. “I felt like they were trying to
The Famous Five, Chanel No. 5, 5ive… all excellent exam- get the best out of me rather than trying to catch me out,”
ples of why five is as good a number as any. National law one told us. It’s worth noting RPC pays closer to the top
firm RPC certainly thinks so, with five strategic ‘pillars’ of of the market in Bristol than London, though City trainees
focus for its practice: insurance, regulatory, retail, com- do get a cost of living uplift. Firm-wide financials were
mercial financial disputes, and technology. “Considering decent in 2020, even in the wake of Covid-19: turnover
it’s not the largest firm, RPC has a great commercial prac- grew 1% to £110.1 million. In a now apparently prescient
tice,” trainees declared. “They work for impressive clients.” move, RPC boosted its restructuring team in January
You will indeed find big names like Instagram, Pizza Ex- 2020, bringing in the head of DWF’s practice group (re-
press and Google on the client roster – trainees can even structuring looks to be a busy area post-lockdown).
score a secondment to the search engine giant.

RPC is perhaps best known for its insurance and reinsur- The Seats
ance expertise, and much of its practice pivots on litiga- While the London office offers a full range of seats, Bris-
tion – if disputes aren’t for you, neither is this firm. That’s tol’s small cohort of trainees get just four: professional
not the whole story, as Chambers UKmakes clear with top and financial risk, general liability and medical, construc-
rankings in London for the lower mid-market corporate tion insurance, and property and casualty. “We only have
practice as well as professional negligence and banking four teams, so you don’t have a choice what you do,” they
litigation. Nationwide the firm’s accolades span defama- noted, although they do have a say over which order they
tion, commercial contracts, media and entertainment, do the seats in. London trainees typically have to com-
contentious tax and more; RPC’s Bristol base also scores plete one insurance seat and a maximum of one seat in
a top spot for professional negligence. The firm made in- the popular MIPTOC group (media, IP, technology, out-
ternational moves in 2016 and 2017, forming a joint ven- sourcing and commercial contracts). Before each rota-
ture with Singapore outfit Premier Law before formal- tion, trainees submit three preferences and meet with HR
The True Picture

ising its combination with a partner firm in Hong Kong. to discuss their reasoning; they’ll find out where they’re
Both overseas offices offer seats to trainees. going two weeks in advance. Most were happy with how
the process turned out: “As long as you’re clear with grad
“I didn’t want to be lost in a sea of
trainees.”
Seat options: corporate; commercial and banking
Describing the lawyers they met during their application litigation; restructuring and insolvency; tax litigation;
process as “friendly, passionate and intelligent,” trainees white-collar crime and compliance; insurance (con-
were largely sold on the firm by its culture. Some were struction, professional and financial risks, property and
keen to be part of a relatively modest intake of fewer casualty, property and casualty international); MIPTOC
than 15 newcomers a year: “I didn’t want to be lost in a sea (media, IP, technology, outsourcing and commercial
of trainees.” Sources went to on to find their interviews contracts)

509
 R RPC chambersstudent.co.uk

Chambers UK rankings and Paddy Power. Teams tend to be small here, so “you
Banking Litigation Intellectual Property
get a lot of client contact” beyond drafting emails. Train-
Clinical Negligence Litigation
ees received a good mix of non-contentious and disputes
Commercial Contracts Media & Entertainment
practice. On the litigation side, RPC handles sizeable
Competition/European Law Outsourcing
content and commercial disputes involving media com-
Corporate/M&A Product Liability
panies: a prominent example was for Ingenious Media,
Defamation/Reputation Professional Negligence
with proceedings brought by investors going up to the
Management Retail
High Court. “I’ve worked on about ten matters,” a source
Health & Safety Tax
here said, “including defamatory hearings and data protec-
Information Technology tion actions.” The former was a popular substream: “It’s all
Insurance about deciding if a piece of writing is slandering whomever
or whatever it concerns.” Non-contentious media involves
advising on pre-publication regulatory and agreement is-
recruitment on what it is that interests you they’ll take your sues, considering commercial and data protection regu-
choices seriously,” they said. lations. Instagram, JUUL and Jet2Holidays have all relied
on such advice.
RPC’s mammoth insurance department houses five seats:
construction; general liability and medical; professional IP is a hot area at RPC, with headcount growing 25% in
and financial risk; property and casualty; and property 2020. Commercial litigation is part of the offering, with
and casualty international. Professional and financial- matters ranging from trademark infringements to data-
riskis where you’ll find negligence cases involving fi- base rights claims on behalf of tech and retail clients. Ex-
nancial, insurance, legal, technology and construction amples include Champagne Perrier-Jouët, the Telegraph
professionals. “It’s quite complex work. Some claims will and Jack Wills; the team also advised Sports Direct dur-
be against solicitors who work in family or criminal law – ing its long-running clash with Rangers FC over IP licence
you then need to know about that particular practice area,” agreements for the supply of branded products and kits.
trainees explained. The firm advised Studio E Architects Trainees got heavily involved in court processes and at-
during its refurbishment works for Grenfell Tower follow- tempted settlements between sparring companies. “I was
ing the 2017 fire. Big-name insurers like Hiscox, Aviva and invited to court to see two speedy trials during my seat,”
Liberty are all on the client list here. Trainees described one declared. “The senior associates were very jealous!”
defending claims against a mix of “solicitors, COOs, direc- Less glamorously, they also got their teeth into bundling,
tors and accountants,” handling the document review and witness statements and drafting licensing agreement
bundling for cases as well as drafting emails. letters. RPC advises both claimants and defendants, and
cases move faster than in some other departments.
“It’s really nice to have your work
acknowledged, especially by the clients.” “I was running a project for a really high-
value client. My role was to advise across
Large insurers also make up the client base in property
13 different jurisdictions.”
and casualty. Claims here involve any kind of damage
to property you could imagine – RPC recently defended Commercial contracts is one of RPC’s few non-conten-
a multimillion-euro liability class action arising out of a tious seats; multinational clients from across the tech,
catastrophic fire which destroyed a retail park in Portu- data, IP, consumer and advertising industries fall in here.
gal. Interviewees were attracted to the off-the-wall cases The firm advised Facebook alone on more than 200 con-
in this department: “You get to see the weird and the won- tracts in 2019; bed retailer Dreams used the team’s ex-
derful, like a building that’s been damaged by flooding or a pertise while negotiating branding and marketing rights
construction gone wrong.” Trainees delved into research to for a tie-up with the British Olympic team. RPC’s roster
The True Picture

make sense of unusual circumstances. “I’m always ring- also includes Coca-Cola, Charlotte Tilbury and House of
ing up experts on certain topics and interviewing them,” one Fraser. The seat takes on two trainees at a time and has
said. “I feel like an actual lawyer!” Other common tasks a reputation as “one of the busier departments at RPC.”
include drafting claims letters and preliminary reports, When advising clients on advertising, trainees review
negotiating settlement costs and reviewing reports from marketing materials “to ensure compliance with GDPR
property experts. Across their insurance seats, trainees regulations.” Tech outsourcing involved getting to grips
felt appreciated by supervisors: “The team gives credit with large contract agreements, and thus data protection.
where it’s due and says thank you. It’s really nice to have Our sources took to high responsibility with pleasure: “I
your work acknowledged, especially by the clients.” was running a project for a really high-value client,” one be-
gan. “My role was to advise across 13 different jurisdictions.
First of the MIPTOC seats, the media department wel- I was in charge of the billing, invoicing and drafting client
comes work from mega names like YouTube, Facebook

510
chambersstudent.co.uk RPC R

emails.” Trainees may also be charged with writing blog train rolling – and while lawyers are renowned for their
updates and articles for client websites. smarts, they apparently don’t fare so well at some ways
of thinking. “My team lost the quiz both times,” a bemused
It’s fairly common for RPC trainees to do client second- trainee laughed. “I guess we are not so good on general
ments. If they don’t get to go during the training contract, knowledge!”
post-qualification stints are also available. Tech and retail
businesses are the most likely destinations. Secondees They were rather more impressed with partners’ attitudes
loved the role reversal that came with their time in-house, as mentors. “While doing a piece of work for a partner, he
pointing out that “you get to see how clients think as you sent me an email saying ‘thank you so much’,” one source
effectively become part of their organisation.” Overseas shared. “Even if it is my job, he went above and beyond to
seatsin Hong Kong and Singapore are less common but make me feel valued.” Others shared stories of receiv-
also a possibility. ing thank you cards, vouchers and champagne when
they had to work late. You shouldn’t have! No, you really
shouldn’t have –9am to 7pm are the quite reasonable typ-
Trainee Life ical hours for trainees. Media and commercial contracts
Based on our trainee calls, RPC-ers weren’t just living for are the most demanding seats, calling for more frequent
the weekend. “There is never a Sunday that goes by where 8pm finishes.
I’m dreading going back to work tomorrow – it’s quite the
opposite,” one announced. “I enjoy coming into the office “Even if it is my job, he went above and
and seeing everyone.” Others put this down to the firm’s beyond to make me feel valued.”
hiring practices, describing their colleagues as “genuine,”
“well rounded” and “friendly,” among other lovely adjec- “There’s a lot of focus on diversity at the moment,” more
tives. In both the London and Bristol offices we heard “the than one source noticed. “The firm encourages everyone to
trainee cohort sticks together. I’ve got a ready-made group get involved, but there is much to be done at partner level.”
of friends here.” Both bases are open plan, sitting trainees allies@RPC includes a series of ‘streams’ including gen-
between partners and associates alike. Londoners were der, LGBT+, mental health, social mobility, faith, disability
keen to wax lyrical about their tall glass office walls, re- and ethnicity. Each gets a six-month spotlight to “educate
vealing a prize view of the Tower of London. “When I’m and celebrate their issue.” The ethnicity stream was taking
on my lunchbreak I take a stroll down the waterside,” one the lead when we came calling, bringing in speakers to
hopeless romantic shared. discuss their experiences including Michelle King, direc-
tor of inclusion at Netflix.
“I’ve got a ready-made group of friends.”
RPC keeps trainees, lawyers and staff in the know via
Bristol trainees get to sneak a glimpse of the view during quarterly Town Hall meetings run by the managing part-
their many trips to London for training, including semi- ner, who fills eager ears in on the firm’s strategic plan. To
nars and legal update sessions. There were some com- track their own progress, trainees have a record diary to
plaints that the system felt like a lot of take and not much log their work; they each get a partner and associate su-
give: “It gets frustrating to always be going up to London pervisor to discuss the entries with. “The records need to
especially when you are busy,” a Bristol trainee grumbled. show that you’re ticking off the requirements to qualify,” we
“London trainees never come here.” We’d point out that of- heard. Trainees also booked casual coffee break catch-
fice in the capital houses the majority of the intake, but ups with their supervisors to “walk through tasks” or sim-
perhaps they’d enjoy the road trip? Bristol sources got ply “discuss life.” As for qualification, the process kicks
their time to shine during Challenge RPC, for which train- off in April when HR and the training principal explain the
ees go on a “treasure hunt-like” pub crawl. Londoners had full timeline to trainees. Once departments have posted
their fun with midweek drinks trolleys, office pizza par- their vacancies, wannabe qualifiers get their applications
The True Picture

ties, “ridiculously competitive” pub quizzes and a plethora in before interviewing with their chosen department. “The
of sports clubs; RPC also runs much-anticipated Christ- training contract has been great,” a fourth seater conclud-
mas and summer parties. According to trainees, media ed, “but I’ll be glad when it’s over!” RPC retained 11 of 12
and IP top the list of most sociable departments. Even qualifiers in 2020.
the 2020 lockdown wasn’t enough to stop the events

And finally...
#NoFilter: For a visual account of the trainee experience at RPC,
check out the @lifeinalawfirm Instagram account, which is open to
posts from the trainees themselves.
511
 www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
R RPC chambersstudent.co.uk

RPC
Tower Bridge House, St Katharine’s Way, London E1W 1AA
Tel: 020 3060 6000 Twitter: @LifeinaLawFirm Partners: 94
Website: www.rpc.co.uk/strikinglyreal Instagram: LifeinaLawFirm Associates: 236
Total trainees: 28
Firm profile UK offices: London, Bristol
At RPC, you can be you. In an environment that’s real. Strikingly real. Overseas offices: 2
If you value character over conformity, the unique over the uniform, and ambition over apathy, let’s
talk. Application criteria
Training contracts pa: 15
For us, success comes from building real-life relationships. Real-life relationships with our clients as
Minimum required degree
much as our people. And it comes from thinking creatively to achieve the best commercial solutions.
grade: 2:1
We thrive in an environment that’s collaborative, forward-thinking and where you’re free to express Minimum UCAS points or A
your personality. An environment that allows you to make the most of your strengths. levels: Three high-grade A-levels
Vacation scheme places pa: 24
Main areas of work
Banking & finance, banking & financial markets disputes, commercial litigation, corporate, corporate Dates and deadlines
crime & investigations, corporate insurance, competition, corporate finance, data protection, employ- Training contract applications
ment, energy, financial services regulation, health, safety & environmental, restructuring and insol- open: 1st October 2020
vency, insurance & reinsurance, intellectual property, IT, media, pensions & benefits, personal injury, Training contract deadline, 2023
product regulation, professional negligence, professional practices, real estate, regulatory, tax, technol- start:
ogy, outsourcing, international trade and arbitration. 25th June 2021 (London)
14th March 2021 (Bristol)

Training opportunities Vacation scheme applications

open: 1st October 2020
As a Trainee, we believe you’ll deliver your best if you’re free to be you. And that means being able to
Vacation scheme 2020 deadline:
ask questions openly, being supported to develop your strengths, and having the right opportunities to
17th January 2021
grow. Our physical offices are non-hierarchical and open plan. This means from day one you’ll be sitting
close to a partner. In our virtual office, we use video call technology to ensure support is available and Salary and benefits
to maintain our non-hierarchical culture. Whether you’re handling complex insurance claims, resolving First-year salary:
large-scale global disputes, or providing commercial advice and transactional support, your opinions £38,000 (London)
£35,000 (Bristol)
will be listened to and respected.
Second-year salary:
At least six months will be spent in four different areas of our practice, so you can discover where you fit £41,000 (London)
in the best. You may have an opportunity to be seconded to one of our clients as an in-house lawyer. This £36,000 (Bristol)
will give you the chance to form genuine relationships with the people behind the cases. Post-qualification salary:
£66,500 (London)
Vacation scheme £48,000 (Bristol)
We’ll show you the real RPC during our Summer Schemes. And be warned, it’s pretty striking.
Sponsorship
You’ll be welcomed into our London office and given an opportunity to spend time getting to experi- LPC fees: Yes
ence life in a unique law firm for yourself. It’s also our chance to get to know you and understand what GDL fees: Yes
you may be able to offer us. During these two weeks, you’ll be fully integrated into our teams, getting
involved in projects and giving you a fantastic insight into whether a career at RPC is right for you. International and regional

What’s more, our Summer Schemes can be delivered virtually. You will experience the same RPC en- Offices with training contracts:
London, Bristol, Hong Kong,
vironment and culture, just online. Singapore
Remuneration: £400 p/w Client secondments: Yes

Other benefits
The True Picture

Along with a competitive annual salary, you’ll be offered a creative and comprehensive package of ben-
efits. Our benefits package covers almost everything, from wellness festivals and social events, to extra
annual leave, and family and wealth-related rewards.

Open days and first-year opportunities

London Spring Workshop:
For a great snapshot of RPC, our workshops are an insightful and fascinating opportunity to learn,
network and get prepared for a career in law. Our London Spring Workshop can be delivered virtually.
London Insight Day:
Our insight days are just that. Insightful. Experience real life as a trainee through work shadowing op-
portunities, taking part in an application skills session and networking with people from all across the
firm. Our Bristol and London Insight Days can be delivered virtually.
For further information about these events and details of how to apply please look online.

Org ID: 341

512 5 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................
chambersstudent.co.uk Russell-Cooke R

Russell-Cooke
The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Locations: London, Kingston-upon-Thames, Putney How to get into Russell-Cooke
UK partners/solicitors/trainees:62/130/10
Seats: 4x6 months
First-year salary: £38,000
Qualification salary: undisclosed (varies by office)

This Putney-headquartered firm serves its trainees a balanced diet of

property, commercial and private client flavours.

The Firm will start “wherever there’s a commercial need.” Following

The City isn’t everything – pootle up the Thames for a few this, trainees chat with the training principal and submit
miles and you’ll hit Putney, home of Russell-Cooke since three seat preferences. “Priority goes to fourth-seaters,
1906. Trainees that began their careers here arrived with but HR and the training partner are fantastic at having
multiple priorities: “I want to help people on an individual individual chats with us and accommodating everyone’s
level, but my inner Harvey Spectre wants to explore the choices.”
glamour of the corporate world too,” one declared. Suits
fans looking for law with a personal touch may be seek-
ing “the ability to do a seat in family law and charities, as The Seats
well as corporate and commercial,” and RC offers just that. Around 80% of trainees do a stint in real estate: “The at-
The firm’s recently done good work representing survi- titude is it’s compulsory but that’s not technically the case
vors of the Grenfell Tower disaster. in practice.” This large team usually takes two trainees in
the Putney office and two in the Central London Bedford
Chambers UK ranks RC top for public law involving chil- Row base. Russell-Cooke is well known for representing
dren, and lower mid-market real estate, also handing out both investor landlords and retailers as well as advising
strong rankings for criminal, clinical negligence, family, on residential sales, conversions and developments: the
charities, professional discipline and social housing law. team recently advised Newable Properties on the £44.4
Property is the largest single department overall, ac- million sale of a portfolio of multi-let general industrial
counting for 30% of Russell-Cooke’s turnover at the last properties in East London to a large fund. “Deal turna-
count. Litigation practices make up 32% in total, and an- round times are around four to six weeks in order to get
other 28% is family and private client.Maths whizzes will the completion and billing done,” trainees revealed. Other
have worked out there’s 10% left unaccounted for to fit clients include household names like Matalan and Pret A
the firm’s other practices. Manger. “We were pretty much given free rein to run cer-
tain projects from start to finish,” a source said. “I enjoyed
“Good reviews of the work/life balance and getting into the nitty-gritty of law and instructing counsel,
The True Picture

friendly culture.” drafting leases and licences and looking through volumi-
nous documents to learn what’s relevant and needs to be
Trainees will typically complete most of their seats in disclosed.”
the Putney HQ, though may head to one of the firm’s
two smaller offices in Kingston and Central London for Sources housed in Bedford Row found themselves work-
a spell. New arrivals came in hearing “good reviews about ing “on classic land disputes and possession proceedings.
the work/life balance and friendly culture,” whilst seeking
work for high-end clients. They also looked to future op- Seat options: charities; children and education law;
portunities. In 2020 the firm made up six new partners; commercial litigation; corporate/commercial; fraud and
compare that to an intake of eight to ten trainees a year, criminal litigation; employment; family; PI and clinical
and you’ve got much better pure numerical odds of mak- negligence; private client; property and housing litiga-
ing it all the way than at a larger City outfit. First-seaters tion; real estate; trust and estate disputes; regulation

513
 R Russell-Cooke chambersstudent.co.uk

Chambers UK rankings Renowned organisations like the WWF, British Heart

Charities Professional Discipline
Foundation and UNICEF are on the charities team’s cli-
Clinical Negligence Real Estate
ent list. “The team is similar to personal injury in size and
Crime Real Estate Litigation
has three parts: charities and employment, property and
Family/Matrimonial Social Housing
government.” According to trainees in the seat “you’re
basically doing corporate and commercial work with an ad-
ditional layer of regulation on top of it.” The team recently
advised Foundation for Future London in negotiations for
We also help tenants with deposit disputes.” There’s a dedi- a £10 million funding package from Westfield Stratford
cated property and housing litigation seat where you’ll City to deliver learning, internships and start-up support
find both private and legal aid work like disrepair claims, in the arts and culture. “There’s a lot of data protection
evictions and rehousing cases. “The Grenfell inquiry took work to do” in this seat, alongside registering organisa-
up the majority of the work I witnessed in the seat,” an in- tions as charities and drafting articles.
sider revealed. “We worked on big disclosure tasks and re-
viewed sensitive documents about the fire.” Russell-Cooke
also represented the operators of Borough Market when Trainee Life
an insolvent restaurant transferred its assets without “Every time you change seat, it feels like you’re starting at a
permission. Trainees appreciated the “good level of client completely new firm,” an RC trainee told us. We get similar
contact and chances to handle lower value cases” in real feedback at other firms, but this was compounded by the
estate seats. “They give you a crash course of what it’s like Covid-19 pandemic: “The furloughing and pay reduction
as an associate on the team.” scheme put in place was poorly communicated and incon-
sistent across teams, as was the qualification process. Only
“They give you a crash course of what it’s some trainees had pay reduced, which caused unnecessary
like as an associate on the team.” stress.” Other trainees argued that “during lockdown, the
overall priority genuinely seemed to be people’s health. I
There’s high demand for a family seat: the team works for felt like I could go to a number of partners or senior asso-
“all sorts of high net worth clients on a mix of finance, chil- ciates with problems.” Trainees were later reassured “the
dren and divorce cases.” Surrogacy law, family property firm are reimbursing staff who have had to take salary de-
disputes and declaration of parentage represent growth ductions,” which did indeed take place.
opportunities for the practice. Day to day trainee respon-
sibilities include “drafting lasting powers of attorney, sim- “The payoff for being able to have a life
ple wills and a couple of complex clauses,” as well as “at- outside of work.”
tending client meetings and taking notes.” One insider said
they were “encouraged to use their initiative to take action. “I’d say Bedford Row is more relaxed in terms of people
For example, I received an email with information from the dressing down and being more sociable, in comparison
other side; I proactively anticipated the next steps and my to the HQ,” a source said. Russell-Cooke’s Putney base
seniors appreciated that.” does come with “cool gadgets like various hot and cold-
water dispensers,” to get exactly the temperature you
The firm’s clinical negligence and personal injury de- want. Firmwide the culture doesn’t get very heated – “we
partment involves trainees in both aspects. “It’s probably don’t tend to get too stressed about things” – thanks partly
an equal mix of the two and is almost completely claimant to a sensible approach to hours. Contracted hours for
work,” we heard. On an example of a clin neg case, the trainees run 9.30am to 5.30pm, “but of course this varies
firm acted for a patient with a history of schizophrenia. throughout the departments.” Real estate more typically
After killing her mother, she served a hospital detention requires 6.30pm finishes, while trainees in PI and clin neg
order but may be able to claim financial losses arising were “leaving at 5pm most days. You’ll definitely be asked
The True Picture

from actions whilst psychotic in a case that’s gone to why you haven’t gone home if you’re here past 6pm.” Our
the Supreme Court. Some trainees described the seat as sources agreed a lower salary than at City firms was “the
“quite repetitive in terms of the law, but the linked facts will payoff for being able to have a life outside of work.”
change.” Personal injury matters include inquests, stress
at work and historic sexual abuse among others: Russell- With the foundation of a diversity network in 2019, train-
Cooke recently represented a man who suffered spinal ees felt RC was “late to the game, it’s strange there was
injuries in a waterslide accident in Benidorm. Interview- nothing in place already.” Sources felt the firm has down
ees spent this seat investigating information on damages, well to recruit candidates from different educational
drafting letters of claim and witness statements, liaising backgrounds, “but they could do better in terms of ethnic
with experts and “preparing court documents, if a case minority representation. We had events for Pride and Black
proceeds that far.” History Month but lack momentum.” Retention after quali-
ficationis an important step – for the “fairly informal” pro-

514
chambersstudent.co.uk Russell-Cooke R

cess, trainees state preferences to the training principal interested in qualifying into, to maintain those relation-
“who then sends out a jobs list later on.” The firm encour- ships.” In 2020, Russell-Cooke retained eight out of ten
ages trainees to keep up a dialogue “with the team you’re qualifiers.

Ready, Steady, Cooke! RC set up ‘The Lockdown Diaries:

Trainee Edition’in 2020 to showcase how trainees have been
keeping their spirits high. The Great Trainee Bake Off was a
popular event (when they were able to find flour and eggs, of
course).

The True Picture

515
 www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
R Russell-Cooke chambersstudent.co.uk

Russell-Cooke
2 Putney Hill, London, SW15 6AB
Tel: 020 8789 9111 Twitter: @RussellCooke Partners: 62
Email: [email protected] Facebook: russellcookesolicitors Associates: 104
Website: www.russell-cooke.co.uk Instagram: @russellcooketrainees Total trainees: 15
LinkedIn: russell-cooke UK offices: Putney, Bedford
Row, Kingston
Firm profile
At Russell-Cooke we’re not tied to process, we’re not bound by departments or fixated on job titles. Contacts

We are a team of lawyers who take a more thoughtful, more rigorous, more collaborative approach to Graduate recruiter: Tess Morley

training, to practising law and to working with our clients. We think carefully about what kind of law Graduate recruitment partner:
Rebecca Fisher
firm we want to be and the type of work we take on. We’re not driven by profit alone: we’re committed
to publicly-funded work (not just a little pro bono for show). And we do the right thing by our people, Application criteria
too: we’re proud to offer a better work-life balance alongside high-level legal work. We’re pragmatic and Training contracts pa: 9-10
thorough, and we don’t expect a formulaic way of working. We think ahead and we work together — Applications pa: Approx 300
with our clients and each other — to give the best advice. Minimum required degree
grade: 2:1
Main areas of work Minimum UCAS points or A
We believe we offer the most broad-based training contract. We act for individuals (ranging from in- levels: AAB (excluding general
dividuals desperate for a legal remedy where a positive outcome will be life-changing to royal families, studies)

Russian oligarchs and celebrities) and for companies (ranging from start-ups to household names) as Vacation scheme places pa: 12

well as charities and social businesses. We advise individuals on crime, family, personal injury, housing Dates and deadlines
etc. and organisations on corporate and commercial, intellectual property, employment, litigation, real Training contract applications
estate and much more. open: 1st November 2020
Training contract deadline, 2023
Training opportunities start: 21st February 2021
We have a wide variety of seats on offer and we will work with you to accommodate your preferences Vacation scheme applications
where possible. We choose a small cohort of trainees so that there is plenty of opportunity for you open: 1st November 2020
to manage your own caseload and get a high level of client contact from your first seat. You will be Vacation scheme deadline:
fully supported by your supervisor and by internal and external training. Trainees do four seats, often 21st February 2021
including a seat in our core area of real estate. The availability of other seats depends on the needs of dif-
Salary and benefits
ferent departments but in the past trainees have undertaken seats in litigation, matrimonial, charity and
First-year salary: £38,000
social business, corporate and commercial, employment, children law, private client, trust and estate
Second-year salary: £39,500
disputes, property litigation and personal injury and clinical negligence. Post-qualification salary:
Dependent on department
Vacation scheme Holiday entitlement: 22 days
We believe that our one-week vacation scheme offers the right balance of support and autonomy, and
really demonstrates what life is like as a Russell-Cooke trainee. You’ll work with a senior associate in Sponsorship
the team, who’ll give you support when you need it, and autonomy when you don’t. You will also have LPC fees: TBC check website
other trainees and lawyers on hand to answer any tricky questions and give you feedback. At the end of GDL fees: TBC check website
the week there will be a form of assessment and interview with the chance of being fasttracked through
International and regional
the trainee recruitment scheme or even the offer of a training contract then and there. You do not need
Offices with training contracts:
to have completed a vacation scheme to be eligible for a training contract. There are 12 placements Putney, Kingston, Bedford Row
available across our London offices for two week-long schemes. You will be paid £500 per week. Client secondments: Dependent
Dates: on department

• Spring Vacation Scheme 1: 12-16 April 2021

The True Picture

• Spring Vacation Scheme 2: 19-23 April 2021

• Apply by 21 February 2021
Other benefits
Pension after three months of employment, 22 days holiday, employee discount card, recruitment
referral fee, season ticket loan, cycle scheme, computer loan, legal services, maternity/paternity pay,
childcare vouchers, life assurance on completion of three months’ probation, access to the employee
assistance programme on completion of three months’ probation, access to clubs and social events, free
yoga in the Putney office.

University law careers fairs 2020

Legal Cheek virtual law fairs.

Org ID: 359

516 0 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................
chambersstudent.co.uk Shearman & Sterling LLP S

Shearman & Sterling LLP

The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Location: London Get hired at Shearman
Overseas offices: 24
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 33/89/25
Seats: 4x6 months; overseas seats
First-year salary: £45,000
Qualification salary: £120,000

New York’s sterling Shearman offers an international experience to a

modest trainee cohort.

The Firm “The simple application was another of the reasons I ap-
Close all your Airbnb tabs; a contract at Shearman & plied,” a trainee told us. “Some firms ask you very convolut-
Sterling could be just the globetrotting ticket you’re ed questions, but Shearman’s process was straightforward.”
looking for. From Wall Street to, well, the world, the Others were impressed with the extra mile the firm went
firm’s international network of 24 offices offers newbies to, in order to make life easier for applicants: “There was
a training experience without borders. Whether they no centralised testing. The firm sent out people to our uni-
were on secondment to Singapore, New York, Abu Dhabi, versities to conduct interviews, so we didn’t have to go to
Paris, or sat at their desk in London, trainees we spoke London; I got the feeling the firm valued my time and effort.”
to were “collaborating with lawyers from all over the globe
on most matters.” London’s an important piece of the jig- “Shearman doesn’t fit the US firm
saw: Shearman scores strong Chambers UK rankings for stereotype in terms of culture; everyone is
projects, energy, banking, capital markets and financial
very understanding and supportive.”
services regulatory. Globally, the firm is most famous for
its elite arbitration practice led from Paris. The firm has To start their training contract, new arrivals settle into a
had a base in the capital since 1972 and favoured organic “completely random” first seat. They then submit a mini-
growth over mass lateral recruitment, but bolstered its mum of five preferences before each rotation, keeping
arbitration and restructuring practices with new partner in mind that they must do at least two seats among the
hires in 2020. three core departments: finance, M&A and project devel-
opment finance (PDF). It’s worth keeping an open mind to
Cross-border mega deals and litigation are the fuel to split seats and overseas secondments: “It’s down to client
Shearman’s fire. American deal support is a fixture here, demand,” we heard. “You may be required to go overseas –if
but sources cut their teeth on plenty of homegrown mat- you’re needed, that’s that.” Getting summoned was no bad
ters as well. The appeal of the firm’s international prac- thing for sources: “I couldn’t have asked for a better train-
tice brought more than a few trainees through the door; ing contract on reflection.” Beyond the core departments,
The True Picture

others were sold by the relatively small intake of 15 or popular seat options include antitrust and international
fewer new starters each year. Once they’d settled in, in- arbitration.
terviewees discovered that Shearman had found a good
midpoint between American qualities and British charm,
celebrating the “relaxed” and “supportive” atmosphere.
“Shearman doesn’t fit the US firm stereotype in terms of
culture; everyone is very understanding and supportive,”
one said. The firm does stick to the American stereotype
on salaries, paying out a super-sized £120,000 to its NQs. Seat options: antitrust; funds; M&A; project develop-
ment and finance; finance; litigation; international arbi-
tration; financial institutions advisory; tax; employment;
financial restructuring and insolvency

517
 S Shearman & Sterling LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Chambers UK rankings of asset is involved.” It’s worth noting that M&A has histori-
Banking & Finance Energy & Natural
cally been one of the more competitive departments in
Capital Markets Resources which to score an NQ spot.
Competition/European Law Financial Services

Corporate/M&A Projects The firm’s PDF group covers both a core project devel-
opment practice, and the financing for the constructions.
Shearman’s expertise lends itself to emerging jurisdic-
tions, and the team is “particularly strong in the Middle
The Seats East,” according to trainees. Clients have called for as-
As the largest of Shearman’s core seats, finance comes in sistance on projects in Kenya, Cameroon, Nigeria, Ka-
many flavours – the two core parts of the offering are lev- zakhstan, Brazil and Argentina, among other countries.
eraged finance (the larger side) and structured finance. Nationalised public entities (like Japan Bank for Inter-
Capital markets has now also moved up to the finance national Cooperation and Bahrain Petroleum Company)
floor in the London office. “Most trainees will get a large and private firms alike are on the roster – Shearman has
chunk of their work from the leveraged side and dip in and advised on the development and financing of multi-fuel
out of other teams depending on their supervisor or where waste-to-energy project in the Arab Emirate of Sharjah
is busy,” trainees told us. You’ll find both New York-based and the modernisation and expansion of the Middle East
and English-sourced matters here for clients like Coca- Oil Refinery in Egypt. 2018 saw the firm grow an infra-
Cola, Nokia and Investcorp, with Shearman usually ad- structure funds practice with two lateral hires from Baker
vising lenders. To give you an idea of the money in play McKenzie. One trainee described working on a renewa-
here, the firm recently advised the Bank of Nova Scotia bles infrastructure deal linked to financing an airport: “It
on a $3.3 billion additional facility accession deed pro- came with an interesting regulatory aspect because of all
vided to subsidiaries of Virgin Media. As for structured the cross-border elements. I organised the signings, so was
finance, Shearman regularly advises European packag- talking to ambassadors and news reporters; the projects we
ing producer Ardagh on hedging for its multibillion-euro advise on are hugely important to the country they’re car-
financing structure. Common trainee tasks here include ried out in.” Day-to-day tasks in this seat include drafting
company search questionnaires (CSQ), drafting agree- ancillary documents, signature packs and originals, and
ments, preparing legal opinions and keeping track of the signing off on conditions precedent.
conditions precedent. One source described their role as
“a good set of tasks for a trainee – for example, the CSQ “The projects we advise on are hugely
gives a deal overview and shows what needs to be done.” important to the country they’re carried
Trainees were wholly impressed with the finance depart-
out in.”
ment, especially for “the effort they put into training.”
On a worldwide scale, arbitration is a Shearman signa-
“I’ve done a lot of drafting from scratch. ture practice, scoring a top-tier Chambers Global ranking.
You see the document from the very start Commercial and investment arbitration both play a role
here. The firm has recently represented the Arab Repub-
and have the time to get comfortable with
lic of Egypt in two investor-state disputes following the
it.”  poor performance and termination of a long-term agree-
ment for export of Egyptian gas to Israel, with upwards
M&A offers a mix of both public and private deals with a of $1 billion at stake. Trainees got to grips with disputes
strong cross-border focus; key clients include Goldman between private and public parties on both the company
Sachs, Liberty Global and Intercontinental Exchange. and state sides. “When I first joined the team I was working
Among Shearman’s recent deals, it’s worth highlighting on a multibillion-dollar construction dispute in the Middle
ArcelorMittal’s $7 billion joint venture acquisition of Es- East,” one recalled. “There was a hearing in my first two
The True Picture

sar Steel India; and the $400 million separation of UKTV weeks, it was a very exciting time.” During such hearings,
into two distinct operations owned by Shearman client our sources “took notes and organised bundles.” Much of
Discovery and the BBC respectively. Joint ventures often the practice is kept under wraps, but we heard about in-
appeared on trainees’ radars, as did infrastructure trans- vestment issues in Asia and disputes fought over land in
actions – both came with plenty of drafting experience. Eastern Europe.
“I’ve drafted ancillaries, non-disclosure agreements and
resolutions,” one noted; another told us they’d put pen to Trainees can apply to do an overseas seat as part of the
paper on a share purchase agreement. “I’ve done a lot of normal assignment process. Sometimes it’s even easier
drafting from scratch. You see the document from the very than that: “My supervisor asked around if anyone was will-
start and have the time to get comfortable with it.” Trainees ing to go to Abu Dhabi,” an insider noted. “I came forward
also took on research responsibilities: “You get to grips and off I went!” Trainees can generally voice an interest in
with new areas of legal knowledge depending on what kind jetting off to another office, especially if they can explain

518
chambersstudent.co.uk Shearman & Sterling LLP S

how it will benefit their learning or build off of experience The most common adjective used by trainees to describe
in a London seat. Some of the most common destinations the Shearman culture was ‘supportive’. “Although the work
include Singapore, Brussels and Paris. Although heav- is hard, the goal never feels too hard to reach,” they agreed.
ily sought after, overseas seats aren’t as competitively “If I’m in the office late it’s really not so bad as the firm has
fought over as you might guess. “A lot of the offices rely an immensely supportive atmosphere. I enjoy being around
on London trainees coming in,” one revealed. “There are the people I work with.” Suddenly finding themselves
also always trainees from all over the globe in the London out of the office during the Covid-19 pandemic, trainees
office.” Because they take a role equivalent to junior asso- weren’t too shaken up – one who was mid-secondment
ciates, Londoners get a “kick up the butt” in their level of told us: “The team checks in everyday, which speaks vol-
responsibility once abroad: “The teams are even leaner, so umes for the firm’s culture.” Team Shearman knows how
you’re constantly learning and getting to meet new people.” to loosen their ties once in a while too: “A couple of the
Got the global bug? You might even get a second golden main partners came along to our karaoke night, they were
ticket: “I’ve been overseas twice, and it’s been a very valu- dancing and singing with us,” a source said. “We are a very
able experience,” a travel-happy source told us. The firm integrated team.” You know what they say – lawyers who
continued to run overseas seats during the Covid-19 pan- sing together, stay together.
demic, with trainees seconding from home where neces-
sary. “If I’m in the office late it’s really not so bad
as the firm has an immensely supportive
atmosphere.”
Trainee Life
Shearman encourages pro bono with a 25-hour require- When not unleashing their inner Britney Spears, trainees
ment; anyone that logs double that earns a congratula- cut loose during the three formal trainee socials each
tory star. “The projects we’ve done even come up during our year, for which they receive “a very generous budget.”
reviews,” trainees said, stressing the importance placed Each department also has its fun, project finance taking
on pro bono. They’d worked with charities including lo- the proverbial cake with “drinks every Friday.” At the time
cal primary schools, Walworth Academy and the Spital- of our calls the WISER women’s committee had recently
fields Crypt Trust. One source described helping people hosted an International Women’s Day celebration: “There
affected by Covid-19 on “a bitesize project with one of the was a panel discussion along with food and drinks – we
partners. We help people in need by answering their que- saw a great turnout.” Though sources were impressed by
ries.” Another source was impressed with the firm’s local Shearman’s efforts to push for diversity through internal
community outreach: “We display artwork by the homeless organisations, they felt representation of women and eth-
throughout our offices, it’s lovely to see.” nic minorities “could be better” at the senior level.

“We display artwork by the homeless New arrivals get up to speed via weekly training ses-
throughout our offices.” sions in each of the firm’s core departments, typically
run around lunchtime. “I recently attended training on how
A typical working day at Shearman starts at 9.30am, and to conduct the due diligence process in M&A,” one source
if trainees find themselves twiddling their thumbs they said. “There are always opportunities to learn.” The ap-
are free to leave at 6pm. Most of our interviewees found praisal portal provides trainees with easily accessible
little time for thumb-twiddling, with common late-night feedback via a portal dubbed ‘My Development’ – they
finishes at 11pm. Nobody complained about the need to can access comments from any lawyer they’ve worked
put in the hours when necessary: “The firm recruits con- for. Trainees also get an NQ mentor, who helps to make
scientious people. If you have work to do you’re expected to the qualification process crystal clear. It all starts with
stay until its done.” Trainees noticed face-time expecta- “a casual conversation with a partner you have a good re-
tions dropping once their supervisors got to know them. lationship with in the department you want to qualify into.”
The True Picture

“If you are responsible, people understand that you have a From then on, the firm runs qualification as it does seat
life and don’t really bat an eyelid,” one said. The demands rotation; trainees submit three department preferences
of transactional seats are “very up and down,” whereas to HR. Shearman retained 12 of 13 trainees in 2020.
litigious departments are more consistent (more consist-
ently “horrendous” for some). Nourishment for the soul
comes from compensated Deliveroo after 8pm and coun-
selling sessions to help trainees de-stress. “Your supervi-
sor is the first person to notice if you’re looking unwell,” an
interviewee rather ominously suggested…

519
 S Shearman & Sterling LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Shearmanator II: Decampment Day:

The firm runs a European associate retreat, gathering
lawyers from various offices for a conference. “There’s
both training and networking,” trainees explained. “It’s great
to meet everyone – those relationships don’t stop when you
come back to London.”
The True Picture

520
www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
chambersstudent.co.uk Shearman & Sterling LLP S

Shearman & Sterling LLP

9 Appold Street, London EC2A 2AP
Tel: 020 7655 5000 Fax: 020 7655 5500 Twitter: @ShearmanLaw Partners: 35
Email: [email protected] Facebook: Associates: 180
Website: ukgraduates.shearman.com ShearmanandSterlingUKGraduates Total trainees: 25
Linkedin: shearman-&-sterling-llp UK offices: London
Overseas offices: 23

Firm profile Contacts

Shearman & Sterling is one of the world’s leading premier global law firms and was established over Graduate recruiter:
a century ago. The London office opened over 40 years ago and quickly became one of the leading Paul Gascoyne,
practices, covering all aspects of English, European and US corporate and finance law. Globally there [email protected],
020 7655 5000
are over 900 lawyers, including around 200 partners.
Training partner: John Adams
Main areas of work Application criteria
Our main areas of work include: M&A (including private equity), US capital markets, project devel- Training contracts pa: 15
opment and finance, finance (including derivatives structured, acquisition and leveraged finance), Applications pa: 2,000
international arbitration, litigation, antitrust, tax, financial institutions advisory, asset management, Minimum required degree grade:
real estate and executive compensation and employee benefits. 2:1 or equivalent
Minimum UCAS points or A
Training opportunities levels: AAB
We look for trainees from a broad range of backgrounds who can bring their unique experiences Vacation scheme places pa: 40
to the firm. Working closely with partners and associates, trainees quickly have the opportunity to
become an integral team member, taking on real responsibility from day one. Our trainees are en- Dates and deadlines
Vacation scheme applications
thusiastic and ambitious, and show a real willingness to learn and develop their skills across both
open: 1st September 2020
technical and soft skill areas.
Vacation scheme 2021 deadline:
The two year training contract consists of four seats, each lasting six months. Two of these seats will 3rd November 2021 (Winter)
be in our core practice areas (M&A, finance or project development and finance), while the remain- 19th January 2021 (Spring/Summer)
ing two are selected from the other practice areas. Trainees typically share an office with a senior Open day deadline date: Various
lawyer allowing informal learning on the job, while the structured training programme at the firm
Salary and benefits
ensures trainees get exposure to all the information they need to be a success now and in the future.
First-year salary: £45,000
In addition to the cross-jurisdictional work trainees do in London, they are also encouraged to spend
Second-year salary: £50,000
a seat in one of our overseas offices, allowing them to further build their global networks.
Post-qualification salary: £120,000
Holiday entitlement: 24 days pa
Vacation scheme
We run four vacation schemes each year and these are the perfect way to gain an insight into life Sponsorship
at Shearman & Sterling. The scheme will see you experience two diverse practice groups (one each LPC fees: Yes
week), with your personal preferences catered to. The scheme aims to mirror the training contract in GDL fees: Yes
that everyone will experience at least one of our core transactional groups (M&A, finance and project Maintenance grant pa: £8,000
development and finance) as well as being allocated a mentor and supervisor to provide advice and
support, answer any questions and most importantly — provide you with some work. International and regional
Offices with training contracts:
Hong Kong
Other benefits
Overseas seats: Abu Dhabi,
Life assurance; long term disability insurance; annual eye test; access to group personal pension Brussels, Dubai, New York, Paris,
scheme with employer contribution up to 5%; subsidised gym membership; private medical insur- Singapore
The True Picture

ance; travel insurance; private dental insurance; taxis and meals for out of hours work, cycle to work
scheme, private GP appointments, mortgage advisor, massages and manicures onsite.

Open days and first-year opportunities

If you are not yet ready to apply for a training contract or vacation scheme, there are many other
opportunities to meet us on campus or come into the office. We run our annual Head Start
programme for first year law students and second year non-law students; this provides an insight into
the training contract as well as helpful advice and practical tips on applications, law as a business and
how to improve your commercial awareness. We also run open days each term to allow you to come
into our London office for an introduction to the firm and to meet a range of firm representatives.
We always recommend you try to meet us and have your questions answered before applying for a
vacation scheme or training contract. Applications for all programmes will open on 1st September.

Org ID: 3654 2 Out

521
Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................
 S Sidley Austin LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Sidley Austin LLP

The facts
Location: London
Overseas offices: 19
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 42/100/27
Seats: 4x6 months; overseas seats; client secondments
First-year salary: £50,000
Qualification salary: £135,500

This Chicago native is known for all that jazzy finance, and there’s plenty
of razzle dazzle in private equity too.

The Firm right: “I liked the idea of knowing everyone’s name.” One
“Sidley has a lot of depth,” said one trainee, reflecting on particularly big name in the firm’s history is Obama – Mi-
why this US giant stood out to them. “Alongside a strong chelle and Barack’s eyes met in the Chicago office.
finance practice and a growing private equity scene, they
also brought in a life sciences team a couple of years ago,”
which resulted in a new seat for trainees. Sidley is espe- The Seats
cially known for its capital markets work, with Chambers Trainees felt they had “so much say” in seat allocation.
UK rankings in securitisation, structured finance, deriva- Before joining and at each rotation they submit three
tives, debt, and restructuring, among other areas. And it’s preferences for their placement. “It’s a very frank con-
worth taking note of that growing private equity scene, versation with HR and they do their best to accommodate
because it’s been a major focus for the London office everyone,” they explained, “but of course second-years get
over the last few years. It all kicked off in 2016 with the priority.” Although there aren’t any compulsory seats, the
addition of a six-person team from Kirkland & Ellis (four size of the finance and corporate groups means that the
of whom are still with Sidley). Fast-forward to 2020, and majority of trainees will spend a rotation there.
you’ll find more than 40 Sidley solicitors in London with a
private equity string to their bow. “I was the contact for the local counsel and
all their signing needs.”
“It was a big indication that the firm is
ambitious.” Four trainees sit with Sidley’s BFG, the global finance
group (GFG). The team handles leveraged finance and
The influx of lateral hires over the last four years or so structured finance, and there’s also some real estate fi-
caught the attention of Sidley trainees when they were nance work (one trainee sits in this specific area). For the
researching law firms. For one interviewee, “it was a big most part, trainees’ work is shaped by their supervisors.
indication that the firm is ambitious and growing.” Globally, The team is currently seeing a lot of restructuring mat-
The True Picture

Sidley’s on its ninth year of consecutive revenue increas- ters and advising clients on the impact of Covid-19. “I’m
es, with the 2019 figure coming in at $2.3 billion. London sending out a lot of advice notes!” one trainee told us. On
– one of 20 offices worldwide – accounted for just over the structured finance side, the team has advised Polar
£98 million of that. To make room for all of the new faces, Asset Management (a Canadian hedge fund) on nine Eu-
the firm recently relocated to new office premises in the
Can Of Ham building, sandwiched next to the Gherkin Seat options: banking and financial services; compe-
near Liverpool Street. The move took place in February tition; debt & equity capital markets; debt restructur-
2020, so trainees didn’t have long to enjoy the new space ing, debt finance & structured finance; employment;
before lockdown, but at least they’ll have brand spank- healthcare and FDA; insurance; investment funds; IP/
ing new digs to move back into. Sidley’s trainee intake of IT; litigation; M&A; private equity; real estate & real es-
around 13 a year is slightly bigger than some of the other tate finance; regulatory and enforcement; tax, employee
US firms in the capital, but for our interviewees it was just benefits and executive compensation

522
chambersstudent.co.uk Sidley Austin LLP S
Chambers UK rankings and derivatives work as well,” trainees explained. Clients
Banking Litigation Investment Funds
here include fund managers, banks and asset manage-
Capital Markets Real Estate Finance
ment companies. The team recently advised KPMG on its
Data Protection Restructuring/Insolvency
compliance approach in line with the EU Market Abuse
Financial Services Tax
Regulation. Brexit was a big feature in a lot of the work
Insurance
here. For example, the team recently advised Aon Se-
curities on its investment activities in Europe pre- and
post-Brexit. Amidst uncertainties, trainees were tasked
with “researching and keeping up to date on what other EU
ropean collateralised loan obligations (known as CLOs) countries are doing and drafting bullet point emails with the
worth €1 billion in total. On a recent leveraged finance latest updates to send to clients.” Sources here enjoyed
matter, the team acted for TowerBrook Capital on the legal research and drafting advice notes. The seat also
£293 million refinancing of its portfolio company ICS. The threw up the occasional unexpected challenge, like “hav-
group also has crossover with the private equity team on ing to find a lawyer in Mongolia who spoke English and had
financing private equity buyout transactions (which are the niche expertise we needed.”
funded with leverage – which is to say loans). Trainees
here got to draft loan agreements and shareholder reso- Other advisory seat options include competition, life sci-
lutions, but just like the rest of the GFG cohort, “we need ences, tax and employment. The firm has some truly gi-
to keep on top of the closings.” For trainees across the ant competition clients, including Apple, which it advised
group, “there’s a lot of exposure to project management.” during a European Commission investigation into a com-
That means “we run the conditions precedent and closing plaint made by Spotify about Apple’s App store. Trainees
checklists, and liaise with opposing counsel and clients.” here get to spend three months in the Brussels office. At
Oh, and as for the global part of global finance group? We the time of our calls, we heard the work in Brussels was
heard of trainees working on cross-border deals that in- more focused on cartel investigations in the EU, while
volved as many as 17 jurisdictions. On one deal, a trainee London was handling more matters related to mergers.
told us “I was the contact for the local counsel and all their On the investigations side, “I was able to draft parts of an
signing needs, making sure they had the corporate authori- EU Commission investigation document,” one lucky trainee
sations we needed.” told us. Merger matters entailed “a lot of multi-jurisdic-
tional analysis and filing preparation.”
Corporate takes in another four trainees per rotation.
Again, work here is led by supervisors, so trainees may London’s emerging life sciences department also works
spend time on M&A, private equity, or a mix of both. “The closely with Brussels, advising clients in pharmaceutical,
work is much more technical on the M&A side,” trainees biotech and medical spheres, as well as food and cos-
told us. “There’s a lot of project handling and overseeing metic companies. “I visited the High Court in the first week
completion checklists, but we also got a stab at drafting of the seat,” recalled one startled source. “It was a baptism
some new documents and that was fantastic. There was of fire!” The team recently advised US pharmaceutical
also some research legal involved.” The team recently company Nektar Therapeutics on GDPR compliance in its
advised gaming company Inspired Entertainment on its European clinical trials.
$120 million acquisition of Novomatic UK’s Gaming Tech-
nology Group. They also represented eBay on the sale “I’m struggling to think how I’ll spend my
of brands4friends (a German online shopping club) to a salary if I do qualify.”
private equity firm. Some also got experience in public
M&A with companies on the London Stock Exchange. Sidley’s usual overseas secondment options include an
The private equity team handles mid-market deals in the international arbitration seat in the Hong Kong office.
hundreds of millions – it recently advised Goldman Sachs, There might also be other secondment options here and
The True Picture

for example, on a $90 million investment in DocPlanner there as needed – for example we heard a trainee had
Group, an online healthcare booking platform. Trainees spent time in the Geneva office with the world trade law
were responsible for tasks like incorporating comments team. The firm has previously offered a client second-
into documents, preparing signature packs, and drafting ment with Airbus in Toulouse.
parts of due diligence reports.
In true American style, there’s “a big push” on pro bono in
“I was able to draft parts of an EU Sidley’s London office, though some suggested “maybe
Commission investigation document.” not as much as there is at other US firms” that set specific
pro bono hours targets. Sidley does recognise pro bono
Trainees might do an advisory seat in banking and fi- contributions with awards and our sources felt “heavily
nancial services regulatory. “Having experience with the encouragedto the point where every trainee is expected
structured finance team is a plus as this seat covers funds to have done one Personal Independence Payment appeal

523
 S Sidley Austin LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

during their training contract.” Plenty of our sources had and ping pong with their colleagues, including partners.
exceeded this. The firm’s pro bono fellowship programme We also heard the firm has men’s and women’s football
is in its second year, allowing “a trainee who’s about to teams. “I’d actually consider people I’ve worked with here
qualify to work one to three months in-house at a charity more as friends than colleagues,” said one.
of their choice.”
Trainees did feel the London office was “lacking” in the
representation of different demographics, “but not be-
Trainee Life cause they aren’t trying.” As well as working with Bright
At the time of our calls, a handful of trainees were going Network and Rare Recruitment, the firm recently ap-
through the qualification process.  “We have a week to pointed senior associate Alice Morgan as diversity and
choose which seats we’d like to qualify in and submit our inclusion consultant. “She heads up diversity efforts in the
CVs,” they explained. “Interviews are then set up with part- European offices,” one trainee explained, “and has organ-
ners in those departments.” Appraisals play a big part in ised a few conferences like inviting BAME lawyers in the
the decision, so “it’s important to treat every person you legal industry to talk to us at Sidley.”
work with as if they’re above you, regardless of seniority.” In
2020 all nine trainees were retained, with one on a fixed- With all of the firm’s new hires over the last few years,
term contract. our interviewees did pick up on “a clear divide” between
the ‘legacy’ teams at the firm and the more recent lateral
“I’m struggling to think how I’ll spend my salary if I do hires. From the trainees’ perspectives, it was most obvi-
qualify,” said one flummoxed trainee, as they contem- ous in training styles. “The private equity team’s approach
plated the £135,500 salary that greets Sidley NQs. With is very much to build an active learning environment,” they
trainees starting on £50,000, “I’m already earning so much said, or in other words, to learn on the job. All supervisors
more than my mum ever has, so I can’t complain – but some undergo some training, but not everyone was satisfied: “I
people still do!” According to one critic, “if you equate the think the younger supervisors need more training.”
pay per hour, then it isn’t really that high.”
At the time of our interviews, trainees themselves wanted
“There was one week where I worked until to get more department-specific training, “because it gets
3am every night – including Sunday!”  super busy when you start a seat and there isn’t really much
time to sit and read through the trainee handover notes.”
We’ll leave you to do the maths and decide if you agree: But it looks like the firm is now some way to solving this:
trainees reported average hours of a 9.30am start with the shift to remote working prompted Sidley to allocate
a 7.30pm finish, but with a lot of fluctuation in the trans- trainees specific time to go through these handovers and
actional seats. “You’re either slammed or twiddling your get up to speed without the benefit of being in the of-
thumbs,” said trainees, and one recalled “there was one fice. NQs get to attend corporate college in Chicago HQ,
week where I worked until 3am every night – including Sun- which continues into third, fifth and seventh year. Beyond
day!”   Trainees far preferred the more “predictable hours” this US excursion, trainees felt the London base has a
in advisory seats. more familial link with the firm’s other European offices.
The firm hosted its first EU lawyers conference this year
With long hours, “socialising is perhaps not as prevalent at an estate in Windsor, “and all the lawyers from the Mu-
as it is at traditionally English firms.” Even so,trainees de- nich, Geneva and Brussels offices flew over.”
scribed “a lot of fun” in the Sidley office playing foosball

Red Hot Sidley Peppers:

The True Picture

It wasn’t all work and no play at the conference: “We put

together a band with a guitarist from Brussels, and a pianist
and bass player from Geneva. It was really enjoyable.”

524
chambersstudent.co.uk
www.chambersstudent.co.uk Sidley
A-Z ofAustin LLP
Law Firms S

Sidley Austin LLP

70 St Mary Axe, London, EC3A 8BE
Tel: 020 7360 3600 Twitter: @SidleyUKGrads Partners: 44
Email: [email protected] Other fee earners: 100+
Website: www.sidleycareers.com/en/europe Total trainees: 27
UK offices: London
Overseas offices: 20
(including London)
Firm profile
Sidley Austin LLP is one of the world’s largest full-service law firms. With approximately 2,000 Contact
lawyers practising on four continents (North America, Europe, Australasia and Asia), the firm Graduate recruiter:
provides a broad range of integrated services to meet the needs of its clients across a multitude of Nicole Katz
Graduate Recruitment Manager
industries.
[email protected]

Main areas of work Application criteria

Corporate, competition, debt and equity capital markets, debt finance; including structured fi- Training contracts pa :12-14
Applications pa: 1000
nance, debt restructuring and derivatives, employment, financial services regulatory, healthcare
Minimum required degree
and FDA, food and drug law, hedge funds, insurance, , litigation, private equity, real estate and real grade: 2:1
estate finance, restructuring and tax. Minimum A levels: AAA
Vacation scheme places pa: 50
Training opportunities
Dates and deadlines
The firm is not a typical City firm and it is not a ‘legal factory’ so there is no risk of being just a Vacation scheme applications
number. Everyone is encouraged to be proactive and to create their own niche when they are ready open: 1st October 2020
to do so. Trainees spend time in the firm’s main groups. In each group trainees will sit with a part- Vacation scheme 2020/2021
ner or associate to ensure individual training based on ‘hands on’ experience. You will be encour- deadline:
aged to take responsibility where appropriate. Regular meetings with your supervisor ensure both Winter: 6th November 2020
Spring/Summer: 31st January 2021
the quality and quantity of your experience. In addition, there is a structured timetable of training
on a cross-section of subjects. Salary and benefits
First-year salary: £50,000
Vacation scheme Second-year salary: £55,000
Post-qualification salary:
We run a one-week winter vacation scheme and two-week vacation schemes in spring and sum-
£135,500
mer each year. You will experience the day-to-day life of a lawyer at the firm and will have the Holiday entitlement: 25 days
opportunity to undertake real work rather than just observing or shadowing. This practical experi-
ence will be supplemented by a programme of presentations and workshops that will ensure you Sponsorship
get to know as much about the firm as you possibly can during the placement. We aim to recruit LPC fees: Yes
all of our trainees from the vacation schemes. GDL fees: Yes
Maintenance grant pa: £11,000

Other benefits International and regional

Private health insurance, life assurance, contribution to gym membership, interest-free season Offices with training contracts:
ticket loan, income protection scheme and pension. London
Overseas seats: Hong Kong,
Brussels, Geneva
Open days and first-year opportunities Client secondments: No
Sidley Austin LLP are offering first year students the opportunity to attend an Open Day. Open
The True Picture

days will be held throughout the year . For more information please visit our website.
Sidley Austin LLP, a Delaware limited liability partnership which operates at the firm’s offices other than
Chicago, London, Hong Kong, Singapore and Sydney, is affiliated with other partnerships, including Sidley
Austin LLP, an Illinois limited liability partnership (Chicago); Sidley Austin LLP, a separate Delaware
limited liability partnership (London); Sidley Austin LLP, a separate Delaware limited liability partner-
ship (Singapore); Sidley Austin, a New York general partnership (Hong Kong); Sidley Austin, a Delaware
general partnership of registered foreign lawyers restricted to practising foreign law (Sydney); and Sidley
Austin Nishikawa Foreign Law Joint Enterprise (Tokyo). The affiliated partnerships are referred to herein
collectively as Sidley Austin, Sidley, or the firm.

525
Org ID: 3692 3 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................
 S Simkins LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Simkins LLP
The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Location: London Get hired at Simkins
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 20/15/5
Seats: 4x6 months
First-year salary: £34,000
Qualification salary: undisclosed

Nice to media –London boutique Simkins represents top names in the

music, publishing, film and television industries.

The Firm as an artist’s manager, at Sony as a paralegal, and in-house

“If you’re interested in media, entertainment AND the law, at a media company,” one insider recalled.Subscribing to
it only takes quick research to find which firms are go- a Cineworld annual pass isn’t going to cut the mustard.
ing to be right for you.” Interviewees at Simkins weren’t Among the most recent cohort, “two of the trainees didn’t
wrong – their firm is one of only a handful focused solely have any direct media or entertainment experience,” but
on the shining lights of media and entertainment, and it did arrive with relevant credentials in other areas. It’s also
picks up Chambers UKrankings in the sector for publish- worth highlighting that Simkins is a “full-service outfit, it’s
ing, music, film and television. Defamation and reputation not just media and entertainment law.” The firm handles
management is another Simkins speciality and ranked commercial, disputes, property, employment and corpo-
practice: the firm recently represented Sir Cliff Richard rate work.
in a ground-breaking privacy case also involving the BBC
and South Yorkshire Police.
The Seats
Given that nearly everyone in the world would count mu- This broad mix is reflected in the Simkins training con-
sic, film or media in some form among their interests, it’s tract, which keeps things simple: four mandatory seats
no surprise that competition is fierce for Simkins’ two in corporate, commercial, property and disputes. “It’s a
or three training contracts each year. Our research sug- good system as it removes any potential politics,” trainees
gests that across all firms, applicants have a 2% chance agreed. “Commercial is typically the most popular and
of scoring a training contract; at Simkins, it shrinks to property the least popular seat; however, all of them pro-
just 0.6%. In order to separate the Tom Cruises from the vide great experience.” With just 40-odd lawyers under
Tommy Wiseaus, Simkins’ application process involves a Simkins’ roof (including trainees), you’re likely to have
unique “intense” week-long vacation scheme. “Coinciding worked with pretty much everyone by qualification sea-
with the summer party, it’s a week of exercises, role-plays son.
with partners and reading through case materials,” sources
explained. “It’s great because you end up meeting at least Commercial litigation, defamation/reputation man-
The True Picture

75% of the firm before starting.” Each year, eight or so can- agement and employment together make up the dis-
didates participate in the vacation scheme, with just two putes seat. Many of our interviewees had also spent three
progressing to training contracts. May the odds be ever months handling contentious matters with the employ-
in your favour.  ment team. “Reputation management is a lot more reactive
to live events and cases tend to have much more urgency
“…a week of writing exercises, role-plays to them, whereas employment law is more procedural,” one
with partners and reading through case trainee explained. They and others enjoyed attending
tribunals and hearings: “You’re mainly making notes but
materials.”
also getting direct exposure to a barrister doing their thing,
Our interviewees stressed that a proven record in the
media and entertainment world will do wonders for your Seat options: commercial; corporate; disputes; em-
application: “We’ve had people who’ve previously worked ployment; property

526
chambersstudent.co.uk Simkins LLP S
Chambers UK rankings having to run your own files early on.” This source elabo-
Defamation/Reputation Media & Entertainment
rated: “You might receive instructions from the client from
Management which you would draft a lease, send that to the tenant and
then make appropriate revisions. There can be a lot of back
and forth with different versions of the document; once
which is great.” Simkins advised FirstGroup on the termi- something’s agreed, you would see it through until comple-
nation of the CEO’s PA following a period of absence to tion.”
participate in the Polish Love Island– she hadn’t asked for
permission and was sacked for gross misconduct. Who
says law is boring? Reputation management comes with Trainee Life 
chances “to conduct a mix of legal and non-legal research. “I haven’t seen much, if anything, in the way of office poli-
You might be looking at an individual’s Twitter feeds or dig- tics,” a trainee said of Simkins’ day-to-day running. “Eve-
ging about into other people’s lives.” IP disputes are anoth- ryone’s keen to get trainees involved in the business devel-
er fixture: Simkins recently represented Frank Recruit- opment side of things – there’s a ton of networking events
ment in a dispute with Pearson over the ‘Pearson Frank’ you can attend.” Others opted to talk about (relatively)
trademark that reached the General Court of the CJEU. laid-back relationships with partners: “I’ve had some of
them – big names in the industry – casually come into my
“Commercial is the busiest department and the one peo- office to chat, joke and have a good time. There’s no need
ple look forward to most,” sources reiterated. “You are free to feel worried about talking to anyone here, I’m definitely
to source work from any of the partners and each of them not having anxiety dreams about it.” Simkins keeps morale
has a specialist client base.” If you’re glued to your Spo- high with a vibrant social calendar including an annual
tify account, for example, you might make a beeline to Oktoberfest event, bingo evenings and a Burns Night cel-
the partner specialising in advising musicians on record ebration complete with haggis, whisky and bagpipes. Do
deals, songwriting royalties and other music contracts. In trainees feel comfortable letting their hair down in front
2019 the firm advised the legendary Cher on all aspects of partners? “At this stage, yes,” they agreed.
of her European touring arrangements; they also coun-
selled Firecracker Films on the life rights and co-pro- Most trainees told us they start work at 9.30am and fin-
duction agreement for West End production Everybody’s ish around 7pm on a typical day. “There’s not a culture of
Talking about Jamie, based on the Jamie: Drag Queen at 16 having to work more for the sake of it, and there are periods
documentary. “We get great drafting opportunities,” train- where you can leave at 5.30pm and nobody will blink an
ees said. “In my time in this seat I’ve helped draft location eyelid,” several reported. There were also periods when
agreements, director agreements, a producer’s agreement trainees had worked later nights, wrapping things up
and a book option agreement.” at 10pm or 11pm in the most extreme examples. Week-
end work was, however, avoided across the board, and
“Anything the senior associates are doing, trainees seemed chill about disconnecting: “I don’t feel
you can have a crack at.” guilty waiting to reply to emails on Monday, it feels like I
can switch off.” Manageable working hours made our
“A lot of the corporate work is generated from matters sources optimistic about their long-term future with Sim-
in the commercial team that have a corporate element to kins, suggesting that “you don’t find people qualifying and
them,” sources told us. That might mean working on me- then leaving for somewhere quieter. The hours here aren’t
dia company share sales, on a film financing or on the ac- comparable to hours at other firms in the City and you’re
quisition of a music label. “Anything the senior associates not working yourself to death, so we often have people join
are doing, you can have a crack at,” a trainee declared. “I’ve from the bigger firms looking for a better culture and work/
been communicating with clients, drafting board resolu- life balance.”
tions and conducting legal research on case backgrounds
The True Picture

– all under supervision.” The firm advised international With very few trainees jostling for position, the Simkins
music publishing giant BMG Rights Management on its cohort was unfazed by qualification. “It seems pretty in-
acquisition of the World Circuit record label, which spe- formal,” they explained. “Typically, there are no interviews;
cialises in Cuban and West African artists and bands. it’s more of a chat about where you want to go during the
mid-set review of your last seat.” Things might only get
Simkins’ property team predominantly handles commer- more structured if multiple trainees apply to the same
cial property, “though there is a little residential work” that department. Because Simkins recruits on such a small
trainees can also sample. Despite the common percep- scale, “retention figures can be quite distorted” if just one
tion that property is the least popular seat, every one of person doesn’t stick around. In 2020 the firm did not dis-
our interviewees valued their time there: “It’s probably close its retention numbers.
the seat that offers most responsibility because as well as
assisting more senior people on larger transactions, you’re

527
 S Simkins LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Strictly come drafting

Client secondments are available but “very ad
hoc,” and it’s highly unlikely you’ll be working directly with
Tom Hardy or Gal Gadot. Sorry.
The True Picture

528
www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
chambersstudent.co.uk Simkins LLP S

Simkins
Lynton House, 7-12 Tavistock Square, London, WC1H 9LT
Tel: 020 7874 5600
Partners: 20
Email: [email protected] Associates: 15
Website: www.simkins.com/trainees Total trainees: 4
UK offices: London

Contacts
Firm profile Graduate recruitment consultant:
Simkins LLP is a niche commercial law firm based in central London. Sally Richardson, HR Manager
[email protected],
We are best known for our work in the media and entertainment sector, but we also act for
020 7874 5600
entrepreneurs and businesses in many other industries, including property, retail, professional
Training partner:
services and finance. Euan Lawson
We pride ourselves on really getting to understand our clients’ businesses so that we can provide [email protected]
the best practical advice, specifically tailored to our clients’ needs.
Application criteria
Our clients range from individual entertainers and entrepreneurs, through small and medium Training contracts pa: 2
sized enterprises, to the largest multi-national corporations. Applications pa: 400
Minimum required degree
grade: 2:1
Main areas of work Minimum A levels: N/A
We provide a full range of legal services: corporate, commercial, property, employment and Vacation scheme places pa: 8
dispute resolution.
Dates and deadlines
Our specialist areas include intellectual property, contract law, defamation and privacy.
Training contract opens:
Our entertainment industry expertise covers all industry sectors including music, film, television, 1st October 2020
theatre, book publishing, advertising and digital media. Training contract deadline, 2023
start: 31st May 2021
Vacation scheme applications
Training opportunities open: Part of training contract
Trainees rotate through four seats of six months each. Currently, the seats are in disputes, em- application process — see above
ployment, corporate com¬mercial and property. Secondment opportunities are available, but nor- Vacation scheme 2021 deadline:
31st May 2021
mally for not more than three months.
We will discuss seat allocation with you but, given the size and nature of our practice, we are lim- Salary and benefits
ited in the extent to which we can take individual preferences into account. First-year salary: £34,000
Second-year salary: £37,000
Post-qualification salary:
Vacation scheme Not disclosed
Following interview, successful candidates will be invited to attend a work placement for one week Holiday entitlement:
at our offices at Lynton House, during which, candidates will be given the opportunity to work- 22 pre-qualification, 25 post
shadow lawyers within the firm and will participate in a number of practical, legal and analytical qualification

exercises. The firm will offer up to eight work placements. Sponsorship

There will be one placement week in 2021 – it will take place in the week beginning Monday 9th LPC fees: Yes – we will meet the
August 2021. Following the work placement, if you are successful, an offer of a training contract cost of the LPC at our preferred
supplier, BPP.
to start in September 2023 will be made at some time shortly after your attendance on the work
GDL fees: No
placement.
International and regional
The True Picture

Other benefits Offices with training contracts:

London
Pension, PHI, GIP, DIS, STL, CTW scheme, cash plan, EAP, payroll giving.

Open days and first-year opportunities

New trainees to the firm are individually assigned a year two trainee to act as their mentor. Train-
ees are provided with a full induction programme when they join the firm. Trainees are allocated
a training partner who remains available to them throughout their training contract. The contract
consists of four six-month seats, working in our core practice areas, and/or at client secondments.
During each seat, trainees are seated with an allocated supervisor, who provides day-to-day guid-
ance and supervision. Mid-seat reviews are held at three months, with end of seat reviews being
held at six months. All reviews are carried out with the trainee, their allocated training partner,
their seat supervisor, and with the firm’s HR manager.

529
Org ID: 116159 0 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................
 S Simmons & Simmons LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Simmons & Simmons LLP

The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Locations: London, Bristol, Cambridge Get hired at Simmons
Overseas offices: 20
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 145/270/52
Seats: 6x4 months
First-year salary: £39,000 (£45,000 London)
Qualification salary: £52,000 (£79,000 London)

Looking for “a well-established City firm with an international outlook and

a reputation for hiring (non-psychopathic) personable lawyers?” Right this
way…

The Firm To match its forward-thinking expansion into legal tech,

Simmons’ big City name is an obvious draw for a lot of the Simmons has carved out an enviable niche in life scienc-
trainees we interview, but the firm is no carbon copy of es, earning three Chambers UK rankings for the practice.
its Square Mile rivals; a few quirks and speclialist areas Its best performance is in finance, including five capital
mean there’s appeal here beyond the corporate-finance markets rankings and top prizes for hedge funds, com-
conveyor belt. A few of our sources were impressed by modities and financial crime; but the firm also tops the
Simmons’ “progressive and pioneering approach” to mod- table for employment. Head to chambers.com for the full
ern technology, with the firm’s 2019 acquisition of tech breakdown.
solutions provider Wavelength putting the legal press on
notice. “Simmons was among the very first, and one of the Trainees at Simmons do four six-month seats, including
few firms at the time that set up a FinTech fund (in 2016), one contentious (competition, antitrust and trade (CAT);
which was a major draw for me,” an interviewee noted. IP; litigation; or employment) and two non-contentious
More creative types were simply sold by the art collec- (the firm has various banking and finance seats along-
tion: Simmons has been collecting modern art to adorn its side corporate, projects and real estate options). The last
office walls for the past three decades. is trainees’ to choose depending on availability; they may
also have the option to go on secondment to a client or
With roots in the City dating back to 1896, the firm has overseas office. Options are reviewed every six months,
a history to rival the magic circle and a similarly global although regular international secondments include
presence: 23offices worldwide at the last count. Sim- Hong Kong and Dubai. “Responsibility levels can vary
mons also expanded its domestic presence into Bristol in enormously between departments,” sources warned. It’s
2012. “There’s very much a two-offices, one-firm approach” also worth noting that Bristol offers fewer seat options
according to sources there – “in terms of work distribu- than the London HQ.
tion, trainees get the same experience in Bristol.” The firm
The True Picture

confirmed its commitment to the second location with a

move to larger office space in 2019; it also pays one of The Seats
the highest trainee and qualification salaries in the South Simmons’ finance-based seats fall under four categories:
West, albeit less than the London pay packet. The Cam- banking, financial services, capital markets and disputes.
bridge base is home to the ‘Simmons Wavelength’ legal Each department has subgroups and trainees can re-
support team and does not take trainees. quest to practise in a specific one if they’d prefer to. In
each of the groups, you’ll find a who’s who of the bank-
“Simmons was among the very first, and
one of the few firms at the time that set up Seat options: corporate tax; IP; litigation; employment;
banking; financial services; structured finance and de-
a FinTech fund.”
rivatives; corporate; projects; ICT; real estate, competi-
tion

530
chambersstudent.co.uk Simmons & Simmons LLP S
Chambers UK rankings and trainees kept busy taking a first crack at negotiat-
Banking & Finance Intellectual Property
ing agreements “either by looking at templates or using
Banking Litigation Investment Funds
precedents.” They then mark up said agreements, get as-
Capital Markets Life Sciences
sociates to check them over, and hash out the terms with
Commodities Litigation
the other side. Interviewees explained it takes a while to
Competition/European Law Outsourcing
“understand what the complex master agreements are ac-
Construction Pensions
tually saying.” Bristolians do similar work to their London
Consumer Finance Professional Negligence
counterparts: “This group arguably does the most complex
Corporate/M&A Projects
and interesting work available in the practice area… not bad
Employment Real Estate
for regional trainees!”
Energy & Natural Real Estate Finance
Resources Restructuring/Insolvency
The firm’s banking department keeps most of its deal-
Financial Crime Tax
ings confidential, but we can mention Simmons client
Financial Services Telecommunications
Nurture Landscapes’ £40 million credit extension pro-
Fraud Transport
vided by HSBC. Sources characterised matters here as “a
Information Technology lot more fast-paced: deals usually complete in a fortnight,
Insurance then you’re on to the next, so you have to juggle multiple
deals for multiple clients.” That said, “the nature of the
work means some days you have nothing on and the next
ing and finance elite on the client list including Deutsche, day you’re at 100% capacity, so you never really know how
Credit Suisse, NatWest and Morgan Stanley. your week is going to go.” Trainees were surprised to find
“deals can sometimes have societal importance on top of
Folks in financial services handle funds and asset man- being high-stakes, so we’re engaged in work that will make
agement plus regulatory and derivatives matters. Hedge a difference. That’s not what you’d expect from banking, it’s
funds are a Simmons speciality – the firm helped the usually quite faceless.” A common task in this seat is “re-
world’s third largest hedge manager Man Group launch ally technical research,” which can pose “a cerebral chal-
a new fund in summer 2019, including a Cayman segre- lenge.”
gated portfolio company. Many clients have sought ad-
vice on the possible effects of Brexit on their finances, Disputes can also be research-heavy, but trainees got
and Simmons launched a dedicated Brexit Task Force to their fair share of more scintillating responsibilities such
assist them. First-hand client contact is high in a financial as drafting letters to the other side, making court applica-
services seat “because there a number of core documents tions and liaising with counsel. Financial and commercial
we need to review and negotiate,” trainees declared. Said disputes alike fall in here: the group recently represent-
documents are “corporate ancillaries within a funds dimen- ed international mobile network operator Telefónica in a
sion, including NDAs and engagement letters.” Sources had £25 million clash with Carphone Warehouse. Simmons’
also handled large fund updates: “There were a number disputes team also advises LG, BP and other companies
of regulatory changes to fund legislation, so an associate with names longer than two letters. “Taking an active role”
and I went through documents enacting all the updates.” in cross-departmental client meetings, one lucky source
Trainees summarised their time here as “an absolute joy: revealed they only had one bundle to do in the whole
the team was very good at introducing me to the people seat. Others noted clear progression over their time in
who ran all the different funds, so I got to know the clients disputes: “A real highlight was when I was drafting letters
really well.” to the other side – who were being really aggressive – and
my drafts came back with only one or two changes from
“The nature of the work means some days supervisors, where previously I’d had about half my drafts
you have nothing on and the next day amended. It was like progressing from a secondary school
The True Picture

Year 7 to Year 8!”

you’re at 100% capacity.”
Derivatives and structured finance can be found in capital “A bit daunting for people who need their
markets, alongside debt and asset-back securitisations. hand held, but it encourages you to be
There’s a fair degree of crossover with financial services,
independent.”
including plenty of hedge fund advice – both teams had
roles on Crake Asset Management’s $1.6 billion hedge School is also in session in real estate, where trainees
fund launch, Europe’s largest in 2019. “It’s one of the seats reckoned they “had the most client-facing responsibility of
with the highest amount of client exposure because we only all the seats. I was let loose with my own matters, which is
work with a few select clients, but we do a lot of repeat typical for this department.” These cases tend to be lower-
work for them,” an insider explained. Transactions are value asset management projects, “like if a client rents out
quite leanly staffed so “the hours can be quite intense,” a property and the tenant wants to redecorate. They won’t

531
 S Simmons & Simmons LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

always want to get involved in landlord/tenant disputes, so The firm’s own efforts in recruiting and retaining a di-
we negotiate a licence for alteration instead.” Newbies also verse workforce were a little less well received by some
play a smaller part in bigger transactions by running the trainee sources, but Simmons has earned plaudits as a
due diligence. Simmons recently acted for Hines UK dur- Stonewall Top Global Employer 2019 and a Times top 50
ing its acquisition of a former Sainsbury’s site in Birming- employer for women. Internal diversity groups include
ham, to build student accommodation; the firm’s other MERGE for minority ethnic lawyers, which provides a fo-
clients include Legal & General and M7 Real Estate. Even rum for diverse individuals to discuss any difficulties they
first-seaters here get to run their own small files, espe- face; they also receive a dedicated mentor. The Number
cially if a departing trainee left work outstanding; it can One Club – named after the firm’s London address at 1
“be a bit daunting for people who need their hand held, but Ropemaker Street – is there for female lawyers and there
it encourages you to be independent and makes you proac- are several religious organisations available too. All in all,
tive in asking questions.”   sources agreed Simmons does “make an effort to make
sure people’s voices are heard.”  
Employment counts as a contentious seat at Simmons,
but trainees reported a roughly 50/50 split between liti- “All the partners I’ve met have been so approachable and
gious and advisory matters. “It’s good for people who don’t down to earth, which is a bit strange given how intelligent
want to be a litigator because you get to do the contentious and powerful they are,” one of our more starstruck inter-
seat alongside non-contentious work,” insiders noted. The viewees suggested. Simmons may seek out “high-perfor-
firm almost exclusively represents employers, often in mance lawyers who never shrink away from work,” but we
tribunal cases. Monzo, AXA and Invesco are among the heard it’s also looking for “genuinely nice people who are
companies on the roster; management consulting firm human before anything else.” The trainee cohort is par-
Russell Reynolds called on the team’s aid when a new ticularly close: “We did loads of activities during lockdown,
hire’s former workplace attempted to block their recruit- like drinks and a virtual bake-off. Baked goods are a com-
ment. An employment seat comes with its share of “basic mon fixture at the firm and on the 124th anniversary, staff
tasks like bundling and disclosure, which can be mundane, and lawyers baked 124 cakes and donated the proceeds to
but you get more responsibility if you prove yourself and charity.” We heard that one of the firm’s practice group
can move on to preparing witness statements.” Non-con- heads hosts a summer garden party at their home; others
tentious work involves supporting corporate transactions, make a point to check in with trainees even after they’ve
such as integrating employees following a company ac- left the department.
quisition. Sources were pleased with the “huge amount of
client contact: partners like us to be the first port of call.” “Baked goods are a common fixture at the
firm.”
“…make an effort to make sure people’s
voices are heard.”  There was some confusion (and a little discontent) sur-
rounding the trainee assessment system. Each trainee
Trainee Life receives a grade against broad criteria, “but how the as-
In keeping with its City compadres, several departments sessors come to their decisions is quite opaque.” Insiders
at the firm have reputations for requiring “brutal” hours were more positive about their everyday training, espe-
on the part of trainees. “The people at Simmons aren’t put cially given the challenging nature of their work. “The
off by long hours because we know we’re doing some of the tasks end up being so complicated that you can’t find the
best work in the City,” insiders declared. Weekend work answer, but that means we’re able to make judgement
can be hard to avoid, and many made use of the office calls which the supervisor then challenges you on,” they
canteen or ordered takeaway post-8pm. “The partners explained.Simmons’ feedback system is gradually be-
are really good at rewarding people” who do have to put coming more formalised to bring it in line with trainee de-
in long shifts. “They give us time off in lieu and the work velopment objectives. “My supervisors were brilliant,” one
The True Picture

is really interesting, so it never really feels like you spend source said. “They were really interested in pastoral care
your Sundays working.” Despite their heavy load, trainees and my career development while making sure sure I wasn’t
are “very keen to snap up” pro bono and found “nobody overburdened or doing just grunt work.”
gives you a hard time for doing it.” The firm does a lot of
international work supporting human rights defenders The Covid-19 pandemic delayed Simmons’ NQ process,
and authored the Human Rights Defenders’ Toolbox, but but sources anticipated the firm would stick with its usu-
trainees had also advised on smaller projects for regu- al system: a jobs list comes out around the fourth seat,
lar pro bono clients like Macmillan and the Big Issue, or then trainees rank available departments in order of pref-
hosted CV workshops with under-resourced schools to erence. A dating-app-style matching process determines
“encourage access to the legal profession.” which groups trainees will get jobs in. Simmons did not
disclose its retention rate in 2020.

532
www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
chambersstudent.co.uk Simmons & Simmons LLP S

Simmons & Simmons

CityPoint, One Ropemaker Street, London EC2Y 9SS
Tel: 020 7628 2020 Twitter: @SimmonsGrads Partners: 280+ (Global), 145+ (UK)
Email: [email protected] Facebook: @SimmonsGraduates Associates: 580+ (Global),
Website: http://graduates.simmons-simmons.com Instagram: @simmons_simmonsllp 270+ (UK)
Trainees: 52 (UK)
Offices: 23

Firm profile Contacts

We’re a truly international firm, with truly international reach. Every day, our expert teams across Eu- Graduate recruitment:
rope, the Middle East and Asia come together to work on our clients toughest commercial challenges. recruitment@simmons-simmons.
com
Our lawyers are sector specialists so they’re experts in the areas that matter most to everyone’s future
Training partner: Matthew Hooton
– from healthcare and technology to the financial forces that power our world.
Application criteria
We’re reimagining what a career in law looks like. It’s all part of our long-term strategy to change the Training contracts pa: 24+
way we work, so we can deliver smarter solutions – to our people and our clients. It means that when Minimum required degree grade:
you join our firm, you’ll discover so much more than the practice of law. 2:1 or equivalent
Minimum UCAS points or A levels:
Main areas of work 136 UCAS points
Vacation scheme places pa: 60
We view the world through the lens of our key sectors: asset management and investment funds, financial
institutions, healthcare and life sciences, and technology, media and telecommunications. These sector Dates and deadlines
teams are drawn from the core practice areas of: corporate; projects; information, communications and Vacation scheme applications
technology; competition and antitrust and trade; dispute resolution; intellectual property; employment, open:
pensions and incentives; banking; structured finance and derivatives; debt capital markets; financial 1st October 2020 (Winter, London),
15th October 2020 (Summer,
services; real estate and tax.
London and Bristol)
Vacation scheme 2021 deadline:
Training opportunities 1st November 2020 (Winter), 15th
We offer training contracts in both Bristol and London, and either way, you’ll spend two years dis- January 2021 (Summer, London),
covering the innovation we’re known for. As well as moving through four six-month seats across our 15th February 2021 (Summer,
practice areas, you’ll also benefit from the Compass programme; our unique and progressive trainee Bristol)

skills academy that offers a combination of practical learning and online tools designed to support your Salary and benefits
journey through to qualification. First-year salary: £45,000
(London), £39,000 (Bristol)
Vacation scheme Second-year salary: £50,000
Discover what it’s like to be a trainee lawyer with one of our vacation schemes. Over one or two (London), £40,000 (Bristol)
weeks in either Bristol or London, you’ll experience the work, the reach and the day-to-day buzz of Post-qualification salary: £79,000
our international firm. Throw yourself into this full programme of social events and work experi- (London), £52,000 (Bristol)
Holiday entitlement: 25 days
ence, and you’ll get a taste for our firm and the work we do, from research to drafting, and meet-
ings to departmental training. Sponsorship
Winter vacation scheme (London): A one-week scheme aimed specifically at final year students LPC fees: Yes
and graduates of all disciplines. Applications open 1st October 2020. GDL fees: Yes
Maintenance grant pa:
Summer vacation scheme (London or Bristol): A two-week scheme open to penultimate and final London - £7,500 for the PGDL
year students and graduates of all disciplines. Applications open 15th October 2020. and £9,000 for the LPC
Bristol - £6,500 for the PGDL and
Please note that we fill our roles on a rolling basis and advise you to apply as soon as possible to avoid
The True Picture

£7,500 for the LPC

disappointment.
International and regional
Other benefits Offices with training contracts:
25 days holiday, pension contributions, private medical insurance including Virtual GP advice, dis- Germany, Hong Kong, Singapore
and the Netherlands
counted gym membership and health assessments, life assurance, employee assistance programme, eye
Overseas seats: Varies
sight tests, cycle to work scheme, payroll giving scheme, travel insurance, season ticket loan.
Client secondments: Varies
Open days and first-year opportunities
Spring insight scheme (London): A two-day workshop for first year students of all disciplines, as well as
penultimate year non-law students. Applications open 15th January 2021.

533
Org ID: 383 7 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................
 S Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom (UK) LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom

(UK) LLP
The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Location: London How to get into Skadden
Overseas offices: 21
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 29/86/18
Seats: 4x6 months; overseas seats
First-year salary: £50,000
Qualification salary: £133,000

A legal legend whose reputation precedes it: US-born Skadden seeks the
driven and intelligent to train at its London base.

The Firm in February, right before Covid-19 hit the UK and when an
Looking at Skadden’s fearsome global operation in 2020, increased number of corporates needed restructuring ad-
it’s hard to imagine the firm as an underdog, but that’s vice,” Tricot reveals.
how its story started. In 1948 a breakaway band of New
York lawyers set out to challenge the stuffy NYC elite,
and the rest is history. What really matters is the Skad- The Seats
den of today, whose “unparalleled reputation” wasn’t lost Trainees are likely to complete corporate and litigation/
on trainees. Seeking out the “top-quality work” on offer international arbitration seats during their training con-
at this corporate law legend, they also sought to rub tract. Skadden’s team still picks trainees’ first seat; go-
shoulders with colleagues as “enthusiastic, intelligent and ing forward, “trainees have fairly regular meetings with
driven” as themselves. True to US firm form, some cited HR and the training principal to discuss where you want to
the “smaller intake and responsibility that comes with that” go for your next seats.” Second years are more likely to
as another big reason to sign on. secure their preferences; for first years, “it’s more about
where there’s space.” Skadden offers overseas seats in
Having set up shop in London back in 1988, Skadden’s Hong Kong, New York and Brussels, and sources noted
had a footing in the UK longer than most of its American that “NYC is particularly competitive.” Any trainees who
rivals. Three decades of experience has paid off, with the are interested can submit a formal application at the end
firm earning enviable Chambers UK rankings for inter- of their first year. That’s business as usual – the coronavi-
national arbitration, banking and finance, financial crime, rus pandemic paused international secondments in 2020.
corporate/M&A, and public international law. Incoming
trainees knew that whether they picked a transactional Though a corporate seat is compulsory, trainees have
or litigious practice, “Skadden would provide opportunities several options to pick from including M&A, capital mar-
either way.” kets and private equity. M&A at Skadden means both
The True Picture

private and public deals – one interview worked on “a

…whether they picked a transactional or public merger with foreign parties,” as well as “a massive
litigious practice, “Skadden would provide private deal where one of the private equity houses wanted
to dispose of a large portion of their assets.” Be prepared
opportunities either way.”
for lots of zeros: Skadden recently advised Danish freight
Training principal Danny Tricot does clarify that “Skadden and logistics company DSV A/S on its £3.6 billion acquisi-
is not a firm that has to be in every area: we tend to grow
organically, into areas we think clients will need us and Seat options: litigation; corporate private equity; cor-
that complement what we already do.” Recent lateral hires porate restructuring; corporate/M&A; corporate in-
include two corporate partners from Allen & Overy, and surance; tax; banking; IP, IT, privacy and cybersecu-
a restructuring partner from Milbank. The latter turned rity; regulatory; corporate capital markets; white-collar
out to be very opportune timing: “We hired Peter Newman crime; funds; employment

534
chambersstudent.co.uk Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom (UK) LLP S
Chambers UK rankings “take charge of local counsel relations” as well as drafting
Banking & Finance Litigation
board minutes, authorisations, directors’ certificates and
Capital Markets Private Equity
shareholder resolutions. Receiving “a lot of responsibility
Corporate/M&A Public International Law
in coordinating jurisdictions and communicating directly
Financial Crime Restructuring/Insolvency
with clients,” sources rose to the challenge presented by
Insurance Tax
the department. “It was a steep learning curve because
International Arbitration
they don’t really have a cap on responsibility,” one acknowl-
edged. “How it goes will depend on how much you can take
on.”

tion of Swiss transport and logistics company Panalpina;

and the Phoenix Group on its $4.1 billion reverse takeover Trainee Life
of investment giant Standard Life Assurance. Insurance “Everyone is very driven and very proud of the work they do
M&A involves “an added regulatory element to everything,” – that unites us all,” sources suggested. They were, how-
while trainees in private equity dealt “mainly with acqui- ever, keen to emphasise that their lives didn’t begin and
sitions by private equity houses, as well as some minor- end with Skadden: “People do prioritise work and strive for
ity buyouts and occasionally setting up funds.” No matter excellence, but not to the point where that’s the only thing
where they sat, the role of a trainee was pretty consistent, there is.” Many also flagged the “social” and “friendly” as-
revolving around document checklists, coordinating local pects of life at the firm, with a nicely filled calendar of
counsel and “general project management.” One source events. A general sense of cohesion comes from “being
looked back: “Once I got up to speed, my supervisor was part of a smaller office where everyone knows who every-
happy for me to speak to clients directly.” Trainees also su- one is; that really helps.” The London office takes up four
pervised closings and drafted ancillary documents; some floors of 40 Bank Street, Canary Wharf; some trainees
were even able tackle the first draft of a share purchase reckoned “each floor kind of has its own subculture,” as do
agreement. different departments. 

“It was a steep learning curve because A smaller office also means that “everyone notices when
they don’t really have a cap on you’ve done a late night – the next day they’ll say, ‘you’ve
worked hard, make sure you go home early tonight.’” US
responsibility.”
firms generally get a bad rep when it comes to hours, so
Litigation and arbitration comes with “a very broad spec- when trainees suggested their timings are “more reason-
trum of dispute types,” and trainees were able to “get ex- able than expected,” that may not mean very much. “I’ve
posure to both sides.” That meant big money commercial never worked beyond 1am, which isn’t that bad,” one proud-
litigation, trusts and probate disputes, multi-jurisdiction ly declared. If you say so… Others described an average
arbitration and international investment treaty clashes. day as closer to 9.30am until 7pm, but some seats includ-
Skadden has advised Vodafone on its $5.6 billion bilat- ing corporate are more prone to ups and downs. “When it
eral investment treaty dispute with India. In a commer- was busy I’d be finishing around 10.30pm, but equally there
cial case, the team represented IndiGo Airlines in a $400 were times when I didn’t have much on and my supervisor
million shareholders’ agreement suit. On such massive would tell me to go by 5.30pm,” an insider explained.
cases, trainees typically begin with “a lot of research”
followed by “having a go at drafting a section of a docu- “I’ve never worked beyond 1am, which isn’t
ment, using that research.” One source was happy to “see that bad!”
a tangible outcome of the trainee’s work” as the case went
on. They and others quickly adjusted to cross-office col- We were impressed to find that trainees found time to fit
laboration; a recent deal “consumed three offices –London, pro bono into their schedules: “In America, the firm is very
The True Picture

New York and Hong Kong – and we were all working togeth- proud of its pro bono and does a huge amount. That attitude
er,” trainees recalled. is definitely present in London too.” Multiple sources prac-
tised advocacy at the East London Family Court, while
The firm’s banking team tends to “mainly advise the bor- others had given advice at a domestic violence legal
rowers” in deals, but lender-side matters float in from time clinic. As well as these long-term projects, Skadden ad-
to time. Acquisition financings, revolving credit facilities vertises “a lot of one-off matters,” including working with
and syndicated loans can all be found here: Skadden’s stateless individuals with securing citizenship and help-
team represented Belgian pharma company UCB in the ing non-profit organisations set up as charities. The firm
$2.1 billion financing of its bid for US-based Ra Pharma- also matches its American cousins on the salary front,
ceuticals, with the client opting to finance under English doling out £50,000 for first year trainees and £133,000
law. Health diagnostic business Affidea appointed Skad- for NQs.
den for a ‘flexible’ €580 million refinancing. Trainees here

535
 S Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom (UK) LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

As qualification rolled around, trainees found “it’s gen- process “followed the same timetable as in 2019.” Trainees
erally clear that Skadden wants to try to retain everyone.” submit their preferences for which department they’d
Second years were going through qualification prepara- like to qualify into; the team leaders then calculate if
tions at the time of our research, and despite the uncer- they’ve got space for however many NQs apply. In 2020,
tainty caused by Covid-19, they were pleased to find the the firm did not disclose its retention figure.

Buy me dinner first…

“When you’re having to work late, there’s a budget for getting
dinner and a taxi home, so you’re not put out,” trainees
revealed.
The True Picture

536
 www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
chambersstudent.co.uk Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom (UK) LLP S

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom (UK)

40 Bank Street, Canary Wharf, London E14 5DS
Tel: 020 7519 7000 Fax: 020 7519 7070 Partners: 29
Email: [email protected] Twitter: @SkaddenArps Associates: 74
Website: www.bit.ly/2WKBh6V Twitter: @SkaddenRecruit Total trainees: 18
UK offices: 1
Overseas offices: 21

Firm profile Contacts

Since opening our London office in 1988, Skadden has established itself as a major player in the Graduate recruiter:
London legal market. Mathieu Pinto Cardoso
mathieu.pintocardoso@skadden.
The firm offers a fully integrated UK, European and US practice operating from our London base
com
and composed of some of London’s top-ranked lawyers.
Our clients, which we counsel on cross-border European and global matters, include major Application criteria

corporates, financial institutions and governments. Skadden’s global platform allows our lawyers Training contracts pa: 12
Applications pa: 1000+
in London to quickly marshall relevant experience across practices and offices.
Minimum required degree:
More than two-thirds of our London partners are recommended as leaders in their field in grade: 2:1 or other
Chambers UK, and the firm is highly regarded in each of its practice areas. Skadden is regularly Vacation scheme places pa: 40
ranked highly for ‘legal expertise’ in the Financial Times European “Innovative Lawyers” report.
Dates and deadlines
2021 Vacation Scheme and
Main areas of work
2023 Training contract applica-
Skadden’s London office advises on M&A, capital markets, private equity, banking and finance,
tion deadline: 31st December
corporate restructuring, investment management, tax, insurance, government enforcement and 2020
white collar crime, international litigation and arbitration, EU competition, financial regulatory,
employment, and IP, IT, data protection and cybersecurity. Salary and benefits
First-year salary: £50,000
Second-year salary: £55,000
Training opportunities
Post-qualification salary:
The firm seeks to recruit a small number of high-calibre graduates from any discipline to join their
£133,000
highly successful London office as trainee solicitors. The firm is looking for candidates who com-
Holiday entitlement: 25 days
bine intellectual ability with enthusiasm, creativity and a demonstrable ability to rise to a challenge
and to work well with others towards a common goal. Sponsorship

The firm can offer you the chance to develop your career in a uniquely rewarding and professional LPC fees: Yes

environment. You will join a close-knit but diverse team in which you will be given ample op- GDL fees: Yes
Maintenance grant pa: £10,000
portunity to work on complex matters, almost all with an international aspect, whilst benefiting
from highly personalised training and supervision in an informal and friendly environment. Your International and regional
training contract will be divided into four six month seats where you will be able to experience a Overseas seats: Hong Kong,
diverse range of practice areas. The firm also offers the opportunity for second year trainees to be New York or Brussels
seconded to our Hong Kong, New York or Brussels office for a six month seat.

Vacation schemes
Skadden’s training contracts are offered to students who participate in our vacation placement
programme, which provides participants with firsthand experience working on actual global
transactions. The programme offers the opportunity for law and non-law students to experience
The True Picture

the culture and working environment of the firm through vacation schemes. Placements are paid
(£500 per week) and take place during Spring and over the course of the summer. The deadline for
applications is 31st December 2020 for placements in 2021.

Other benefits
Life insurance, private health insurance, private medical insurance, travel insurance, gym
membership, employee assistance programme and technology allowance, cycle scheme.

Org ID: 3656 2 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... 537

Date: ............................
 S Slaughter and May chambersstudent.co.uk

Slaughter and May

The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Location: London How to get into Slaughter and May-
Overseas offices: 3
Interview with senior partner Steve
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 92/387/160
Seats: 4-6 seats of varied length; overseas seats; Cooke
secondments
First-year salary: £45,000
Qualification salary: undisclosed

Excellence and intrigue define this kookier wizard among the magic
circle.

The Firm And the myth and intrigue continue in its closely guarded
There are few names more formidable in the law than financial results – though this time do pay attention to the
Slaughter and May. This weighty reputation is a con- rumour mill, which has it that Slaughters is the most prof-
coction of rumour, truth and woolly terms like ‘prestige’. itable in the City.
But if you want to know what prestige means in material
terms, take a glance at the Chambers UK rankings, where
clients consider the firm to be the crème de la absolute The Seats
crème for corporate work. Slaughters is called upon by A “distinguishing factor” at Slaughters is its multi-special-
more FTSE 100 and 250 companies than any other UK ist approach to training. “I thought it was just marketing,”
law firm, and in 2019 it advised on four of the six larg- noted one source, “but you really get a chance to try lots
est M&A deals in the UK. Chambers UK bestows further of different things within individual groups.” The secondary
top-tier rankings on Slaughters in areas such as banking aim is to immerse trainees in multiple areas, to push them
and finance, competition law, financial crime, real estate, to learn and develop at pace, and become more capable
and tax. lawyers.

This is how the firm gets its magic circle badge of honour. Seats in both corporate and finance are mandatory; oth-
But “it’s different to other magic circle firms,” surmised one erwise, incomers submit their seat preferences before
trainee, adding to the firm’s mystique. “It’s much smaller joining. And if you’re notwedded to these preferences,
and those firms have more structure.” While Slaughters trainees have the option to resubmit their preferences
hasn’t pursued an overseas empire, this doesn’t stop it three months in.
from “representing the higher-value and more complex
work” typical of firms we’d bracket in the global elite. The firm’s corporate department covers three general
Slaughters eschews multiple international offices and groups, which “are broadly not that different, bar one hav-
The True Picture

utilises a ‘best friends network’ of equally lofty firms ing a stronger insurance focus.” Work is determined by su-
worldwide. pervisors’ practices, with trainees involved in public and
private M&A deals, IPOs, joint ventures, private equity
“It’s different to other magic circle firms.” and capital markets deals for the likes of Burberry, Royal
Dutch Shell, General Electric and many more household
What it does have in common with the rest of the mag- names. Notably, the firm advised GlaxoSmithKline on the
ic circle is its expectation for excellence – and we can’t creation of a “world-leading” consumer healthcare joint
see much differentiation on this front. Naturally over the venture with combined sales of approximately £20 bil-
years this has fed rumour that life at Slaughters can be
unrelenting, but our trainee sources quickly dealt with Seat options: disputes & investigations; competition;
this cliché: “Its reputation is worse than the reality.” But it IP/IT; financial regulation; pensions, employment & in-
is still demanding. centives; real estate; tax; corporate; finance

538
chambersstudent.co.uk Slaughter and May S
Chambers UK rankings emerge, such as checking conditions precedent, prepar-
Banking & Finance Information Technology
ing board minutes, updating trackers and “keeping on top
Banking Litigation Insurance
of the status” of closing processes.
Capital Markets Intellectual Property
Competition/European Law Life Sciences “There are lots of documents to churn and
Construction Litigation review: it’s the nature of the seat, and the
Corporate/M&A Outsourcing NQs don’t quite escape it either!”
Employee Share Schemes Pensions
& Incentives Real Estate
Disputes sees trainees involved in arbitration matters,
Energy & Natural Restructuring/Insolvency
corporate and commercial litigation, and “full- and large-
Resources scale investigations.” Towering financial institutions – such
Retail
Financial Crime as Standard Chartered, JP Morgan and Deutsche Bank –
Tax
Financial Services flock to the firm. Standard Life Aberdeen sought advice
Fraud on a contractual dispute with Lloyds relating to invest-
ment management agreements concerning some £100
billion of assets. On the commercial side, the firm repre-
lion. Slaughters also advised Takeaway.com on its rec- sents big names like British American Tobacco, Bupa and
ommended all-share combination with Just Eat. On the the Department for Transport. Pointing to its cross-border
equity capital markets side, the firm recently advised on capabilities, Slaughters recently acted for Diageo on a
the demerger of M&G from Prudential. contractual dispute in the High Court, securing summary
judgment of £146 million. Trainees collectively character-
“...plain-vanilla financings, which aren’t ised their time as “process-heavy,” with much related to
really plain or vanilla...” “project management.” One trainee found it “quite admin-y,
with lots of tables and trackers.” Specifically for investiga-
We’re told responsibility and experiences differ and are tions, one trainee noted that “there are lots of documents
often determined by timing and the supervisor’s special- to churn and review: it’s the nature of the seat, and the NQs
isms. On the private M&A side, trainees shared experi- don’t quite escape it either!” Trainees did get the chance
ences of working in “lots of secondary issuances,” draft- to draft a witness statement and short notes of advice, at-
ing board minutes, company house filings,and corporate tend hearings, and play “an integral role” on smaller-scale
reorganisations crossing over with the tax department. investigations.
On smaller deals, advisory work comes to the fore, with
“varied, esoteric points coming in.” Smaller-scale work Any M&A department worth its salt needs a robust com-
was popular, as “you get more substantive engagement petition function, which is exactly what you get at Slaugh-
on those random queries.” Trainees were also kept busy ters. Sources spent time in both Brussels and London for
drafting share purchase agreements, reviewing corpo- their competition seat. Those in Belgium reported more
rate governance, and doing research into market abuse. European merger work, while the London team is more
“Generally,” shared one trainee, “the standard of work felt CMA-oriented, “but we’re all still regarded as one group.”
higher here than in other seats.” The group covers competition litigation, antitrust work,
merger control and state aid matters. Unsurprisingly,
The finance department similarly straddles a wide variety merger control cases are high-profile, such as acting for
– including leveraged finance, acquisition finance, debt Vodafone on its acquisition of parts of Liberty Global, and
capital markets and restructuring – for an equally familiar for Allergan on its proposed acquisition by AbbVie. Big
clientele such as Ernst & Young, Crédit Suisse, Premier antitrust cases include advising Google on its EC inves-
Oil and Ocado. The firm recently worked for AlixPartners tigation for advertising services, and British Airways on
as contingency planning advisers and prospective insol- the CMA investigation into the Atlantic joint venture with
The True Picture

vency practitioners of the Thomas Cook group. Slaugh- American Airlines. Trainees applauded the firm for “not
ters also lent its expertise to Wonga as it entered into ad- shying away from allocating proper work,” with support on
ministration. Our sources welcomed the “massive variety” Article 101 and 102 proceedings, yet typical trainee tasks
of work across the department, with highlights including inevitably emerge. On a big veterinary medicine merger,
“big leveraged finance deals,” some “plain-vanilla financ- one source found themselves “analysing all the active in-
ings, which aren’t really plain or vanilla,” project agree- gredients in every drug offered for every animal affected. It
ments, and the “full range of debt capital markets work.” was important but tedious at times.” Another “rubbish task”
saw a source spend “hours checking the consistency of a
“I actually did quite a lot of drafting,” shared one trainee, 60-page document making sure full stops were correct and
noting the “big scope to do ancillary documents, authori- there were no sentences over 25 words.” The link between
sations, and assisting with the underlying, more technical the granular and big picture was not lost on sources
documents.” On the meatier cases, “typical trainee tasks”

539
 S Slaughter and May chambersstudent.co.uk

though. “These things have to be done,” shared one inter- And much like the institutions it often hires from, diver-
viewee, “as they lead to a better, fuller project.” sity at Slaughters invited criticism from trainees. “It’s no-
ticeably not a diverse place,” told one trainee. “They don’t
We spoke to several trainees in real estate, where focus on the nuances of diversity,” thought another source,
“there’s a good mix of corporate support and autonomy,” generalising that “women who make partner are still pri-
on “straight-up real estate work” and bigger projects, like vately educated Oxbridge women.” Another added: “They
drafting term sheets for hiring a football stadium or re- care about it on paper,” but whether true or not, the firm
viewing the charter agreements for floating oil and gas did rise 55 places in the Stonewall rankings to the top
vessels. Work in financial regulations is “very complicat- 15, and it has also risen on social mobility indices. One
ed and technical,” and is split between transaction sup- source noted that “there’s been growth with schemes
port and general advisory work, “advising companies on to target specific groups” – such as RARE Recruitment,
their regulatory regimes.” PRISM diversity training, mentoring schemes, the Law
Springboard Programme, and more –but trainees felt that
change is generational and slow.
Trainee Life
Overseas secondments are available through the ‘best This said, the firm is still a City trendsetter and innova-
friends’ network. And rather than just keeping up with tion does find its place: this year saw Slaughters become
the magic Joneses with their overseas network schemes, the first law firm to set science-based climate change
Slaughters may even offer something better: “It’s a far targets, committing to reduce absolute carbon emissions
more authentic experience as you’re mostly going to non- 50% by 2030.
Slaughters offices,” one source shared. “You’re genuinely
imbedded into the best firms around the world,” rather than “It would have been reassuring to know it’s a far friend-
network outposts. Landing an international secondment lier environment than I thought it would be,” shared one
is reportedly “less competitive than made out,” with “al- trainee. “The doors are open, literally and figuratively.”
most everyone who applied getting one,” we heard.Others Sources were also quick to dismantle the perception of
offered advice, finding that “you’re more likely to go if you unapproachable partners, noting they’re “just people! You
apply in your fourth seat.” can talk to them.” Another added that “there’s a hierarchy
in terms of work, but I wouldn’t feel strange asking a part-
“I expected it to be stuffy, but it’s not; it’s ner a question.” Among trainees, a friendly yet slightly
an ordinary, modern workplace.” competitive air emerged. “Everyone’s scrupulously polite,”
told one; “there’s camaraderie rather than sharp elbows.”
And back to that Slaughters mythology we were on about Though some sources experienced more of the latter.
earlier: “The traditional culture is overstated,” one found; “People know how to work the trainee rumour mill and may
“there’s a weird perspective that we’re 20 years in the past.” often understate or overstate the hours they’ve worked to
Another added: “I expected it to be stuffy, but it’s not; it’s give off a certain impression.”
an ordinary, modern workplace.” Although our sources felt
the firm wouldn’t toy with “new-fangled ideas without “It’s not that deeply entrenched hedonism,
good reason,” Slaughter and May did embrace moder- and most prefer it that way.”
nity in establishing a legal tech project called Collabo-
rate in 2019. “They just don’t jump on things quickly,” one And these rumours must flow freely with no billingtar-
trainee shared. We heard claims that they were the “last gets. “The lack of target or eat-what-you-kill culture” fos-
firm to get email!” and that they operate an “antiquated” ters a strong team ethic, thought trainees. “Partners will
partners-only dining room, and are “way behind” in social help as there’s no ‘that’s my matter’ culture, and that bleeds
media presence – but then, is TikTok really the right place into trainees.” But no extent of collegiality will reduce the
for M&A law? working hours. “My hours have been better than I feared,”
The True Picture

shared one tentatively, “but they’ve still been pretty aw-

We’ve found Slaughters to do things in a no-fuss man- ful at points.” Transactional seats are notoriously “up and
ner. Take the “streamlined and simple” application pro- down” with a “standard busy week being in until 10-11 in
cess, for example, which requires only a CV, cover letter the lead to closing.” Overall though, sources perceived
and application form. In line with the rest of the magic it “to be humane,” but work “can seep into weekends and
circle, “There’s a heavy Oxbridge contingent here, and the evenings.” Happily, one source found: “I’ve left at 6.30 as
interview process works well for Oxbridge applicants as it’s much as I’ve left at midnight.” And this is typical of any
just like a tutorial.” But the introduction of “newer, modern elite law firm.
processes” may begin to dismantle the elitist reputational
baggage.

540
chambersstudent.co.uk Slaughter and May S
Popular pastoral moves from the firm were increasing
drinks, bowling, karaoke, escape rooms, group dinners
holiday entitlement to 30 days, introducing a four-week
and more. “I’ve been in clubs with partners for team events,
paid sabbatical for associates with at least three years’
but you don’t have to go,” one source revealed. “If you want
PQE, and ushering in new working from home policies.
to leave at 9pm, it won’t inhibit you from progressing.”

Is there any time for play? “There’s some socialising, but On that note, qualification is “slightly less formulaic” and
not as much as other firms; it’s an opt-in if you want culture” “comes down to preferences matching up with places avail-
– an approach most warmed to. “It’s not lacking,” offered able.” Retention is historically strong, and in 2020 the firm
one trainee, “but it’s not that deeply entrenched hedonism, retained 68 out of 72 qualifiers. “They hire with the inten-
and most prefer it that way.” While social events “really tion of keeping us all on,” one revealed cheerily.
depend on the group,” we heard reports of departmental

And finally...
The firm places great emphasis on its “organic pipeline of
talent.” Accordingly, it has only hired two external lawyers
in its 130-year history.

The True Picture

541
 www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
S  laughter and May
S chambersstudent.co.uk

Slaughter and May

One Bunhill Row, London, EC1Y 8YY
Tel: 020 7090 4454 Facebook: SlaughterandMayTraineeCareers Partners: 109*
Email: [email protected] Associates: 434*
Website: www.slaughterandmay.com Total trainees: 177*
*Worldwide figures
UK offices: London
Overseas offices: Beijing,
Firm profile Brussels, Hong Kong plus
Slaughter and May is one of the most prestigious law firms in the world. We advise on high-profile relationship firms in all the major
jurisdictions.
and often landmark international transactions. Our excellent and varied client list ranges from
governments to entrepreneurs, from retailers to entertainment companies and from conglomer- Contacts
ates to Premier League football clubs. We are a full service law firm to corporate clients and have The Trainee Recruitment team
leading practitioners across a wide range of practice areas including mergers and acquisitions, trainee.recruit@slaughterandmay.
corporate and commercial, financing, tax, competition, dispute resolution, real estate, pensions com
020 7090 4454
and employment, financial regulation, information technology and intellectual property. Clients
need us to ensure that the service we offer is cutting edge, both in terms of harnessing latest market Application criteria
developments, such as legal tech, as well as the quality of our advice. Training contract pa: 80
Minimum required degree grade:
Much of our work has an international element and in 2019 we worked with over 225 law firms in
Good 2:1
more than 80 jurisdictions. We are committed to a forward thinking, innovative approach to legal Minimum UCAS points or A
service delivery to complement the best in class, business focused advice on which our reputation Levels: Good A-levels
is built. Vacation scheme places pa: 100
First year scheme places pa:
We take great store in drawing strength from diversity. With 147 different degree courses from 70 Approx 150
different universities and 45 nationalities represented among our lawyers, our culture is extremely
broad. Dates and deadlines
Please visit our website for all
deadlines.
Training opportunities
We have approximately 80 vacancies for trainee solicitors each year. We look for candidates from Salary and benefits
a diverse range of backgrounds with a good 2:1 at undergraduate level from any university, and First year salary: £45,000
take an equal mix of law and non-law graduates. We use the Rare Contextual Recruitment System Second year salary: £51,000
across all our trainee recruitment activity. The system helps us to identify high potential candi- Holiday entitlement: 30 days

dates by putting applicants’ grades and achievements in the context of their social and educational Sponsorship
background. LPC and GDL: Fees plus
During the two-year training contract, trainees turn their hand to a broad range of work, taking maintenance grant

an active role in four, five or six legal groups while sharing an office with a partner or experienced International and regional
associate. All trainees spend at least two six-month seats in our market leading corporate, com- Offices with training contract:
mercial and financing groups. Subject to gaining some contentious experience, they choose how London
to spend the remaining time. Overseas seats: Recent trainee
secondment destinations
Our overseas offices and close working relationships with market-leading law firms in other juris- include: France, Germany, Italy,
dictions mean there are opportunities for trainees to apply for a secondment in their second year. The Netherlands. Spain, Norway,
Sweden, Singapore, India,
Our trainees come from a range of universities – it is the quality of the candidate, not the university Russia, Hong Kong and the US.
that is important to us. We like people with a sharp intellect, independent thought and curiosity,
commercial awareness, energy, spark and commitment, the ability to relate to others, common
sense and judgement, integrity, a range of interests outside of the law, an interesting take on things,
The True Picture

resolve and resilience, a good sense of humour and a willingness to take on responsibility.
Trainees are also encouraged to understand advances in the legal industry, and possibly even help
to shape them, by joining our Innovation Network. The Network has over 200 members including
an online forum for publishing thought and insight pieces, and for engaging in debate. Challeng-
ing the way we work through open-mindedness, diversity and creativity can have an enormous
impact on results for our clients, our efficiency, and our wellbeing.

Vacation scheme, open days and first-year opportunities

We offer open days, workshops and work experience schemes to enable you to gain an insight
into life as a commercial lawyer. Full details of these opportunities can be found on our website.

542
Org ID: 389 4 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................
chambersstudent.co.uk Squire Patton Boggs S

Squire Patton Boggs

The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Locations: Birmingham, Leeds, London, Manchester How to get into Squire Patton
Overseas offices: 41
Boggs
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 105/311/47
Seats: 6x4 months; client secondments; overseas seats
First-year salary: £26,000 (£37,000 in London)
Qualification salary: £44,000 (£73,000 in London)

Regional pride combined with a giant global network defines this multi-
layered firm.

The Firm cus on promoting our brand awareness in the market,” one
“Ogres are like onions,” Shrek taught us. No, not because explained. “We’ve been doing a lot of high-profile events
they stink or make you cry, but because they have layers in Manchester and Leeds, including sponsorship initiatives
– much like Squire Patton Boggs (which certainly doesn’t in conjunction with the Northern Powerhouse project” – if
smell or make you cry). The firm is the product of three you’re not familiar, that’s the government’s pledge to
mergers in the last decade, with legacy firms on both boost economic growth in the north of England.
sides of the Atlantic headquartered in Cleveland, Wash-
ington DC, and little old Leeds. “We can appear to be a bit The firm certainly hasn’t struggled to attract the atten-
of a mismatch of identities,” interviewees reflected. “I think tion of Chambers UK, which designates nationwide rank-
a few years ago the firm had more of a national identity,” ings for its advertising and marketing, pensions litiga-
one told us, “but increasingly our clients and systems are tion, sport, energy, and health and safety work. And the
feeling more integrated – it feels like much more of a global firm’s presence across the country is further confirmed
outfit today.” The firm’s international operation of 45 of- by scores of regional rankings in Yorkshire, the Midlands,
fices in 20 countries was certainly “a massive appeal” the North West and London for core areas like corporate,
to nearly all of our interviewees. Most recently, the firm real estate and litigation. The firm is a national leader out-
opened an office in Milan. side London for employment and tax law.

“The firm prides itself on its regional

roots.” The Seats
Squire Patton Boggs has a trainee intake of about 25
Right alongside that international reach, “the firm prides a year, with London housing the majority of newbies –
itself on its regional roots in the UK,” with offices in Bir- Leeds, Birmingham and Manchester all take around five
mingham, Leeds, London and Manchester. Trainees said or six each. Trainees here do six four-month seats, putting
the UK offices “continue to generate a lot of their own SPB is in the minority of firms. This appealed to many of
The True Picture

work, with the benefit of being able to tap into the firm’s our interviewees who wanted “to sample a wide range of
global network.” As an example, one trainee told us that practice areas.” There are no compulsory seats, and the
“we recently completed our pan-European real estate team first seat is assigned at random when all trainees gather
conference,” while another enthusiastically relayed that
they “recently worked with colleagues in Ohio, Prague, Seat options: competition - antitrust; construction;
Spain and Germany.” corporate; data, privacy and cybersecurity; energy and
natural resources; environmental, safety and health; fi-
Sources conceded that “thefirm’s branding perhaps isn’t as nancial services; intellectual property and technology;
strong as some others,” with a couple admitting that they international dispute resolution; labour and employ-
weren’tfamiliar with the firm until they started research- ment; litigation (commercial); litigation (property); litiga-
ing training contracts. They were, however, optimistic of tion (sports); pensions; planning; real estate; restructur-
the direction the firm is taking now. “There’s been a big fo- ing and insolvency; tax, strategy and benefits

543
 S Squire Patton Boggs chambersstudent.co.uk

Chambers UK rankings £1.8 billion Kelda Group Pension Plan. The team also ad-
Banking & Finance Media & Entertainment
vised Hertfordshire County Council as the administering
Capital Markets Pensions
authority of the Hertfordshire Pension Plan. “On the face
Competition/European Law Pensions Litigation
of it, it may not sound like one of the most exciting areas,
Construction Planning
but there are a lot of new, interesting concepts to get your
Corporate/M&A Private Equity
head around,” one source said. Trainees had opportunities
Employment Real Estate
to draft deeds and attend trustee meetings.
Energy & Natural Real Estate Litigation
Resources Restructuring/Insolvency
SPB’s employment group is full-service, tackling trans-
Environment Retail
actional, advisory and contentious issues. “We do a lot
Health & Safety Sports Law
of the bog standard employment and tribunal claims, but
Immigration Tax
we’ve also been developing our investigations arm recent-
Information Technology Telecommunications
ly,” one insider revealed. In a litigious capacity, trainees
Licensing kept busy “drafting settlement agreements, reviewing
Litigation bundles and coordinating with barristers’ chambers.” One
junior even got the chance “to attend a tribunal in person.”
Others reported “helping to create and deliver training
in Leeds for a three-week induction. After that, trainees materials to clients.” The Birmingham team recently ad-
specify three preferences at each of their mid-seat re- vised Jury’s Inn on employment issues arising from its £1
views. Each office offers seats in the core departments of billion acquisition of four luxury hotels in London, which
corporate, real estate, litigation, employment and finan- involved the transfer of around 1,000 employees.
cial services. More specialist areas like international dis-
putes are only available in the London office. While some “I’ve been conducting a lot of research in
interviewees hadn’t secured their seat preferences in relation to mergers.”
their first few seats, they were reassured that “the fur-
ther you are through your training contract, the more your The competition team works closely with SPB’s Brussels
preferences are prioritised. Nearly everyone gets at least offices and “there are a few associates who frequently fly
two of their preferences.” between the two,” sources in London pointed out. There’s
a broad spectrum of work for newbies to cut their teeth
SPB’s corporate team operates in the mid-market, cov- on, including procurement challenges, merger control
ering M&A, private equity and capital markets. The firm reviews, and competition litigation, as well as complaint
handles deals in the industrial, healthcare, energy, fi- handling for the Competition Market Authority (CMA).
nancial services, media and sports sectors (the firm has “I’ve been conducting a lot of research in relation to merg-
several football clubs on the books). Some recent deals ers,” one insider told us. “Recently it’s pertained to mar-
include advising US company CAA Sports on its £17.5 ket definitions, which means looking at previous decisions
million acquisition of Base Soccer, a European football made by the CMA or European Commission on how they’ve
agency, and representing private equity firm ECI Part- defined the market in relation to a particular product.” The
ners on the €63 million buyout of management company firm recently defended World Sailing (the governing body
KB Associates. “As a trainee you’re mostly involved on the for sailing) in relation to inquiries from the Italian Anti-
project management side of things,” one source explained. trust Authority and European Commission about the se-
“I’ve been drafting board minutes as well as establishing lection of sailing equipment for the 2024 Olympic Games.
and taking down data rooms” – these are basically online It also advised Southend Airport in its dispute with a bus
filing systems that store important documents. In addi- company over bus services between London and the air-
tion, “there’s a lot of client exposure.” Trainees fondly re- port.
called “often dealing with people high up, trying to under-
The True Picture

stand their business.” The firm currently offers two overseas seats in the Brus-
sels and Paris offices. The latter is normally reserved for
“There are a lot of new, interesting French speakers –the firm does pay for refresher lessons,
concepts to get your head around.” but if all you’ve got left from your GCSE days is ‘ou est
la discotheque?’ it’s probably best to gracefully bow out
Over in the pensions department, funding arrangements, of this one. You might have more luck Down Under: we
pension scheme closures, pension fund mergers and heard the firm is opening up a new placement in one of
structural discussions all crop up. The work is predomi- its Australian offices. Competition for these seats is very
nantly advisory with a little bit of litigation thrown in. The fierce, with “around 12 people applying for each spot.” One
group has a lot of long-standing clients for whom it makes lucky insider described the Brussels base as a competi-
amendments to existing pension schemes. For example, tion-focused office, complete with “great colleagues and
the firm advises trustees on all pensions matters of the a great flat.”

544
chambersstudent.co.uk Squire Patton Boggs S

Client secondments are also available, “each connected SPB salaries also aren’t as high as US firms in the UK,
to a sector or area of law. For example, there are place- with trainees in the regions starting on £26,000 and Lon-
ments related to telecoms, retail, banking, and television.” doners on £37,000. London’s NQ salary jumps to almost
Manchester and Leeds sources were happy with their in- £30,000 more than that of their regional peers –but hours
house opportunities, and in London, “nearly everyone will are longer in the capital. “I had a few periods where I was
do one over the course of their training contract.” Birming- leaving at 11pm regularly,” one Londoner disclosed, while
ham trainees were a little disappointed however. “It was another mentioned “staying until 4am once during a busy
pushed to us when applying that you could go on a client stint in corporate.” Leaving by around the 7pm mark was
secondment,” one source explained, “but so far none of my more typical. And “you might need to do some light work
year have been able to go.” We heard from the firm that it on the weekend occasionally, but only a few hours here or
is always looking to provide more client secondment op- there.”
portunities to trainees.
“You’re assigned a name, object and
location where you have to ‘murder’
Trainee Life someone.”
More and more, mental health is becoming a bigger
conversation in our working lives. At SPB, trainees were The firm’s London office is located in Devonshire Square
impressed with the firm’s approach. “On top of a wellbe- (they’re moving into a new building in the same location
ing portal, there are lots of emails and webinars on how to very soon). Trainees here were grateful to work alongside
improve our mental health, fitness, diet and ways to better “approachable” associates, but wanted to see the firm or-
manage stress and anxiety,” they explained. One source ganise more trainee events – “we have to do a lot of the
praised the London office’s managing partner Jane Haxby heavy lifting to organise them.” Up in Leeds, one source
in particular: “Every Friday she’ll send an email out to the summed up the office culture as “a mix of taking the work
whole firm listing all the positive things happening in the seriously but having genuine fun at the same time. You can
firm; giving people shout-outs; providing client feedback; have a laugh with everyone including the partners.” Train-
and promoting our charity obligations.” Overall, trainees ees here highlighted a game of office murder, “where
thought “the firm is conscious of how to keep you perked you’re assigned a name, object and location where you have
up all the time. It reflects a drive to make people aware that to ‘murder’ someone.” Those in Manchester were keen to
there’s more to life than just billing.” tell us about their “unparalleled office space” in the brand
new No. 1 Spinningfields tower in the city centre. Down
“You’re not going to be eating dinner in the in Birmingham, “we’re a close trainee bunch and hang out
office much, unless you’re in the corporate a fair bit,” one source told us. “It mainly involves drinking.”
During lockdown, trainees across offices told us that
team.”
“everyone in the firm has been busy sharing recipes” and
On a firmwide level trainees observed “some office poli- music recommendations. “There’s even an SPB Spotify
tics,” in that decisions around salary and bonuses are playlist.”
made in the US. However, for the most part, “it doesn’t
affect us day to day,” they were happy to report. “Our HQ Trainees broke down the firm’s structured qualification
may be in the US” – DC is the largest office but official process: “It starts with a presentation laying out how it
headquarters are in Cleveland, Ohio – “but we don’t pos- all works and giving us interview tips, after which we’re
sess the same culture as US firms operating in the market.” required to submit a tailored CV for each seat we’re inter-
For starters, trainees don’t work as long hours as their ested in.” Next up are the interviews, and because train-
peers in US firms. In the regional offices, “you’re not going ees also have to submit all of their seat appraisals, “they
to be eating dinner in the office much, unless you’re in the can go into forensic detail about some of the matters you’ve
corporate team.” The Manchester, Birmingham and Leeds worked on!” Some found the whole process “slightly re-
The True Picture

offices generally start emptying out between 5.30pm dundant after spending four months in the seat,” but on the
and 6pm, depending on workload. “Working past midnight other hand “it’s good because you know where you stand.”
is quite rare,” a Leeds source said. “I’ve only known a few This year the firm kept on 21 of 23 qualifiers.
trainees do it.”

Squire Patton Oz:

Trainees who complete the fast-track LPC may get to
paralegal in Australia ahead of the training contract (there
are also client secondment opportunities).

545
 www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
S Squire Patton Boggs chambersstudent.co.uk

Squire Patton Boggs

Rutland House, 148 Edmund Street, Birmingham, B3 2JR
Premier Place, 2 & A Half Devonshire Square, London, EC2M 4UJ6
Partners: 105
6 Wellington Place, Leeds, LS1 4AP Associates: 311
No.1 Spinningfields, 1 Hardman Square, Manchester, M3 3EB Total trainees: 47
Tel: 0161 830 5000 Twitter: @spb_careers UK offices: 4
Website: www.squirepattonboggs.com/en/careers/op- Overseas offices: 41
Facebook: SquirePattonBoggsCareers
portunities/student-and-graduate/uk-training-contract- Instagram: @suirepattonboggs Contacts
program LinkedIn: Squire-Patton-Boggs Graduate recruiter:
Email: [email protected] Claire Alderson
[email protected]
Firm profile 0161 830 5221
We are one of the world’s strongest integrated law firms, providing insight at the point where law, Training partner:
business and government meet. A multidisciplinary team of more than 1,500 lawyers in 45 offices Giles Chesher
across 20 countries provides unrivalled access to expertise, guidance and invaluable connections [email protected]
on the ground. Recognised as having one of the broadest global footprints in the legal industry,
Application criteria
we provide access to new knowledge, new markets and new expertise across the US, Europe, the
Training contracts pa: 23
Middle East, Latin America and Asia Pacific. Many of our UK clients are among the biggest names
Minimum required degree grade:
and brands in the world, from FTSE and Fortune 100 companies to emerging and fast-growth 2:1 or other
businesses, financial institutions, and regional and national governments. Minimum UCAS points or A
levels: 120 points BBB*
Main areas of work * Our contextualised recruitment
Business immigration; communications; competition – antitrust; corporate; data privacy and system enables us to assess
cybersecurity; energy and natural resources; environmental, safety and health; financial services; real potential and, as such, we
consider all applications.
government investigations and white collar; insurance; intellectual property and technology; in-
Vacation scheme places pa: 34
ternational dispute resolution; international trade; labour and employment; litigation; pensions;
public and infrastructure finance; public policy; real estate; restructuring and insolvency; tax strat- Dates and deadlines
egy and benefits. Training contract applications
open: 1st October 2020
Training opportunities Training contract deadline, 2022
We offer a unique training contract, tailored to individual trainee needs. We provide a compre- start: 8th January 2021
hensive induction programme at an external campus, followed by tailored department training for Vacation scheme applications
each seat and tailored skills training through seminars and workshops. open: 1st October 2020
Vacation scheme 2021 deadline:
The programme comprises six four-month seats during the training contract. The key to the train-
8th January 2021
ing contract is ‘involvement and responsibility’, which is achieved through the choice and number
of seats that can be undertaken during the programme, including secondments to clients and our Salary and benefits
overseas offices. Trainees benefit from two-tier supervision and challenging work. London:
First-year salary London
Vacation placements £37,000; Regions £26,000
We run a two-week summer placement scheme that provides students with genuine experience as Second-year salary London
£42,000; Regions £28,000
to what life is like as a trainee solicitor.
Post-qualification salary London
Penultimate-year law students, final-year non-law students and all postgraduate students are eligi- £73,000; Regions £44,000
ble to apply for the summer placement scheme. Holiday entitlement: 25 days
All students who are successful in getting onto a placement scheme will automatically be consid-
Sponsorship
ered for a training contract.
The True Picture

LPC fees: Yes

GDL fees: Yes
Other benefits
Maintenance grant pa: GDL
25 days’ holiday, death in service, life assurance, pension and income protection. Flexible benefits
grant: London £6,000; Regions
package that includes private medical insurance, dental insurance, cover, a cash plan, a Ride2Work £4,500
scheme and a season ticket loan. LPC grant: London £7,000;
Regions £5,000
Open days and first-year opportunities
International and regional
We encourage you to come and meet us at any of our firm-organised events, details of which can
Overseas seats: Paris and
be found through our website and social media pages. Brussels

University law careers fairs 2020

Each year, we attend a number of university law fairs across the UK. To find out where we will be,
follow our website news and social media pages for more information.

Org ID: 3680

546 2 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................
chambersstudent.co.uk Stephenson Harwood LLP S

Stephenson Harwood LLP

The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Location: London How to get into Stephenson
Overseas offices: 8
Harwood
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 117/257/45
Seats: 4x6 months; overseas seats; client secondments
First-year salary: £43,000
Qualification salary: £75,000

Maritime law is a big rudder here, but it’s not all that steers the ship. From
corporate and finance to litigation and real estate, trainees found plenty
more seats in the sea.

The Firm In other news, the firm recently hired Liz Cope as its first
If you track down a Stephenson Harwood trainee at a law inclusion, diversity and CSR manager. Trainees praised
fair (virtual or otherwise) and ask them why they joined the firm’s diversity and inclusion efforts, pointing to a ca-
their firm, it’s likely they’ll tell you that among its other reer progression programme for women, which trainees
draws, “I was really attracted to the firm’s strong interna- felt had “reaped rewards” in the promotion of women at
tional reach.” South-East Asia has long been a key region the firm. In 2020, half of Stephenson Harwood’s partner
for Stephenson Harwood – around a quarter of its lawyers promotions went to women (three out of six). Trainees
are based there. Despite closing doors in Beijing in May continued: “We also host amazing events where we invite
2020, five offices remain including Singapore, Shang- people to speak about struggles they’ve had because of
hai and Hong Kong. Other overseas bases include Paris, their background.” Past guests include Welsh rugby play-
Dubai and Piraeus, Greece. And if you know your ship, you er Gareth Thomas.
might have noticed that many of the cities listed above
are key maritime hubs. It’s no coincidence that Stephen- All of this amounted to what trainees called a “non-judge-
son Harwood decided to anchordown in these places: the mental” firm culture. “The partners are what sets us apart,”
firm is one of just three firms to be ranked best in the one elaborated. “They really engaged with me when I was
world for shipping finance by Chambers Global (it also a vac schemer.” The combined annual intake of around 20
gets a respectable rating for shipping litigation). trainees was another selling point: “I feel like one of the
team, not just a replaceable trainee.”
So shipping is a key practice here, but trainees in the
London office were keen to point out that “Stephenson “Regulations were changing daily so I sent
Harwood also has really well-rounded transactional and out daily bulletins to clients!”
litigation practices.” We’re inclined to agree: the firm picks
up no fewer than 38 Chambers UK rankings for its non-
The True Picture

maritime practices, including top marks for rail and re- The Seats
structuring. Trainees have regular catch-ups with HR, “so if you re-
ally want to do a specific seat you can tell them early on.”
“I feel like one of the team, not just a Beyond that, newbies submit three preferences per rota-
replaceable trainee.” tion. “It’s best to cast the net quite wide” when submitting
seat choices, but trainees are allowed to put down spe-
This year insiders also wanted to give new chief execu- cific subgroups. Most of our interviewees got their first or
tive Eifion Morris a special shout out for his “fantastic” second choice each time, but some options (such as cor-
handling of the coronavirus pandemic: “One of his goals
is to make everyone feel involved.” As well as “weekly up- Seat options: commercial litigation; corporate; employ-
dates on the measures they took to safeguard us, he also ment, and pensions and private wealth; finance; marine
sent us light-hearted emails about how he’s making a shed!” and international trade; real estate and projects

547
 Here they are.

20 life-changing opportunities.
20 spaces for future partners.
20 chances to start your
career with an ambitious,
international firm.

At Stephenson Harwood,
we’re looking for the most
inquisitive, driven people
to join us.

Have you got what it takes?

To find out more, visit
shlegal.com/futuretalent

Stephenson Harwood.
We welcome the best.

Follow us
@shfuturetalent
chambersstudent.co.uk Stephenson Harwood LLP S
Chambers UK rankings ternational trade seat. The team handles contractual and
Art and Cultural Property Insurance
insurance-related disputes, as well as non-contentious
Law Intellectual Property
contractual issues – for example the firm often advises
Asset Finance International Arbitration
shipyards and buyers on negotiating shipbuilding con-
Aviation Investment Funds
tracts. Clients include major shipping players like finan-
Banking Litigation Litigation
cier Commerzbank and Brazilian multinational energy
Capital Markets Pensions
company Petrobras. The group covers commodities, wet
Commercial Contracts Pensions Litigation
and dry shipping, energy companies and offshore work.
Commodities Professional Negligence
It recently represented DVB Bank (which specialises in
Construction Projects
international transport finance) in its claim to recover $12
Corporate/M&A Real Estate
million from two ship-owning companies and the guaran-
Employee Share Schemes & Real Estate Finance
tor. “Trainees have a more admin-heavy role in this seat,”
Incentives one told us. Typical tasks were preparing court bundles,
Real Estate Litigation
Employment helping associates proofread court submissions, and tak-
Restructuring/Insolvency
Financial Crime ing the first crack at drafting witness statements.
Shipping
Financial Services
Tax
Fraud
Transport “We liaise a lot with ship registries.”
Hotels & Leisure
Information Technology Finance subgroups include shipping, rail, aviation, re-
structuring and banking. The shipping team recently
advised an international financial institution on a $533
porate projects) were particularly popular, “so inevitably million revolving credit facility given to Teekay Tankers
some people get let down.” Trainees must do their litigious for the refinancing of 31 vessels. “Trainees are the first
seat in either commercial litigation or marine and interna- port of call for clients, so we liaise a lot with ship registries”
tional trade (MIT). – these could be government or private agencies. It’s an
“email-heavy seat” for trainees, who also highlighted get-
The commercial litigation group covers a swathe of cor- ting responsibilities such as attending meetings solo. “I
porate disputes in the energy, financial services, ship- spent a lot of time taking folders of documents to other
ping, aviation, art and real estate sectors. Clients range firms for closing ship purchases,” one shared.On the rail
from energy companies and large hotel companies to side, the firm advises buyers and financiers on transac-
investment management firms and government bodies. tions. The team has several train operator clients: “We
The group recently represented building company ENGIE review their operating contracts which are 500 pages long
in a dispute concerning alleged defects in the refurbish- and quite specialist!” The firm advised financier Lombard
ment of 100 Parliament Street, where the Treasury and North Central (part of RBS) on the manufacture and sup-
HMRC are based. Trainees might sit within a ‘practice ply by Vivarail of five train units as part of a £26 million
area seat’ within the wider litigation group. Under the network upgrade on the Isle of Wight. “I had a lot of con-
property litigation banner, “it’s standard for trainees to tact with manufacturers’ in-house legal teams or the finan-
draft letters about high street occupants not paying ar- cier’s lawyers on the other side,” trainees told us. Rookies
rears.” Trainees encountered fairly “academic” work in also handled “fiddly” director certificates for banks: “They
regulatory litigation, in that “a problem comes in and it certify various facts and have loads of appendices.” Train-
takes three or four hours of research to answer the ques- ees didn’t always find it smooth sailing in this seat: “It was
tion!”   Trainees felt “invaluable to the team because we- a bit manic,” one recalled.
handle the smaller things” like doc review, which didn’t
always feel very small – “there are millions of documents!” The firm recently boosted its private equity practice
Trainees also “spent a lot of time converting paper bundles with the addition of three partners from Charles Russell
The True Picture

to e-bundles” during lockdown. The coronavirus pandem- Speechlys. The team recently advised Elysian Capital on its
ic threw up a lot of work with airline clients. “I had to track £16 million acquisition of Aspirations Care, a specialist care
what the EU was saying about grounded planes,” one told provider. Although “there will always be classic trainee tasks
us, explaining that because airlines don’t usually own like bundling” in this seat, trainees also reported “a good
their vehicles, they’ll be expected to return aircrafts to amount of rewarding work” such as organising deal flow,
whoever lent it. “Regulations were changing daily so I sent getting signatures, client contact, and communicating de-
out daily bulletins to clients!” There’s also a fair amount of velopments and changes in documents to senior lawyers.
insolvency litigation in this seat “because of the state of
the high street currently.” Under the wider corporate umbrella, trainees can sit in
funds and equity capital markets. Sources told us work
Given the firm’s shipping strengths, trainees “learned an in this group had recently been shaped by political uncer-
awful lot about how the firm works” in a marine and in- tainties. “Investment funds were holding off on raises be-

549
 S Stephenson Harwood LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

cause of Brexit,” one explained, “so there was an 18-month times I worked until midnight on one hand.” Late finishes
stretch when nothing was happening, but by summer 2019 are most common in litigation and finance: “I finished
we got really busy again.” The team recently acted for in- around 9.30pm maybe once a fortnight.” Anyone working
vestment bank N+1 Singer on a secondary fund-raising of on client matters past 8pm gets a £10 dinner allowance,
£231 million, as well as its move into the Main Market of and after 9pm the firm foots the taxi bill.
the London Stock Exchange. Trainees reported working
on similar kinds of matters, with investment funds launch- “The firm encourages us to make things
ing or doing secondary raises on the Stock Exchange.A happen for ourselves – we’re not just
big chunk of trainees’ time went into the verification pro-
lawyers, we’re entrepreneurs.”
cess for initial public offerings or investment fund-raising.
In other words, “whenever a company issues on the Stock It isn’t stingy on social events either. The “highlight” for
Exchange, we have to prepare a document that’s hundreds interviewees was the biannual trainee dinner, which the
of pages long setting out their financial position and make firm puts on to welcome new intakes: “They turn one of
sure every statement has evidence to verify it’s true.” Cuea the boardroom tables into a massive dining table and eve-
lot of back and forth with clients to get said evidence. ryone goes out after.” The firm also hosts an annual young
professionals networking evening to which trainees invite
Development and investment are two key work strands their friends and peers from other industries: “It’s a testa-
for the real estate team, which often deals with shopping ment to how the firm encourages us to make things happen
centres, office buildings, retail parks and hotels. The firm for ourselves – we’re not just lawyers, we’re entrepreneurs.”
recently advised investment management firm LaSalle on But when they do need a helping hand, they’ve got “fan-
the £32 million purchase of a shopping centre in Bristol tastic” supervisors nearby. During lockdown, “the head of
city centre. In this seat, trainees “get to do a lot of drafting” litigation sent me textbooks and old bundles so I could do a
of leases and licences. Interviewees said the team was mock letter.” We heard similar stories from our interview-
particularly “good at giving trainees a lot of responsibility.” ees, and this trainee summed it up: “Nobody is too busy to
As one elaborated, “I was negotiating documents, plus I ne- explain why what you’re doing is important. Whether you’re
gotiated with partners at other firms, which was cool!” a lawyer or secretary, everyone is valued.”

Each rotation, trainees can apply for clientsecondments We heard the firm’s pretty hot on CSR initiatives. We
and international secondments to Dubai, Paris, Hong heard tales of trainees rising at dawn “to cook bacon and
Kong, Seoul or Singapore. One source who’d spent time eggs for about 200 homeless people,” through the Wh-
in an Asian office “found the work similar” to what they itechapel Mission, which is one of the firm’s former spon-
did in London, but with “a lot of correspondence with local sored charities of the year. This year the firm is sponsoring
counsel on deals in India and Chile.” Lockdown might have Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM). “We also do
thwarted secondees due to fly overseas this time round, workshops on professional skills for schoolchildren in east
but trainees weren’t left stranded. “The overseas team put London,” and trainees pointed out the firm “played a key
a lot of effort into doing regular video calls,” one told us, “so role” in the establishment of a legal career programme
I didn’t feel out of my depth.” with theStephen Lawrence Charitable Trust.

When the qualification process rolls around, sources told

Trainee Life us they don’t find out which jobs are available until ten
In 2019, Stephenson Harwood upped first-year pay to days before the application deadline, “so you have to get
£43,000, second-year salary to £47,000 and NQ salary all your ducks in a row before you know which groups you
to £75,000. This is in line with and slightly above some can join.” The firm assists trainees with CV prep before the
other mid-sized commercial firms in London, though jobs list is released, and “we’ve got a very high retention
trainees pointed out: “We work opposite firms which pay rate, which is very reassuring.” In 2020, 20 of 24 qualifiers
The True Picture

our counterparts more.” Typical hours among our inside stayed at the firm, with three on fixed-term contracts.
sources were 9am to 7pm: “I could count the number of

Welcome aboard:
Students doing their LPC through Stephenson Harwood
“get a lot of interaction with the firm” before they join. “We
were invited to the Christmas party, networking events and
presentations. It made my first day a lot less daunting!”

550
 www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
chambersstudent.co.uk Stephenson Harwood LLP S

Stephenson Harwood LLP

1 Finsbury Circus, London EC2M 7SH
Tel: 020 7809 2812 Fax: 020 7003 8346 Twitter: @shfuturetalent Partners: 180+
Email: [email protected] Twitter: @shfuturetalent Associates: 400+
Website: www.shlegal.com/futuretalent Total trainees: 40
UK offices: 8
Overseas offices: 9

Firm profile Contacts

Stephenson Harwood is a law firm of over 1,100 people worldwide, including more than 180 partners. Graduate recruiter:
Our people are committed to achieving the goals of our clients — listed and private companies, institu- Sarah Murray
tions and individuals. We assemble teams of bright thinkers to match our clients’ needs and give the [email protected]
right advice from the right person at the right time. Dedicating the highest calibre of legal talent to over-
Application criteria
come the most complex issues, we deliver pragmatic, expert advice that is set squarely in the real world. Training contracts pa: 20
Applications pa: 1,500
Main areas of work
Minimum required degree grade:
Commercial litigation; corporate; employment, pensions and private wealth; finance; marine and inter- 2:1 or other
national trade; real estate and projects. Minimum UCAS points or A
levels: 320 or equivalent
Training opportunities Vacation scheme places pa: 40
There’s a lot to look forward to as a trainee at Stephenson Harwood: top quality global work across a
range of sectors, an environment that balances cutting-edge work with a respectful, friendly culture, Dates and deadlines
and the chance to prove yourself on an international secondment. We work in small teams, so every Training contract applications
person is critical — that’s why we’ll expect you to work to the best of your ability every day. open: 1st October 2020
Training contract deadline, 2023
Our training is not only structured and practical but highly personalised, so you’ll have everything
start: 31st July 2021
you need to develop along a career path that’s absolutely right for you. Following a week’s intensive
Placement scheme applications
induction and a comprehensive post-induction programme, you’ll complete four seats — each six open: 1st October 2020
months long — across different practice areas. You could find yourself working on anything from a Placement scheme 2021 dead-
high-profile, multi-million financial litigation case to a ground-breaking M&A deal. You could even line: 31st January 2021
spend time on secondment at a client’s office or do an international seat in our Hong Kong, Singapore, Open day deadline:
Seoul, Dubai or Paris offices. 31st January 2021

Placement schemes Salary and benefits

Our winter, spring and summer placement schemes will give you a real taste of life at the firm. We’ll First-year salary: £43,000

make sure you’re involved in quality work and will try to help you experience any areas of law you’re Second-year salary: £47,000
Post-qualification salary: £75,000
particularly interested in. Typically you’ll spend one or two weeks in our offices, sitting with qualified
Holiday entitlement: 25 days
lawyers and tackling some case work. You’ll also benefit from an organised programme of interactive
sessions, talks and social events. Sponsorship
On your first day, we’ll assign you a buddy — a current trainee who’ll help you settle in, answer your LPC fees: Yes
questions and give you an honest overview of what it’s like to work for us. GDL fees: Yes
A placement gives you a great opportunity to talk informally to existing trainees, lawyers, partners and Maintenance grant pa: £6,000
support teams to find out just why the law and Stephenson Harwood are such attractive career options.
International and regional
What’s more, we’ll pay you £380 a week.
Offices with training contracts:
Dubai and Hong Kong
Other benefits
The True Picture

Overseas seats: Dubai, Hong

We want you to feel valued so we’ll offer you a range of flexible benefits including: critical illness cover, Kong, Paris, Singapore, Seoul
cycle2work loan, dental health scheme, subsidised gym membership, private health insurance and Client secondments: Yes
screening, life assurance, pension, private GP services, subsidised café, and a travel to work loan.

Open days and first-year opportunities

Come along to a virtual open day in November or December, and an in-house open day in January or
March to get a good feel for what a career at a mid-sized international law firm is really like. You’ll meet
partners, associates and trainees as well as the future talent team.
Our virtual open days take place on the 26th November 2020 and 9th December 2020. Our in-house
open days take place on 20th January 2021 and 17th March 2021.

Org ID: 397 2 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... 551

Date: ............................
 S Stevens & Bolton LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Stevens & Bolton LLP

The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Location: Guildford How to get into Stevens & Bolton       
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 45/90/13
Seats: 4x6 months
First-year salary: £35,000
Qualification salary: £50,000

This Bolton isn’t wandering from its Guildford heartland. With a mix of
top-notch clients and bucolic bliss, S&B offers a mix that keeps trainees
smiling.

The Firm The Seats 

Who wouldn’t want that combo of a beauty spot by the While “nothing is strictly compulsory” when it comes to
River Wey and the chance to do great work for household seats, we were told that it is likely that trainees will sit in
names like Samsung, Philips and HSBC? Sign us up! Of S&B’s corporate department, which accounts for about a
course, this was very much the draw for our trainee in- third of the firm’s business. Real estate and dispute res-
siders at S&B, who were unanimous in their aim to find olution (to satisfy SRA requirements) are also common
“excellence outside of the City.” One representative source destinations. Before trainees start, the firm sends out an
explained that they “weren’t interested in London and email asking for newcomers to set out three seat pref-
working in the City. S&B had the reputation for being one of erences, with most of our interviewees saying that they
the most successful independent firms outside of London got one of them. For subsequent seat rotations, trainees
with great clients. They sold themselves as a place where typically have a chat with S&B’s training principal halfway
you’d get client contact and responsibility – and it’s lived up through their current seat to discuss options. They once
to expectations.” Another trainee liked the fact that S&B again submit three preferences, with the understand-
had “both top-tier and everyday clients. It’s a range that al- ing that second years usually get priority. On the whole,
lows you to do the big transactional work but also help the sources had frequently got their preferences, and on the
business down the road.” rare occasion when they hadn’t, they were given priority
next time.
“I didn’t know what I wanted to do, so I
needed a firm that covered a lot of areas!” “In corporate, they’re happy for you to
email the client directly once you’ve built
For those doubting this Bolton’s premier league creden-
up a relationship.”
tials, a look at its standing in Chambers UK will convince
you. S&B is considered a national leader outside of Lon- Corporate is “central to the firm,” so trainees recommend-
don for its corporate/M&A and IP expertise, while from a ed that even if it’s “not something you want to qualify into,
The True Picture

regional perspective in the South it excels at mid-market it’s good to do.” The department is ranked alongside much
M&A; private equity; litigation; employment; IP; environ- larger national firms for its expertise in the South. Among
ment; IT; and banking & finance. In Chambers High Net its clients are entrepreneurial outfits right up to large na-
Worth, S&B comes out on top again as a national leader tional and international companies, like Philips and distri-
outside of London for private wealth law. As these rank- bution company Bunzl. A recent matter saw the team act
ings show, there are plenty of options for incoming train- for longstanding client and insurance broker Stackhouse
ees to sample during their contract, which sources high- Poland during its £265 million sale to US insurance giant
lighted as another attractive feature of the firm: “I didn’t
know what I wanted to do, so I needed a firm that covered Seat options: corporate; commercial; finance, restruc-
a lot of areas!” turing and insolvency; employment; tax; trusts and
charities; family; commercial litigation; IP; commercial
real estate; construction

552
chambersstudent.co.uk Stevens & Bolton LLP S
Chambers UK rankings cluded “drafting agreement letters that are specific to
Banking & Finance Immigration
the Covid-19 crisis, which is interesting.” Others reported
Commercial Contracts Information Technology
working on a “big development deal for a proper household
Construction Intellectual Property
name – that’s the level we work at and it was exciting.” This
Corporate/M&A Litigation
kind of matter involved “drafting emails, having a first go
Employment Real Estate
at amending agreements for licences and leases, handling
Environment Real Estate Litigation
Land Registry forms and submissions, and taking notes
Family/Matrimonial Restructuring/Insolvency
during calls.” Drafting commercial leases and assisting
Franchising
partners with the sales and purchases of properties were
other highlights here. On the books you’ll find the Uni-
versity of Surrey, Octopus Healthcare Developments and
Arthur J. Gallagher & Co (who were represented by a City investment platform Boundary Real Estate Partners; the
firm). Sources liked “the excitement of the deals” and the team recently advised the last of these as it acquired a
“high-value stuff” (i.e. deals) encountered. Project man- multi-let office and retail property in Leamington Spa for
agement is a key role for trainees, which involves keep- over £3 million.
ing track of docs on a “massive spreadsheet, especially
when a company has so many subsidiaries!” There’s also Quite a few trainees had also completed a seat in fi-
plenty of “coordination with people in other teams” at S&B, nance, restructuring and insolvency. One found that
which was deemed good for building commercial nous many of the deals were for startup and “challenger” banks
and connections. Other trainee tasks included conduct- but did note the availability of “bigger deals to work on
ing due diligence and drafting the likes of ancillary docs to.” Another had done work for both borrower and lender
up to heftier first cracks at share purchase agreements clients, and explained that they were “often in charge of
(SPAs). “In corporate, they’re happy for you to email the cli- the conditions precedent checklist, which requires you to
ent directly once you’ve built up a relationship,” a source keep the deal moving by getting the documents that are
here boasted. needed and securing corporate approvals – there are a lot
of emails!” With insolvency the content gets more conten-
S&B’s dispute resolution lawyers represent familiar tious, so trainees were drafting witness statements and
names such as Allianz Insurance, Samsung, TM Lewin getting all case elements ready to meet court deadlines.
and TGI Fridays. Chambers UK gives a nod to the firm’s Banking clients include HSBC and Lloyds, while on the
commercial and international arbitration capabilities, and insolvency side the department recently advised admin-
highlights its expertise in the insurance, health, aviation, istrators on the sale of a Brighton-based restaurant, Chilli
and energy sectors. On the aviation side, S&B recently Pickle, and its assets.
acted for Gama Aviation during a £5 million dispute over
the management of a corporate jet. Elsewhere, the team
have been acting for CI Plus, which licenses tech specifi- Trainee Life
cations for electronic devices (and has members such as Let’s start with the hours: most of the people we spoke
Sony, Samsung and Panasonic), against a German com- with came in around 8.30am and left between 6 and 7pm.
pany for various alleged misdemeanours like infringe- “People aren’t clock-watchers,” a representative source
ment of licence terms and breach of confidence. S&B se- said, “and they expect us to manage our own hours.” As
cured a court order for payment of €2 million in damages with any firm, there’s “time-critical work and the firm ex-
and £500,000 in costs for CI Plus. A source felt that there pects you to get it done,” which could lead to the occasion-
was “less freedom” and “a lot more close supervision” in al 12 or 13 hours in the office, but this was more the case
this seat compared to transactional stints, but still had a for those in S&B’s corporate department. In other areas,
jam-packed experience. What trainees do can depend on the latest we heard trainees working was around 9pm.
the stage of a case; if a matter is coming up to its clos- The firm’s approach, according to an insider, is to “work
The True Picture

ing stages then trainees can be “putting together witness hard and be attractive to City-based clients expecting a City
statements and using the document management system experience, but not at the expense of having your own life.”
to find and arrange evidence.” There was plenty of drafting
experience to be had on the likes of witness statements, “I had no qualms about asking a partner a
letters to opposing counsel and instruction to counsel.  quick question.”
Real estate is another biggie for S&B. Sources noted the As for the office set-up, the lines of communication are
commercial bent of the department, which is split be- well and truly open, with this source emphasising that
tween commercial real estate, construction and property they “felt like a member of the team from day one. I had no
litigation, with the last two covering “the contentious side qualms about asking a partner a quick question.” Trainees
of things; property litigation is busier than ever because typically share an office with their supervisor and some-
of Covid-19.” For those on the commercial end, tasks in- times another lawyer, which insiders felt to be beneficial

553
 S Stevens & Bolton LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

to their development. With trainees encouraged to do also mentioned attending departmental drinks as well as
their LPC at the University of Law’s Guildford branch, the ad hoc get-togethers to celebrate “someone’s birthday or
“trainee group are incredibly close; we go out for lunch an engagement, for example.” The range from festivities
most days.” While there isn’t always a firm-wide Christmas to fitness is covered, with various sporting teams to join,
party, each department gets together for a meal. In addi- as well as a choir for those trainees who can hold a tune.
tion, there’s a summer party to look forward to. Sources

Stairway to Steven:
The qualification process follows regular check-ins with
the training principal and HR in each seat. An NQ jobs list
is released, and trainees apply for the positions they’re
interested in. “They’re being very transparent at the moment,”
a source told us. In 2020, six out of seven qualifiers stayed
with S&B, with one fixed-term contract.
The True Picture

554
 www.chambersstudent.co.uk
chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z
Stevens & of Law Firms
Bolton LLP S

Stevens & Bolton LLP

Wey House, Farnham Road, Guildford GUI 4YD
Tel: 01483 302264 Fax: 01483 302254 Twitter: @sb_trainees
Partners: 43
Email: [email protected]
Associates: 227
Website: www.stevens-bolton.com Total trainees: 14
UK offices: Guildford

Firm profile Contacts

Stevens & Bolton LLP is recognised as a leading national law firm, offering a full range of commercial Graduate recruiter:
graduaterecruitment@stevens-
legal services. We are recommended in 24 specialist practice areas by leading legal directories and
bolton.com
have received widespread awards recognition. Based in Guildford, our single office approach ensures 01483 734225
excellent communication and efficient co-ordination of our resources. We provide legal services both Training partner:
nationally and internationally, with unswerving focus on quality. We advise a number of the top Gabrielle Holgate
100 and other UK FTSE companies, as well as many other substantial international groups, owner
managed businesses and SMEs. As such, the work we carry out is both interesting and challenging. We Application criteria
Training contracts pa: 5
participate in a wide range of charity and community initiatives, and have full regard to the importance
Applications pa: 500
of minimising our impact on the environment. We also organise social events over the year and there
Minimum required degree
are a number of sports teams, including netball and football as well as a firm choir.
grade: 2:1
Main areas of work Minimum UCAS points or A
levels: 340
Our main areas of work are corporate and commercial; finance; real estate; dispute resolution; IP;
Vacation scheme places pa: 10
employment, pensions and immigration; tax, trusts and charities; and family.
Dates and deadlines
Training opportunities
Training contract applications
We welcome applications from candidates with either a law or non-law background, with at least 340
open: 1st December 2020
UCAS points and at least one A at A level, who have achieved (or expect to achieve) a 2.1 degree or Training contract deadline, 2023
higher (unless there are exceptional circumstances). Essential qualities include: very good communica- start: 1st June 2021
tion skills, being a team player, adaptability, being able to manage competing deadlines and projects, Vacation scheme applications
drive and ambition, intelligence, attention to detail, business interest and enthusiasm to be a lawyer and open: 1st December 2020
to work for Stevens & Bolton. Vacation scheme 2021 deadline:
Our trainees have genuine responsibility and experience of dealing with clients — and are made to 31st January 2021

feel part of the team from day one. Trainee seats will be available in most of the key business areas we
Salary and benefits
specialise in, namely M&A and other corporate work, insolvency and banking/finance, commercial, First-year salary: £35,000
personal wealth and families, real estate, IP, dispute resolution and employment, pensions and Second-year salary: £36,000
immigration. We do our best to maximise your ability to experience as many of those areas as Post-qualification salary: circa
possible and currently operate a four, six-month seat rotation. There may also be an opportunity for £50,000
trainees to undertake a client secondment. We are dedicated to encouraging continuous professional Holiday entitlement: 25 days
development, delivered in a variety of ways to give our trainees the best chance to become rounded,
Sponsorship
assured and respected professionals. Training in technical and business skills and early exposure to
LPC fees: Yes
stimulating work with a variety of clients is instrumental in providing a solid foundation. Our unique
GDL fees: Yes
combination of factors — supervision when you need it, support from colleagues and the opportunity
Maintenance grant pa: Yes
to embrace early responsibility as soon as you are ready — creates a compelling proposition at the outset
of your career.

Vacation scheme
The True Picture

We run two programmes each year in the summer of one week in duration. Applications are accepted
between 1st December 2020 and 31st January 2021.

Other benefits
25 days holiday, pension, private healthcare, life assurance and an interest free loan for rail travel or
car parking.

Sponsorship
We pay the fees for the CPE/GDL and LPC and maintenance grant for each course of study. Any future
trainees who are yet to take their LPC or the GDL are usually required to attend the University of Law
Guildford.

University law careers fairs in 2020

For a full list of law fairs we will be attending, please see our website.

555
Org ID: 400 3 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................
 S Sullivan & Cromwell LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Sullivan & Cromwell LLP

The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Locations: London How to get into Sullivan &
Overseas offices: 12
Cromwell
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 16/56/9
Seats: 2x6 (1st year); 3x4 months (2nd year)
First-year salary: £55,000
Qualification salary: undisclosed

Sullivan & Cromwell is famous in the US for setting high standards. Its
heavy transactional lean and international focus makes this US BigLaw
with a British accent.

The Firm to the firm didn’t bother our sources. The firm does try
Chambers Student: “What sort of person thrives at the to get a sense of trainees’ preferences ahead of start-
firm?” Training partner Ben Perry: “Someone who has a ing the training contract, and for subsequent seats, “it’s
range of skills and diverse attributes: they have legal, prac- a dialogue. You can say if you definitely don’t want to do
tical and emotional intelligence and the desire to be in a something next, and if you really wanted to do something
hands-on environment where people collaborate closely.” you could ask them, and they’d probably listen.” Whatever
We couldn’t have put it better ourselves, so we didn’t try. happens, everyone is likely to do corporate/M&A and a
S&C has achieved near-legendary status in New York, finance seat. To satisfy the contentious requirement “we
and globally the firm works on “top-of-the-fold, cross- do a week-long external course with BPP.” Additionally,
border matters,” and has a “stellar reputation.” In London “everyone has a choice to do an international secondment
the firm gives its “small intake” of trainees “access to top or a client secondment.” Trainees typically go overseas
clients and a lot of early responsibility.” It’s a “steep learn- in their second year, and unlike local seats, the “inter-
ing curve,” our sources admitted. In the US, the firm sits national seat is dictated by the trainee.” The firm works
on the top of the pile for a range of transactional and liti- hard to fulfil their wishes: trainees can ask to go to any
gious matters heavily based around the capital markets, of S&C’s offices, with “New York and Hong Kong the most
banking and finance sectors and so it’s no surprise that in popular options.” Other recent destinations have included
London, which “specialises in transactional work,” the firm Melbourne, Sydney, Paris, and Washington DC.
gets a nod from Chambers UK for its debt and equity
capital markets; high-end corporate/M&A and restructur- If you end up in corporate/M&A, and you will, you’re go-
ing practices. It’s US BigLaw with a British accent. ing to do “due diligence. Lots of due diligence.” It’s a de-
partment where the firm represents Apollo; the Canada
“Everyone has a choice to do an Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB); Fiat Chrysler;
international secondment or a client Goldman Sachs; Qatar Investment Authority; and Rhône
The True Picture

Capital among others, and recently advised Bayer on its

secondment.”
$7.6 billion animal health business divestment to Elanco.
Another recent highlight for the team was advising Chi-
The Seats nese company C.Banner on its sale of Hamleys toy store
S&C’s seat arrangement is a little unusual: “We do five to Reliance Brands. Our sources said in addition to due
seats,” trainees told us. “Two six-month seats to begin diligence, trainees could expect to “mark up purchase
with, then three four-month seats.” As a smaller offshoot agreements, do random research tasks, do some drafting
of a global firm, S&C’s London office is more of a “gen- and some admin.” Described as being “a bit more stop and
eral practice,” we were told. “We don’t have a lot of prac-
tice areas and you end up doing almost every single seat Seat options: leveraged finance and restructuring; cap-
anyway.” There are about six options in London (plus ital markets; M&A and private equity; project develop-
overseas choices), so the fact that their first seat was up ment and finance; competition; tax

556
chambersstudent.co.uk Sullivan & Cromwell LLP S
Chambers UK rankings S&C’s capital markets practice has the clients to make
Capital Markets Projects
any capitalist drool: BP; CPPIB; Ferrari and Goldman
Corporate/M&A Restructuring/Insolvency
Sachs are all on the books. Matter values are often in the
Energy & Natural
billions of dollars. S&C was involved in what was the big-
Resources gest IPO in Asia in 2019, and the third largest globally,
when it advised Budweiser and its parent company AB
InBev on the beer company’s $5.8 billion global offering
start than the other seats I’ve worked in,” trainees acknowl- and listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. But for
edged that there are times “you’ll be given a task you won’t all its obvious street cred some trainees were unenthu-
have done before with tight deadlines.” One trainee warned siastic. “I wasn’t a huge fan,” one grumped. “A lot of it is
that “90% of M&As die at the first hurdle. You do a lot of ancillary work for the New York office, and it’s mostly debt
work for offer to launch, but it’s so dependent on markets.” capital markets,” we heard. For others, it was “a big step
The feedback on the seat was mixed, some thought there up from project finance… back to quite legalistic work.”
“wasn’t much guidance,” while others said they “would Trainees mentioned “a lot of research. How do I comply
definitely do it again.” with this EU directive? How do I comply with these financial
regulations?” Finding the answers, we were told, could
“It’s the most emails across any seat I’ve take you “back to the primary legislation to sift through,
done.” digest, understand, and condense and present the findings
in an accessible way.” The work was “really varied. One day
Competition/antitrust, meanwhile, was overwhelmingly you could be doing research on European legislation. Other
described as a “positive experience” by our sources. The days you’re marking up a document for updates on Brexit.
“team are lovely, intelligent people,” enthused one train- Other times you’re inputting comments, or putting together
ee. In addition to S&C’s corporate clients, the team has a bible.”
worked with Spirit AeroSystems Holdings, and Iveco and
its parent CNH Industrial, among others. The firm re-
cently advised Advance Publications on the competition- Trainee Life
related aspects of its $1.7 billion acquisition of Turnitin. Let’s start with the hours. From what we can determine,
Unsurprisingly, most of the “work is to facilitate transac- S&C is one of the firms where the stories about the hours
tions in the corporate department.” What stood out for our that lawyers work is true. Everyone we spoke to said that
sources was they “got to go along to international meet- 10–12 hours was standard – and that was before you got
ings,” which highlighted “the team being really integrated.” busy. Many of our sources had worked at least one all-
In competition, “a lot of early responsibility” meant “lots nighter: the latest we heard was a trainee coming in at
of client contact, participating in client meetings, drafting 10am and only leaving the following afternoon. We were
key documents” and dealing with “RFIs [requests for in- also warned that “as NQ there’s a lot more responsibility. A
formation] from round the world and working directly with big shift. The hours are a lot longer. I’ve been pretty busy,
clients to get the answers to those questions.” Other tasks usually not leaving before 9 or 10pm. Sometimes working
included “industry research, reviewing the filings and up- until 3, 4, 5am.” While every trainee thought that one de-
dating the RFIs.” partment was “more stable” in terms of hours than others,
our research showed that every seat could see you work-
But while early responsibility and hands-on lawyering ing until the early hours and over weekends.
were themes of most seats, project finance involved
“more admin tasks. Most of the time I wasn’t doing what “You’re working across time zones.”
you might call lawyer work,” one disgruntled trainee
confessed. “It’s not so legalistic,” admitted another. “You Sources appreciated that “when you’ve worked hard, there
won’t be doing much research, analysis or drafting, more is leeway to take some time out.” But the bottom line is that
The True Picture

project management style.” Common tasks included “doc “lean staffing means responsibility. If you don’t do it, then
disclosure, reviewing commercial contracts and helping to it doesn’t get done. People say, ‘Go home,’ but you have to
mark those up.” Trainees also mentioned “drafting pres- take on the responsibility. De facto you’ve got to do the
entations with engineering and technical people, advising work.” It’s an unavoidable reality of a firm with offices
on the finance structure and legal aspects, and quite a lot around the world working together, where “you’re work-
of government engagement work.” We guessed that with ing across time zones.”   These demands are not unique to
that many “process-driven tasks” there’d be a fair number Sullivan & Cromwell.
of emails? “It’s the most emails across any seat I’ve done.
Could be getting over 100 on a busy day on one deal.” On the While the hours were occasionally a source of frustration,
plus side, the work is truly international. S&C advised Ro- mitigation was that “everyone is super friendly. It’s quite a
vuma on its $35 billion LNG development, a large natural young office, with quite a lot of juniors, which is good, be-
gas project off the coast of Mozambique. cause you can ask for help.” That said, we heard that “there

557
 S Sullivan & Cromwell LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

are people who are difficult to work with and it’s treated as
though that’s just their personality and everyone just has
to absorb that.” However, they must be doing something
right; Perry says retention is always high and this year is
no different: all four qualifiers stayed on at the firm.

And finally...
go online to find out about the firm’s diversity initiatives in
our interview with Ben Perry, S&C’s training principal and
graduate recruitment partner.
The True Picture

558
chambersstudent.co.uk Sullivan & Cromwell LLP S
www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms

Sullivan & Cromwell LLP

1 New Fetter Lane, London EC4A 1AN
Tel: 020 7959 8900 Partners: 16
Email: [email protected] Associates: 56
Total trainees: 9
UK offices London
Overseas offices: 12

Firm profile Contacts

Sullivan & Cromwell LLP provides the highest quality legal advice and representation to clients Graduate recruiter:
worldwide. The firm comprises more than 875 lawyers who practice through a network of 13, Kirsten Davies
highly integrated offices located in key financial centres in Asia-Pacific, Europe and the United [email protected]
States. The London office practices English, EU and US law. 020 7959 8900
Training partner: Ben Perry

Main areas of work Application criteria

S&C London is perhaps unique in the scale, complexity and significance of the work carried out Training contracts pa: 4-6
in an office of its size. Practice areas in which the UK qualified lawyers and trainees in the London Minimum required degree grade:
office work include: leveraged finance and restructuring, capital markets, M&A and private equity, 2:1 or other
project development and finance, competition and tax. Vacation scheme places pa: 6-8

Dates and deadlines

Training opportunities Training contract applications
We seek trainees who have an excellent prior academic record along with strong academic open: 3rd May 2021
credentials. You should possess genuine intellectual curiosity, integrity, strong interpersonal Training contract deadline, 2022
skills, commercial awareness and an ambition to succeed at one of the world’s leading law firms. start: 16th July 2021
Training contracts with S&C will be divided into at least four seats. Vacation scheme applications
open: 2nd November 2020
We aim to provide interested trainees with the opportunity to spend time in one of our other
Vacation scheme 2021 deadline:
offices during their training contract. Our trainees have spent time on secondment in the United
15th January 2021
States, Europe and Asia-Pacific.
Salaries and benefits
Vacation scheme Holiday entitlement: 24 days
A two-week summer placement scheme during 2021; remuneration £500 p.w; apply by CV
Sponsorship
(including a full classification and percentage breakdown of all academic results) and a covering
LPC fees: Yes
letter to [email protected]. Applications accepted from 2nd November 2020 through
GDL fees: Yes
15th January 2021.
Maintenance grant pa: £12,850

Other benefits International and regional

Include private health insurance, dental insurance, life insurance, travel insurance, a group Offices with training contracts:
Hong Kong
personal pension scheme, subsidised gym membership, concierge service and 24 vacation days
Overseas seats:
each year
Other offices in the US, Europe
and Asia-Pacific
The True Picture

559

Org ID: 3663 2 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................

 T Taylor Vinters chambersstudent.co.uk

Taylor Vinters
The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Locations: Cambridge, London, Oxford  How to get into Taylor Vinters
Overseas offices: Singapore, New York 
Trainee life in the commercial dis-
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 31/82/5
Seats: 4x6 months  putes and entrepreneurial wealth
First-year salary: £28,000 (£35,000 London) seats
Qualification salary: £47,000 (£63,000 London)

With recent office openings in Oxford and New York, tech-focused

Taylor Vinters is in growth mode and picking up the freshest
entrepreneurial startup clients on its way.

The Firm various seats. At the last count, 40% of trainees were in
Who needs to go to Silicon Valley when we have Silicon London and 60% in Cambridge. A Singapore office was
Fen on our doorstep? For the uninitiated, Silicon Fen is opened in 2010 and gives the firm access to emerging
the area in and around Cambridge that’s known as a hot- tech markets in Vietnam and Indonesia, and over the past
bed for innovation in the tech and life sciences sectors year TV has opened bases in Oxford and New York. The
especially. It’s so good that now even tech-oriented US latter is primarily a “sales and consulting office to further
firms – like Goodwin – are beginning to open up shop in our presence in the US,” a trainee told us. What’s clear is
the city to get access to all the startups and entrepre- that TV is in growth mode at the moment, and sources
neurs based there. Of course, any newcomer will have to felt very clued up on the firm’s plans.
contend with Taylor Vinters, which has been on the scene
and operating in these areas for a while now. Its HQ can
be found in the Cambridge Science Park, where the firm’s The Seats
lawyers have secured TV a Chambers UK ranking for its Trainees submit teams and locations when listing prefer-
expertise in venture capital investments into growth com- ences, and it’s likely that everyone will complete at least
panies. “I’m a bit of a tech geek,” said one trainee, “so it was one stint in London. Interviewees did feel that the firm
the clientele that got me hooked.” Clients on the books of could do more to support them between office moves.
late include health tech company Thriva, which has devel- Although the firm aims to gives a month’s notice before
oped home blood test kits, and Featurespace, a company each rotation, sources noted that this hasn’t always been
that invented behavioural analytics technology to detect the case. At the same time, one reasoned that “it comes
fraud and financial crimes. with the inherent nature of training contracts; we do need to
be flexible as we’re a small intake and there’s a finite num-
As these examples show, TV’s target clients are those ber of seats.”
who are innovating in any sector. Clients can get a lot
The True Picture

more than just early-stage investment advice too: TV Commercial and technology is split into sub-teams cov-
picks up a whole host of other Chambers UK rankings, ering areas like life sciences, IT, charities and social ven-
particularly for its IP, IT, litigation, employment, and mid- tures, data protection and privacy, and IP. The department
market corporate and private equity work. TV’s focus is focuses on the life sciences and technology sectors, with
also on the wealth that supports and develops innova- most trainees citing that they’d worked with clients from
tive ideas. For this reason, you’ll find TV ranked highly in these fields. “I found it easier to engage in the work be-
Chambers High Net Worth for its private wealth expertise, cause of the cool clients, like 3D printing companies and
which is often put to use for wealthy entrepreneurs. 
Seat options: employment; commercial & technology;
The firm’s knowledge is spread much further than Cam- ONE (international counsel); real estate; emerging com-
bridge as well: TV has had a base in London for around panies; entrepreneurial wealth; corporate; commercial
a decade, where trainees have the chance to complete disputes

560
chambersstudent.co.uk Taylor Vinters T
Chambers UK rankings were kept occupied with a fair amount of support work,
Agriculture & Rural Affairs Intellectual Property
like “marking up shareholder agreements and subscription
Corporate/M&A Litigation
agreements, reviewing term sheets for funding deals, and
Employment Private Equity
putting together evaluations for Enterprise Management
Family/Matrimonial Real Estate
Incentives [EMI].” As rookies progressed through the seat,
Information Technology
they took on more of a management role, with one ex-
claiming: “I was the main point of contact for the CFO!”  

artificial intelligence outfits,” said one insider. Commercial Trainee Life

work has seen the team advise on a few strategic col- With such a fresh, techy client pool, innovation lay at
laborations in the pharmaceutical realm of late: one in- the core of the firm’s identity, said trainees. “The clients
volved advising Microbiotica on its collaboration with have created a dynamic energy at the firm,” one pointed
Genentech, which centred on the study and treatment out, citing the internal PitchUp programme as a reflec-
of inflammatory bowel disease. Trainees were trusted tion of this: “It’s about how we can be more cutting-edge
to “draft non-disclosure agreements [NDAs], review and members of the firm.” We also picked up on a rather Cali/
mark up contract agreements, and review terms and condi- Silicon Valley startup vibe with regard to time manage-
tions.” Research is another important trainee activity, with ment. “You don’t sit around trying to impress anyone,” one
a source explaining that they’d had a chance to “review commented. “I’m free to manage my days however I would
international regulation, which involved looking at Chinese like as a trainee!” Well, within reason of course. Most of
law and coordinating with international counsel.” Trainees our sources worked from 8.30am until 5.30pm, but seats
are never too far away from all the science-y excitement like real estate and corporate did involve slightly longer
either: “We worked on an IP audit for a doctor who devel- hours. As for compensation, some Cambridge trainees
oped a medical device.” were a little frustrated with the 10% discrepancy in their
salaries compared to what their London contemporaries
“...cool clients, like 3D printing companies receive: “We do the same work, and living in Cambridge is
and artificial intelligence outfits.” also expensive.” One insider, however, defended salary
amounts by pointing to a good work/life trade-off.
The corporate department is known for advising venture
capital and private equity clients on investments in the Trainees were very positive about the level of interaction
tech sector. Beyond investment work, TV also has a core between the offices. One noted that TV has got communi-
corporate offering that handles the likes of M&A deals cation between the London and Cambridge bases “down
and joint ventures. Clients in this core area include en- to a tee.” Another told how “the firm is keen to keep a fluid
ergy development business Clearstone, construction- culture across its offices” –an aim that is aided by trainees
focused Land Survey Solutions and manufacturing tech visiting each other in London and Cambridge. “I go to Lon-
developer Betatype Group. Meanwhile, on the venture don every fortnight to get face-time with my colleagues; we
capital side the team has advised fund Playfair Capital are one tribe and encouraged to be together.” Partners are
on multiple investments over the past couple of years. also game when it’s time for team bonding. “Our manag-
Trainees tended to focus on mid-value transactions for ing partner was the quizmaster once,” one trainee recalled,
the sell side: “We act more for the sellers than buyers, who adding: “You can have banter with partners.”
tend to have a biotech or tech focus.” Sources in this seat
spoke of doing a lot of company secretarial work for busi- Sources rated the support they’d received as strong, with
nesses looking to attract investment: “We check to see if one gushing: “I’ve found my forever firm!” Trainees are ap-
there is anything that might put investors off. We make sure pointed seat supervisors and a career coach to assist with
their registration and filings are up to date and look at their any queries or concerns throughout the training process.
The True Picture

certificates too.” Aside from secretarial work, trainees had Insiders felt like they were being kept in the loop about
also worked on transactions involving companies in the their career development and highlighted that during ap-
solar energy and healthcare spaces.  praisals “you aren’t ambushed: if something wasn’t right,
you would know about it well before your review.” The sup-
The emerging companies team falls under the corporate port system has really come to the fore during these un-
department’s umbrella and was once known as ‘growth’. certain times, thought trainees: “With everything going on,
We were told the rebrand centred on refocusing efforts the firm has really pushed us to stay social electronically.”
to attract more startups, although one source wryly said This kind of approach made insiders want to stay with
it was an attempt to erase any opportunity for confusion: the firm. Typically in April each year, an NQ jobs list is re-
“Lots of people were like, uh… what is the growth team?!” leased, and qualifiers set about applying for the positions
Again, the focus here is very much on (as TV’s website they want. “There are interviews, but they only become an
terms them) ‘technology-driven’ businesses. Trainees area of concern if more than one person has gone for the

561
 T Taylor Vinters chambersstudent.co.uk

job!” In 2020, three of five qualifiers were retained, with

two on fixed-term contracts.

And finally...
Taylor shift: NQs have been known to visit the Singapore
office and work with startup clients. At the moment, this
opportunity isn’t available for trainees.
The True Picture

562
www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
chambersstudent.co.uk Taylor Vinters T

Taylor Vinters
Merlin Place, Milton Road, Cambridge, CB4 0DP
Tel: 01223 225148 Twitter: @TaylorVinters /@The_TV_Tribe Partners: 27
Email: [email protected] Instagram: @taylorvinterstribe Associates: 70
Website: www.taylorvinters.com Trainees: 10 (UK)
UK offices: London, Oxford,
Cambridge
Firm profile Overseas offices: 2
Taylor Vinters is a law firm supporting the businesses which drive the innovation economy, and
Contacts
the entrepreneurs and private wealth that underpin them.
Alix Balfe-Skinner, HR Manager
Our practice is global, operating from innovation clusters in the UK and Asia. With 28 partners
alix.balfe-skinner@taylorvinters.
and 80 lawyers across our offices in London, Oxford, Cambridge and Singapore, and more to come com
in New York, we help entrepreneurial clients make great things happen, whatever their size and 01223 225148
sector.
Application criteria
Our clients range from Fortune 500 technology multinationals through fast growth venture
Training contracts pa: 5
backed businesses and owner managed businesses, to individuals driven by great ideas. Our firm
Applications pa: 300
is purpose-driven and we are proud of our culture — read more at www.significant-times.com
Minimum required degree grade:
2:1 or equivalent
Main areas of work Minimum UCAS points or A
Our key practice areas include: corporate, commercial and technology, IP, commercial disputes, levels: ABB
employment, insolvency, competition, charities and social ventures, real estate, matrimonial, pri- Vacation scheme places pa: 20
vate wealth.
Dates and deadlines
Training contract applications
Training opportunities
open: Autumn 2020
Your development programme will be tailored around your skills, interests and aspirations and
Training contract deadline, 2023
you’ll experience real client work, responsibility and high levels of autonomy from an early stage as start: 31st January 2021
well as support through expert advice from some of the industry’s most forward thinking lawyers. Vacation scheme applications
During your two year programme, you’ll complete four seats in different legal disciplines, in our open: Autumn 2020
Cambridge and London offices, to help you decide which aspects of the law interest you most. Vacation scheme 2021 deadline:
During your training contract, you’ll also complete your Professional Skills Course (PSC), which 31st January 2021
we’ll pay for.
Salary and benefits
Please note that we recruit only from our Vacation scheme.
Post-qualification salary: £47,000
Cambridge, £47,000 Oxford and
Vacation scheme £63,000 London
Our vacation scheme runs during June and July and lasts for two weeks. You’ll spend time in two Holiday entitlement: 25 days
different departments, in our Cambridge and London offices providing a fantastic opportunity to
Sponsorship
get first-hand experience of what it is like to work at Taylor Vinters. It may only be two weeks, but
LPC fees: Yes
it will be an intense and exciting period of discovery — for you and for us.
GDL fees: No
Our applications will open in the Autumn with up to 20 places offered each year. We hire only
Maintenance grant pa: No
from our vacation scheme and to qualify, you must to be an undergraduate or postgraduate stu-
dent who can start a training contract with us within two years. International and regional
Offices with training contracts:
Other benefits London, Oxford, Cambridge

25 days holiday plus the option to buy additional holiday, pension, private medical insurance, life
The True Picture

assurance, season ticket loan, medical cash plan, recognition scheme, busy social calendar, wellbe-
ing programme including pilates, EAP scheme, sports teams and weekly FitBit challenges (includ-
ing £50 contribution towards a FitBit).

University law careers fairs 2020

• BPP (Cambridge)
• University of Nottingham
• University of Warwick
• UCL
• UEA
• BPP (London)
• Durham University
• University of Exeter

Org ID: 408 3 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... 563

Date: ............................
 T Taylor Wessing LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Taylor Wessing LLP

The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Locations: London, Cambridge, Liverpool How to get into Taylor Wessing
Overseas offices: 24
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 350/500/40
Seats: 4x6 months; client secondments; overseas seats
First-year salary: £40,000
Qualification salary: £70,000

Taylor Wessing titillates trainees with its big tech focus, cool clients, and
some seriously ‘grammable wall art.

The Firm the London office, but TW also has bases in Cambridge
When we last visited Taylor Wessing’s London HQ, we and Liverpool (plus a ‘TechFocus’ office in Shoreditch),
learned that the firm sponsors the National Gallery’s and a further 24 offices in 15 other countries. The firm
annual Photographic Portrait Prize, and displays innu- doesn’t currently offer overseas seats (though this may
merable entries throughout the office. Like any millen- be in the pipeline) but insiders happily pointed out that
nial worth their salt, we spent the rest of the afternoon trainees occasionally get to spend a bit of time in a for-
agonising over which filter would do justice on our Ins- eign office if the work requires it. For example, “the patent
tagram page. But this isn’t Lonely Planet, and there are team might be working with a German office, so the trainee
many more practical reasons to consider Taylor Wessing. might go there for a couple of weeks to work on the matter.”
For one, “its client base really stood out,” trainees told
us. Alongside many familiar names like Burberry, Monzo
and even Dame Vera Lynn, “there are loads of startups.” The Seats
TW was “top of the list” for trainees who wanted tech, Client secondments are fairly focusedon the tech sec-
life sciences and IP work, with Chambers UK bestowing tor, with destinations including household names of the
high rankings for all of these teams. Taylor Wessing’s al- industry. Trainees are told which secondments are avail-
liance with Silicon Valley star Wilson Sonsini also speaks able in each seat rotation, but some felt there could be
to TW’s talents in the tech and life sciences domain. But more transparency in the allocation. “It’s not always clear
trainees went on to point out that “even though it’s strong why some people get them over others,” one felt, while an-
in those areas, it’s not all the firm is known for.” Case in other source reasoned that “clients need secondees with
point, TW achieves its highest Chambers UK accolades certain experience. It’s not for the firm to send whoever
in private equity and media and entertainment. The firm’s they want and tell the client to suck it up.”
private client work is also noteworthy – TW is ranked top
in London for private wealth law by Chambers High Net At each seat rotation, newbies are asked to rank five de-
Worth. partments. One source felt that “it opens us up to getting
The True Picture

a seat we really don’t want,” explaining that “some other

“The most unconventional law firm I could firms only ask for three choices.” True, but we should point
find.” out that there are also firms that ask trainees to rank
more than five departments. Others were pleased with
With all of these practice areas on offer, one trainee de-
scribed it as “the most unconventional law firm I could Seat options: real estate; planning and environment;
find,” a sentiment echoed by others. “It doesn’t feel like construction; banking and finance; private capital and
I’m working at a law firm,” one shared, “more like a well- corporate finance; corporate technology; private equity;
established tech startup.” With a trainee intake of around private client; tax and incentives; financial services and
20 a year, “it’s nice to have a decent number of trainees for competition; employment; pensions and mobility; dis-
camaraderie and support, but not so many people that you putes and investigations; commercial technology and
don’t get to know others in the building.” All newbies join data; IP and media; patents

564
chambersstudent.co.uk Taylor Wessing LLP T
Chambers UK rankings to other seats. “I spent most of the seat on litigations,” one
Agriculture & Rural Affairs Life Sciences
source told us. “Trainees are responsible for keeping track
Capital Markets Media & Entertainment
of the documents and court dates.” Trainees also “attended
Construction Planning
a decent number of expert witness meetings,” where they’d
Corporate/M&A Private Equity
draft attendance notes and statements. Unlike IP, there
Data Protection Professional Discipline
wasn’t much direct client contact, but sources did get to
Defamation/Reputation Professional Negligence
liaise with barristers, courts and outside counsel. On in-
Management Real Estate
ternational cases, the team coordinates advice from TW’s
Employment Real Estate Finance
international offices. For example, trainees might help
Fraud Real Estate Litigation
with “consolidating advice from our European lawyers for
Hotels & Leisure Restructuring/Insolvency
a US client.”
Information Technology Retail
Intellectual Property The wider disputes team advises not only tech and life
sciences clients, but financial institutions and profes-
sional services firms such as Deloitte. Taylor Wessing ad-
vised Deloitte in relation to Financial Reporting Council
how “organised” the process was. “We meet with the grad proceedings into audits it carried out. On another recent
rec team halfway through each seat and they ask us to case, the team represented three entities in a Russian-
think about where we want to go next, so we’re not panick- owned investment group in $25 million claims against a
ing right before the deadline!” Trainees said the grad rec former employee, alleging misrepresentation and breach
team was also “very good at telling us which seats will be of employment agreements. Trainees worked on profes-
hotly contested, like corporate technology.” sional negligence, High Court litigation, corporate crime,
arbitration and product liability claims. Shareholder ac-
IP and media was another popular option. One trainee tions, joint venture disputes and warranty claims are also
told us it was their favourite seat “because most matters common, and the firm also has an investigations practice.
are leanly staffed, so I got the most responsibility there.” “On my first day I had a six-hour meeting going through the
The team covers trademarks, brand management and key documents with witnesses!” one trainee recounted.
design rights. Clients include major telecoms companies, Sources also got to draft sections of witness statements.
Taylor Wessing assisting with global trademark portfolio Another trainee was drafted onto a case involving a lot
management. The team recently advised AdTech com- of creditors, “which took up a big chunk of my seat. I was
pany Amobee on licensing its videology platform to ITV. talking with 100 creditors every week!” Newbies also got to
There are also some fashion names on the client list, like spend a lot of time in court: “I’d summarise the day’s pro-
Christian Dior’s perfume line. It was a “varied and fast- ceedings then report it to the team and answer the client’s
moving” seat for trainees, where “every day is different.” questions directly.”
Interviewees helped to put commercial contracts and
trademark applications together and enjoyed “constant” “I interacted directly with CEOs and CFOs
communication with clients and other law firms. It’s not from early on.”
technically a litigious seat, but there was a fair amount
of contentious work on offer, which had rookies drafting Over in private capital and corporate finance, trainees
cease and desist letters and witness statements. In a li- got involved in M&A, main market rights issues, private
tigious capacity, the team recently acted for PlanetArt M&A and commercial contracts. Sources were “pleas-
(which owns the photo-printing app FreePrints) against antly surprised by the amount of responsibility” they
Photobox after it launched a competing app. got.One told us: “I was heavily involved in the entire deal
rather than just paper-pushing.” Another said: “I interacted
“… consolidating advice from our European directly with CEOs and CFOs from early on.” Rookies were
The True Picture

lawyers for a US client.” regularly on calls with directors for big fund-raises and
share issues, but explained that TW also works with
Distinct from IP and media, the patents team is divided smaller startups too. “That work is usually associated with
between contentious and non-contentious work. “We’ve the corporate technology team but there’s a nice overlap
got a heavy life sciences focus but we do a bunch of tel- between us.” For example, these folks recently advised
ecoms work on the tech side too,” trainees explained.High- Oxford-based startup Tokamak Energy on a £75 million
profile life sciences clients come in the form of Pfizer and fund-raising round.
Abbott Laboratories. The team recently defended the lat-
ter’s valve repair product MitraClip in infringement claims Two trainees sit in TW’s private client seat, with one han-
and proceedings against another company’s product. In dling the litigious side and the other working in the non-
this “really complex area of law,” trainees were “much more contentious branch. Much of the work is for “ultra high net
led by a partner” and given “more admin tasks” compared worth, high-profile people” – who’re also ultra confidential.

565
 T Taylor Wessing LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

The work revolves around managing family structures start at £40,000 in first year but following the outbreak
and trusts. “Drafting straightforward wills and powers of at- of Covid-19, all trainees took an additional ten days of an-
torney are tasks that trainees specifically do,” they told us. nual leave at a cost of 8% salary spread out over a period
There’s a decent amount of research too, which trainees of six months. Proving that Taylor Wessingers go through
compiled into advice memos for clients. Given the nature the mud together, the firm also cut the partnership draw
of the work here, trainees praised this seat for getting a by 20%.
lot of interaction with the client. “I called clients directly
and ran the smaller matters for them,” said one. Trainees Trainees didn’t pick up on any kind of social hierarchy at
found their responsibilities on the contentious side simi- the firm either. “We all have lunch together in the canteen
lar to the disputes seat, with rookies getting to draft wit- every day,” they told us, enjoying views overlooking the
ness statements and instructions to counsel (with a bit of city. Certain groups run their own socials, like informal
bundling thrown in for good measure). Friday drinks. The private client folks were known for be-
ing the biggest social butterflies, and trainees enjoyed
regular pizza nights and drinks on the office’s roof ter-
Trainee Life race together. TW also hosts events with future trainees
Trainee supervisors tend to be either senior associ- “to help the cohort bond.” In the two-year period between
ates or partners. We heard “senior associates are more in finishing the firm’s vac scheme and starting the train-
tune with the type of work trainees do, so they were really ing contract, newcomers are invited to the summer and
hands-on,” while partner supervisors “are very good for Christmas parties.
giving us exposure to clients and helping with business de-
velopment, like pitches and publications.” Either way, “they TW has mental health first-aiders on every team, who are
all want us to grow and develop.” Even during the upheaval trained to spot signs of mental distress: “They’re people
of lockdown, “it was great to see how many people were of all levels, from secretaries to partners.” The firm also
still dedicated to mentoring us.” One trainee told us: “My offers yoga and mindfulness classes every Wednesday,
supervisor was really good at keeping in touch, so if they monthly massages, and a subscription to mental wellbe-
were CC’d on an email to me and thought I’d want to discuss ing app Headspace. One source was “pleasantly surprised
the content, they’d call me.” with how the firm did regular catch-ups and social calls
during lockdown. I feel like they’re genuinely concerned for
“We’re never there just as observers – our wellbeing.”
there’s too much work going on for that!”
The pandemic did throw off the NQ process somewhat.
In fact, trainees felt supported across the firm.”We’re in- Given how stressful qualification time can be at any firm,
tegral to the teams,” they said. “We’re never there just as some trainees felt there could’ve been a tad more com-
observers – there’s too much work going on for that!” The munication addressing the changes to the NQ timetable.
private capital and corporate finance seat reportedly That said, others recognised “it’s very difficult for them
demanded some of the toughest hours, where trainees to know exactly what the situation will be in a couple of
typically work on investment banks’ schedules, meaning months.” Ordinarily, trainees chat with HR about where
some 10pm finishes plus a couple of 2am finishes here they want to qualify, submit an application to their pre-
and there. IP and media trainees clocked out around ferred departments (they can apply to more than one)
8pm, while in disputes “we work intensely from 8.30am to and then have an interview. In 2020, Taylor Wessing was
6.30pm but then we stop because the deadlines are court- yet to confirm a retention figure when we went to press.
driven rather client-driven.” Trainee salaries normally
The True Picture

TW’s School of Thought:

We heard several trainees and “very senior” partners alike
can “take time out of their days to mentor state school
students, which is a really good example of how TW views its
people.”

566
www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
chambersstudent.co.uk Taylor Wessing LLP T

Taylor Wessing LLP

5 New Street Square, London EC4A 3TW
Tel: 020 7300 7000 Fax: 020 7300 7100 Twitter: @TaylorWessing Partners: 350
Email: [email protected] Facebook: TaylorWessingGraduates Associates: 500
Website: www.taylorwessing.com/graduate Instagram: @taylorwessingllp Total trainees: 42
UK offices: London, London
Firm profile Tech City and Cambridge
Taylor Wessing is a global law firm that serves the world’s most innovative people and businesses. Overseas offices 25
Deeply embedded within our sectors, we work closely together with our clients to crack complex prob-
lems, enabling ideas and aspirations to thrive. Together we challenge expectation and create extraordi- Contacts
nary results. Specialising in technology, media and communications, life sciences and private wealth, Graduate recruiter:
Alice Halsted
we act for 32 of the world’s top 50 brands; some of the world’s most exciting start-ups and unicorns; and
[email protected]
some of the world’s wealthiest families. Training partners:
A diverse client base allows us to advise on more than just the law. We’re a firm that encourages new Matthew Royle and
ideas and different ways of doing things. Our experts play an essential role in advising clients on busi- Anna Humphrey
ness growth and protection, while introducing them to new people, new markets and fresh perspectives
Application criteria
that will help their businesses stand out and flourish. Collaboration is key to our success. We recruit a
Training contract pa: up to
wide range of students including those who haven’t studied Law. 20 recruited through vacation
scheme
Main areas of work Minimum required degree grade:
Our specialists attract the most dynamic clients in the industry. We do more than just advise on the 2:1 or equivalent
law. Companies with innovative business models, emerging technologies and exclusive products, and Minimum UCAS points or A
high stake investments need to remain competitive and distinctive. This is how we work. We have an Levels: ABB or equivalent
unrivalled network of industry leaders we work with and introduce our clients to. From start-ups to Vacation scheme places pa:
Up to 40
liquidity to global brands, clients work with us because it sets them apart.
‘Superb’, ‘outstanding’, ‘expert’, ‘strategic’ and ‘commercial’ are all terms associated with our reputa- Dates and deadlines
tion. We want everyone to enjoy working with us – as much as that is possible when providing legal Apply for a training contract
advice. Efficiency is important, but anticipating needs for greater protection and security through crea- through our vacation scheme.
tive solutions compliments the advice we provide to clients and will prepare you for future challenges Vacation scheme applications
open: 1st October 2020
of exceeding expectations.
Please visit out website for
deadline
Training opportunities
We have been recognised by LawCareers.Net for being the ‘Best Trainer’ among large City firms. Our Salary and benefits
award winning training combines our in-house Professional Skills Course with six-month seats in four First year salary: £40,000
different practice groups, including one contentious seat and one in our corporate or finance areas. Our Second year salary: £44,000
programme is recognised for the extent of partner contact available to trainees. You’ll work closely with Post qualification salary: £77,000
associates on high-quality work from the outset with client contact and secondment opportunities in Holiday entitlement: 25 days

their offices offered. Most importantly, regular support and feedback every step of the way ensures that Sponsorship
your career goes in the direction you want it to. LPC fees: Yes
Naturally, we expect you to be committed to a career in law, with a genuine passion to learn. Our people GDL fees: Yes
love what they do and want to contribute new ideas. They are team players who value and respect indi- Maintenance grant pa: £7,500
viduality, and the benefit of working in an inclusive environment. Qualifications are also important to
International and regional
us, and we look for a minimum of ABB grades at A level and a 2.1 degree in any discipline. We appreci-
Offices with training contract:
ate though that not every candidate’s achievements look the same on paper, that’s why we use Rare Re- London
cruitment Contextual Recruitment System to consider everyone’s achievements in context. You should Client secondments: Yes
be confident, with good communication skills and the ability to build strong relationships. You’ll have
The True Picture

the energy, ambition and creativity to take responsibility, challenge and make a difference. We recruit
only through our vacation scheme for our 2023 training contract.
Vacation scheme
Taylor Wessing is ‘a great place to work’. We were awarded Firm of the Year 2019 by Legal Cheek,
which recognises all aspects of our work, clients, culture, environment and opportunities for our peo-
ple. Our award winning vacation scheme is designed for you to experience life as a trainee solicitor in
a fast-paced and creative international law firm. You’ll spend two weeks in two different practice areas
gaining first-hand experience under the supervision of associates and partners.
First-year opportunities
Join us on our first year ‘Trailblazing’ insight day in March 2021. It will give you the chance to learn
more about us, attend skills sessions to help you with your vacation scheme applications and take part
in a commercial business game. To be eligible to attend you must be a first year law student or penul-
timate non-law student.

Org ID: 407 2 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................567

 T TLT LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

TLT LLP
The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Locations: Bristol, London, Manchester, Scotland, North- How to get into TLT
ern Ireland
Overseas office: Piraeus
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 132/220/43
Seats: 4x6 months; client secondments
First-year salary: £39,000 (London); £33,000 (Bristol);
£28,500 (Manchester)
Qualification salary: £67,000 (London); £48,500 (Bristol);
£42,500 (Manchester)

International expansion, big-ticket commercial deals and a flat-ish

hierarchy are on the cards at South West-born TLT.

The Firm be at the firm: “The growth rates are impressive and it’s
TLT has long been associated with the South West, but a young, innovative and dynamic workforce.” Interviewees
a glance at its bases – Bristol, London, Manchester, Scot- also emphasised the open culture: “It was the first law firm
land, Northern Ireland and its overseas outpost in Piraeus that I felt I could be myself at, and show my own skill set
– tells us that this ain’t no West Country cream teas type off rather than try and pigeonhole myself in-line with the
of firm. The quality of work is high and increasingly in- firm’s corporate slogans.” Another trainee source summed
ternational. 2020 has been an eventful year so you may up the reasons behind their application to TLT aptly: “sup-
have missed the news that corporate head John Wood as- port system, no frills, no hierarchy and a drive and ambition
sumed the role of managing partner in April, replacing to succeed.”
the firm’s long-standing leader David Pester. Wood is cur-
rently overseeing the recently agreed strategic alliance
between TLT and Holla, a Netherlands-based law firm The Seats
with an aim to strengthen the firm’s international offer- First-seaters don’t get a choice when it comes to seat
ing. TLT’s head of International Chris Owen states: “With allocation, and “the majority are placed into a real estate
the Netherlands a key business location and gateway to the sub-team, which is fine since the skills you gain in them
European Union post-Brexit, we see cross-border work in- help you in the other seats,” explained our sources. Train-
creasing. There are clear opportunities for our clients with ees end up playing a game of “seat politics” when submit-
a growing financial services sector, increasing investment ting preferences for the remaining stints. Following on
in renewable energy generation as well as real estate, re- from the first seat, since priority is given to fourth and
tail and logistics opportunities in mainland Europe amongst third-seaters, “it’s hard to work out which of your prefer-
others.” ences you’ll get, if any.” Sources advised that “as long as
The True Picture

the trainee cohort is transparent and open with their prefer-

“The growth rates are impressive and it’s a ences, you can play it well.”
young, innovative and dynamic workforce.”
Before we holla over to the Dutch, let’s look at the firm’s Seat options: financial services disputes; corporate
achievements at home. Chambers UK applauds TLT as tax; incentives; pensions; employment; banking; com-
national leaders outside the big smoke for its employ- mercial; commercial disputes; corporate; projects and
ment, banking & finance, social housing and IT practices. construction; regulatory; restructuring and insolvency;
In the South West, Chambers UK awards top rankings for tech and IP; energy and renewables; public sector;
restructuring/insolvency, social housing, professional housing and regeneration; planning; property litigation;
negligence, employment, IT, real estate and corporate/ family; tax and estates (go online for breakdown by of-
M&A. Trainees clearly sensed this was a good time to fice)

568
chambersstudent.co.uk TLT LLP T
Chambers UK rankings and they allowed us to get a very rounded view of property
Banking & Finance Intellectual Property
and clean energy developments.”
Banking Litigation Licensing
Commercial Contracts Litigation
The treasured real estate department tries to grab a
Competition/European Law Outsourcing
trainee for at least one of their seats. The group splits
Construction Pensions
into specialisms ranging from real estate finance and
Consumer Finance Planning
planning to social housing and public sector real estate.
Corporate/M&A Professional Negligence
In Bristol, there are different seats for each subsection;
Employment Real Estate
London offers a catch-all real estate seat. The team re-
Energy & Natural Real Estate Litigation
cently advised and necessitated SDLT planning for Loc8
Resources Restructuring/Insolvency
Developments on the development of forward-funded
Environment Retail
multi-let leisure/food developments worth £1.5–£11 mil-
Family/Matrimonial Social Housing
lion in Plymouth, Swindon and Gloucestershire. The team
Information Technology also acted for UKRO Property Holdings I, a Hong Kong-
based fund acquiring regional office properties across
the UK, which aggregated a portfolio worth £100 million.
Trainees reported handling “a lot of infrastructure agree-
TLT’s corporate department handles a mix of domestic ments, drafting planning applications, doing reports on
and international M&A and private equity transactions; titles, working through the caseload of a remortgage and
clean energy, engineering, retail and food and drink cli- managing the checklists for clients.” Sources praised the
ents call on TLT’s expertise. The team recently acted for “good level of client contact throughout the seat and ex-
the shareholders of Lorient Group, a door sealing sys- pectation to take ownership. They’re happy for you to email
tems company, on its sale to ASSA ABLOY, a lock and se- and contact the clients directly.”
curity solutions provider. TLT also advised Herman Miller,
a furniture manufacturer, on its $46.1 million acquisition Over in financial services disputes and investigations
of the remaining shares of Naughtone, a British furniture (FSDI), the largest department in headcount, the team
designer. “You can pretty much take the steering wheel on advises banks, building societies and financial services
the smaller deals and act as the main contact for clients,” providers on a variety of regulatory issues. “There’s a
said one interviewee. Day-to-day tasks consist of deal broad range of mortgage enforcements and repossessions
management with preparing ancillary documents, deal- mixed in with PPI claims and professional negligence mat-
ing with the post-completion payment of stamp duty, ters,” explained trainees. Clients include Royal Bank of
drafting board minutes and shareholder resolutions, and Scotland, NatWest and Vanquis Bank.
snippets of due diligence. “There’s a good amount of sec-
retarial support so they help out with creating bibles, allow- “I had the opportunity to go to a tribunal
ing us to focus on the legal aspect of the deal.” within the first few months of the seat
and attend a mediation on a debt recovery
Energy was a popular corporate niche among our sources
and Bristol offers a dedicated energy and renewables case.”
seat within the real estate department. “It’s essentially
commercial property, so they should really rename the A typical matter sees the team instructing a UK debt buy-
seat,” suggested one trainee. The work involves “a lot of er on its risk of product mis-selling claims by customers,
drafting leases, reviewing documents, carrying out stand- its dispute with the seller of those debts, the firm’s inter-
ard enquiries for contracts and properties, and liaising action with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the
with the sellers and solicitors and removing restrictive cov- interaction with the Financial Ombudsman Service. “The
enants where possible.” A recent matter sees the team ad- nature of the deals lends itself to less client contact and
The True Picture

vising Punch Taverns in alleged environmental breaches more supervision. My drafting skills have improved hugely
related to noise and odour emissions from the premises and we get great feedback,” according to one trainee. An-
that exceed statutory levels. The team also continues to other source told us: “I had the opportunity to go to a tri-
advise the Department for Business, Energy and Indus- bunal within the first few months of the seat and attend a
trial Strategy (BEIS) on several strategic follow-up is- mediation on a debt recovery case.”
sues following the adoption of the Model Assignment of
Rights Contract, a complex consumer contract. Advisory and contentious work for both individuals and
employers flows into the employment department. In-
We heard there’s some flexibility when it comes to trying dustrial action, employment tribunals, whistle-blow-
out different areas of the practice: “They’re open to train- ing and minimum wage disputes are a few of the work
ees assisting with the financial services side of real estate streams. With Covid-19 in the mix, “there’s been a lot of
ad-hoc queries, with anything from advising clients on be-

569
 T TLT LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

reavement leave or TUPE to collective redundancy queries.” “TLT very much want you to be you, and are not looking
Another recent advancement in the employment sector, for people who can rattle off corporate slogans,” said one
with the changes to IR35 (the off-payroll working rules), source. “You work hard but never feel bad about leaving
sees the team advising a number of clients on their em- the office sharpish to attend a fitness class.” Trainees rated
ployment and employee tax advice. As a trainee, you can the social life pretty highly. “We’re a close intake so we go
expect to “draft witness statements, review employment out for informal dinner and drinks all the time. The AGM
contracts, draft policies such as parental leave policies and which took place in Manchester last year was successful in
draft advices.” Corporate support makes up a fair chunk of getting trainees from across all the offices to bond. It would
the employment practice as a whole. be good to have more formal firm-wide events though.”

On mental health and wellbeing, sources told us: “Our

Trainee life trainee ‘Future Talent’ manager is a keen advocate for
A typical working day begins at 9am and finishes around mental health, and since starting has enrolled all trainees
6.30/7pm, “depending on the team.” We heard of a cou- on external training designed to strengthen mental health
ple of late nights scattered throughout the transactional coping mechanisms and to support building a professional
practices: “I had a 9pm finish twice in the first week, but career in law.” Our sources thought that “diversity and in-
again it wasn’t anything obscene.” In fact, TLT supervisors clusion is another area that I think the firm performs well
“go through your hours during the meetings and one of in.” The firm has recently released the gender pay gap
them saw that I had stayed past 7.30pm on some days and report and “for the first time this report includes ethnicity
he told me it was stupid and that it doesn’t need to be done pay gap data too.”
– so there’s certainly no facetime pressure.”
At the time of our calls, interviewees had some griev-
“No one’s seen to be at the bottom of the ances to air about the informality of TLT’s qualification
food chain; there’s a pretty flat hierarchy.” process. “Of course, things are up in the air across the le-
gal sector with Covid delays but there haven’t been a lot of
TLT trainees noted a collegial culture across the teams comms from HR yet and so there’s definitely been a sense
and bases. “No one’s seen to be at the bottom of the food of pressure amongst the cohort.” Pandemics aside, the
chain; there’s a pretty flat hierarchy,” said a trainee. One process tends to be that HR advertises vacancies during
source recalled: “I sat next to the senior partner in one of the final seat following discussions with trainees across
my seats and we would spend the day exchanging jokes and the course of the training contract. Interviews are a rarity.
having a good time.” TLT retained 18 of 21 qualifiers in 2020.

Keep it 100:
In 2020, TLT announced its revenues grew 13% in the
previous financial year to hit £98.8 million, nearing the
landmark £100 million mark.
The True Picture

570
www.chambersstudent.co.uk
chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law
TLTFirms
LLP T

TLT LLP
One Redcliff St, Bristol BS1 6TP
Tel: 0333 006 0000 Twitter: @TLTtrainees Partners: 132
Email: [email protected] Facebook: TLTLLP Solicitors: 305
Website: www.tltsolicitors.com/careers/trainees Instagram: @tlt_trainees Total trainees: 37
UK offices: Bristol, London,
Manchester, Glasgow,
Edinburgh, Belfast
Firm profile
Overseas offices: 1 - Piraeus
Pushing the boundaries of what being a lawyer really means, at TLT we set out to be something differ-
ent, creating a new type of law firm… and we encourage you to be different too. Contacts
Combining traditional legal practices with an innovative and commercially-agile mindset, we help our Samantha Bracey,
clients succeed by finding solutions and providing them with expert advice. Our sector approach means Future Talent Advisor,
[email protected]
that we aren’t just knowledgeable about our clients businesses, but the whole industry in which they
Ed Fiddick, Partner & Training
work, aiding them to make comprehensive and trusted decisions. Principal
We are an ambitious and growing firm, with our people at the heart of it driving us forward. Law is a
social industry and we pride ourselves in having a great culture and being people that our clients want Application criteria
to do business with. We have award-winning teams, over 60 of our lawyers are ranked as ‘Leaders in Training contracts pa: circa 35
their Field’ and a recognised development programme. Applications pa: circa 1500
We empower our trainees to embrace their differences, share their experience and voice their ideas Minimum required degree grade:
2:1 or above
giving you an ambitious platform to launch your legal career. Your tailored training programme allows
Minimum UCAS points or A
you to gain technical legal experience, business development opportunities, daily client contact and soft
levels: 120 UCAS points (post
skills training, as we believe that well-rounded trainees make the best lawyers. 2017)

Main areas of work Vacation scheme places pa:

circa 30
Our services support clients in three distinct areas:
Advisory: helping with strategic and day-to-day legal issues. Dates and deadlines
Training contract applications
Disputes: helping prevent and, where needed, manage conflict.
open: 1st October 2020
Transactions: helping organisations expand, restructure or sell. Training contract deadline, 2023
We have significant experience working with organisations in the clean energy; digital; financial ser- start 31st May 2021
Vacation scheme applications
vices; leisure, food and drink; public sector; real estate and retail and consumer goods sectors and can
open: 1st October 2020
advise in all three UK legal jurisdictions. Vacation scheme 2021 deadline:
10th January 2021
Training opportunities
Alongside the training that you receive in-seat, we encourage you to attend our Trainee Development Salary and benefits
Workshops, where you will gain an understanding of how to grow your personal brand, learn the soft See website for details
skills necessary for business development and forming client relationships and also reflect on your Holiday entitlement: 25 days
mental wellbeing.
Sponsorship
Vacation scheme LPC fees: Yes
You will join us for one week in a team of your choice, working on real client matters, attending meet- GDL fees: Yes
ings and being immersed in TLT life. You will also have the opportunity to socialise with our trainees Maintenance grant pa: £6,000
and network with our lawyers, giving you an authentic insight into our work and culture.
International and regional
Candidates are strongly encouraged to apply via our vacation scheme. Our English and Scottish offices
Offices with training contracts:
offer vacation schemes in Spring and Summer whilst our Northern Irish office offers a vacation scheme Bristol, Manchester, London,
The True Picture

in September. For England, penultimate law students, final year law students, post-grad students and Glasgow, Belfast
final year non-law students. For Scotland, penultimate law and final year law and law post-grad stu- Client secondments: A variety of
dents. For Northern Ireland, Final year law or law post-grad students. Students are paid £300 per week. large commercial organisations
and smaller, niche clients
Other benefits
We offer a full and flexible benefits plan designed to meet your lifestyle needs. This includes private
health and medical schemes, the option to buy and sell holiday in addition to your annual allowance, re-
tail vouchers, gym membership and more. As part of the firm’s scommitment to giving back, you’ll get
involved in community support work, pro bono legal advice, fundraising and environmental initiatives.
Open days and first-year opportunities
Please keep an eye out for virtual opportunities via our website.

University law career fairs 2020

Legal Cheek Fair, Aspiring Solicitors fair, Bristol Fair, Glasgow Fair, Strathclyde Fair, QUB Fair.

571
Org ID: 238 2 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................
 T Travers Smith LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Travers Smith LLP

The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Location: London How to get into Travers Smith
Overseas offices: Paris
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 85/288/54
Seats: 4x6 months; overseas seat; secondments
First-year salary: £46,500
Qualification salary: under review at time of publication

210-year-old City outfit Travers Smith deftly traverses both transactional

and contentious matters and shows that firms are never too old to move
with the times.

The Firm  of change over the next few years. We’re also focusing on
Travers is “established and old, but always looking forward our people and their mental health and general wellbeing,
to the future,”   said one trainee when summing up their which links to a changing attitude in the new generations
firm of choice. We’d say that’s a pretty fair assessment, in coming through in how they want to work and balance their
the best possible way. Travers has long been viewed as work with other elements of their lives.”   For more on  di-
a more traditional type of City firm with  strength  in all versity and inclusion  at Travers,  listen to our  Chambers
things corporate, but it has changed both its practice and Student podcast online. 
image  in recent years.  “We  move  with the times and are
a lot less conservative than we used to be in terms of out- This emphasis on D&I was a pull factor for our sources,
look,”  says finance partner and head of graduate recruit- who highlighted “the number of initiatives that provide ex-
ment, Danny Peel. On the practice front, Peel tells us how planations for terms and identities, which makes for a di-
Travers has built up its disputes practice significantly verse and welcoming environment.”   Interviewees also
over the last five to ten years. “We now have ten partners didn’t pick up on a trad vibe, with one bluntly stating
in our dispute resolution team, plus a specialist competi- that  “it doesn’t feel like a corporate machine  compared
tion team who work on disputes in their area, and we work to other  firms.”   Travers’ enduring reputation for corpo-
on some of the most high-profile cases in Europe. It’s been rate work appealed too, with this source highlighting
absolutely pumping for the last five years. We’re now com- how  “we’re leaders in mid-market private equity.”   Cham-
ing up to the end of the HP trial, which is Europe’s biggest bers UK rates Travers in the top group of firms for private
fraud case.”   equity buyout work in the  UK, while in London the firm
excels in areas such as banking & finance (borrower and
A decade ago, Travers had a conservative image, with lender side), mid-market corporate/M&A, and real estate.
The True Picture

many associating the firm with a preference for Oxbridge

candidates and a lack of diversity. We respectfully tip our Travers’ disputes work is climbing up the rankings too: its
cap to the work Travers has put in to overhaul this percep- contentious regulatory work in the financial services
tion  in recent years.  The firm’s CSR & diversity director space is praised UK-wide, while its banking, commer-
Chris Edwards got multiple shout-outs from trainees (“he
really cares about the policies” ), who also praised senior Seat options:  commercial, IP & technology; competi-
leadership for being  “very vocal about their commitment tion; corporate/M&A and equity capital markets; deriva-
to diversity.”   Peel adds:  “We’re doing a lot better from tives & structured products; dispute resolution; employ-
a D&I perspective than 15 years ago, but we’re on a journey ment; finance; financial services & markets; investment
and we acknowledge there’s a lot more we need to do. It’s a funds; incentives & remuneration; operational risk &
work in progress, but there is a strong will across the firm environment; pensions; private equity & financial spon-
from senior leadership downwards to accelerate the pace sors; real estate; tax 

572
chambersstudent.co.uk Travers Smith LLP T
Chambers UK rankings Sharia-compliant bank BLME  during  its $212 million
Banking & Finance Fraud
cash takeover by Kuwait-based Boubyan Bank.  There’s
Banking Litigation Information Technology
also a small infrastructure  group  that covers renew-
Capital Markets Investment Funds
able energy  deals  and private equity investments into
Commercial Contracts Litigation
utility companies.  Insiders who’d sampled  corporate
Competition/European Law Outsourcing
finance  had assisted  on verification  processes,  pre-
Corporate/M&A Pensions
pared completion documents, drafted board minutes, and
Employee Share Schemes Private Equity
even prepared and submitted bundles for court sanctions
& Incentives Real Estate
on takeovers. Trainees were able to run with their desig-
Employment Retail
nated workstreams, as a source explained:  “The partner
Environment Tax
was quite hands-off. It was very intense, but a great learn-
Financial Services ing opportunity and I was still supported in my work too.”  

The ever-growing dispute resolution department covers

a multitude of litigation types, including competition, civil
cial and  corporate, and general litigation  expertise  re- fraud, commercial fraud, commercial  and financial dis-
ceive  more than worthy nods in the capital. The other putes.  “We have a new system where each trainee has a
deal-clincher for our insiders was the firm’s size and big case and a small case at any one time,”  a trainee high-
scope: all operations are carried out from one UK office lighted.  “It’s great because you get  a lot of  responsibility
close to London’s Chancery Lane (there’s one other office on the smaller cases and learn very important lessons on
in Paris, where trainees can spend a seat). “I didn’t want the big cases.”   As mentioned by Danny Peel above, the
to be in a firm with multiple offices across the globe,”  said team’s largest case  recently  has  involved  counselling
one. “Here you have a single, unified culture in one place. computer company  Hewlett-Packard  Enterprise  (HPE)
You can bump into the senior partner in the lift!”  From what on a $5 billion  case resulting from its $11 billion acqui-
Peel tells us about the firm’s plans, don’t expect changes sition of big-data software company Autonomy. HPE  al-
to this setup any time soon:  “We’ll still be fiercely  inde- leges that the value of Autonomy was inflated by $5 bil-
pendent. I cannot possibly see that we’ll merge.”   lion. Trainees can go through stints of being in court “two
out of five days a week,  supporting barristers and sitting
with witnesses. It’s awesome but also terrifying.” When not
The Seats  in court, newbies can be found supporting the “enormous
Travers trainees must do at least one seat in one of the trial processes,”  which involves drafting letters and call-
corporate departments and one contentious stint (either ing clients: “It was daunting to update them on progress. I
dispute resolution or employment). The seat allocation was thinking ‘Oh my, do I even know what’s going on here?’
process  was agreed to be relatively  “straightforward. But it makes you read up on every little piece of the case to
When you join, you just put your preferences down in order understand exactly what’s happening.”  A very wise tactic. 
and HR does the rest.”  
“It’s awesome but also terrifying.” 
Corporate  is split into  two main  areas:  private equity
and financial sponsors  and  corporate M&A and equity The other contentious option is  a stint in  employment,
capital markets. “Strictly speaking they’re not sub-seats, which handles litigious and regulatory work, as well as
but you can indicate a preference,”   a trainee informed transactional employment  matters  arising out of M&A
us.  Those who do make  a preference  tend to  do so to- deals. Trainees tend to be staffed on “lots of smaller mat-
wards private equity as it’s a “huge part of the firm and op- ters, so there’s a lot to juggle.”  Clients vary from house-
erates at a very high level.”  The team helps private equity hold company names to  “more traditional Travers clients
houses with the acquisition and disposal of their portfolio like asset managers.”  The department was unsurprisingly
The True Picture

companies. Lawyers here recently advised private equity busy during lockdown, with employers  calling upon the
company Bridgepoint  and  other selling shareholders on team for advice on furlough and redundancy-related is-
the sale of financial services company Estera to Inflexion- sues. The team recently conducted an investigation for a
backed financial services company Ocorian; this required FTSE 100 company into bullying and harassment claims
the team to coordinate legal advice to sellers across ten made against a key senior employee,  which  resulted  in
jurisdictions. “It’s a busy department, but you’re exposed to the termination of the accused’s employment. The team
new things every day. It takes a lot of training!”  remarked continues to advise the company on the wider cultural
one source. The corporate finance sub-team was labelled issues connected to the investigation.  Trainees here
as  more of a ‘general corporate’ department  that  cov- get involved in court bundling, research and drafting
ers  public and private M&A, IPOs and equity capital agreements.  “The seat’s unique because you get to work
markets work. A lot of matters involve “liaising with local across all three transactional, contentious and advisory ar-
counsel all over the world.”   The team recently advised

573
 T Travers Smith LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

eas,”  concluded one source. “The variety makes you grow open relationships. I still go for coffee with some of the peo-
a lot faster in all areas at once.” ple I used to sit with.”

The firm’s  finance  department  used to house  a deriva- “It humanises people and makes people
tives  sub-team that  was  not formally  demarcated.  Now, comfortable talking about themselves.” 
however, derivatives  is  its  own entity (and seat)  though
still “closely connected with the general finance team – we Returning to diversity and inclusion as another culture-
still have our meetings together.”  The team does a lot of shaper, sources highlighted how the office had been re-
cross-departmental work with the pensions team on pen- furbished to include gender-neutral toilets on each
sions covenant work, as well as a lot of credit valuation floor, on top of other inclusion initiatives like the listing of
adjustments. There’s also a hefty amount of general ad- pronouns in email signatures. We were told that Travers
visory work, including post-deal and long-term financial has gender, faith and LGBTQ+ committees, which organ-
planning  advice.  The group recently helped  annuity in- ise  workshops, events and holiday celebrations. There’s
surer Rothesay Life with the structuring of its £3.8 billion also a D&I book club and  a  mentoring scheme avail-
buy-in of the Asda Group Pension Scheme.  Trainees in able. The most popular  inclusion  initiative  cited was  a
derivatives were able to draft loan agreements and help campaign on the  firm’s  intranet where  “various people
liaise with banks on proposed agreements (“I’d raise red throughout Travers – diverse or not – write about their lives
flags for review so the client could see what they should be and experiences. It humanises people and makes people
concerned about, for example” ). General finance covers a comfortable talking about themselves.”   We also heard
lot of sponsor-led acquisition finance on both the borrow- that the firm has started mandatory anti-racism and ef-
er and lender sides. The team represents “a wide variety fective allyship training.
of clients ranging from private equity houses to corporate
borrowers, from investee companies to banks.”  The team Ultimately, all these factors were felt to support a culture
recently advised the lender Paragon Bank on a £12.5 of “openness. No one’s in competition or trying to pretend
million loan to specialist car lender Go Car Credit.  Our they know everything. We’re humble and genuine.”   Upon
interviewees with experience here had  helped to  draft arriving, HR publishes  a short profile of each trainee,
facilities agreements and clauses of bigger documents. which features  “both your professional and personal in-
They’d also  written  board minutes and helped to  liaise terests. Everyone gets to know each other well from the
with the client to secure the loan.  “On the other side, outset.”  We heard that trainee classes are “very close. We
you’re often working with their associate, not a trainee. It really do all get on well.”  There are plenty of social out-
shows that Travers trusts trainees to negotiate and gets you lets to get involved in including football, hockey and run-
comfortable talking to external solicitors and clients early ning teams, as well as a book club and a choir. “I genuinely
on.” enjoy spending time with people after work!”   exclaimed
one particularly social source.  

Trainee Life  Trainees tend to work a nine or ten-hour day  and  usu-
Our sources detected a streak of ‘giving back’ in Travers’ ally finish before 8pm.  “I’m not going to  lie,  there  have
culture. This has  been boosted  recently  by the appoint- been times when it’s bad hours-wise, but I did know that it
ment of the firm’s first pro bono director, former senior would happen occasionally at a City firm,”  one source ad-
counsel Sam Cotman: “We’ve seen our pro bono ramp up mitted.  Those  bad  times can see trainees  working  until
massively since!”  Trainees told us about their involvement midnight, but we heard that “you get rewarded  after a
in local legal clinics and highlighted the opportunity to busy period with time off in lieu. Partners really appreciate
get involved in  research projects  that examine  human it and they give you a break for a bit afterwards.”  To sweet-
rights issues. In addition, “people who feel strongly about en the deal further, trainee and NQ salaries were recently
certain topics can ask the firm if they can adopt them into bumped up to “really competitive” amounts, although we
The True Picture

their pro bono practice.” heard that the NQ salary (£85,000) was under review at
the time we went to press.
Travers’ room system was also isolated as a key influence
on the firm’s close-knit culture. Trainees sit in rooms with Sources anticipated that the qualification process
one junior associate, one senior associate and one part- would be  “exactly the same  as usual, despite the pan-
ner.  “You have all levels of  lawyer  working in one room. I demic,”  though it was brought forward “purely for train-
can see what my life will be like in two years, three years ees’ comfort.”   Qualifying trainees  rank their top three
and ten years!”  This setup allowed interviewees to “learn or four choices  for  HR. Departments are  then asked on
by osmosis – you’re constantly seeing how your seniors deal a blind basis (without knowing who’s applied) who they
with clients and tricky situations. You can swivel around would like to come back. The training principals then
and ask any question you want to.”  The rooms were also look at where the preferences match.  This process
viewed as “great for pastoral care – it gives you strong and means that neither department or trainee know where

574
chambersstudent.co.uk Travers Smith LLP T

they came in terms of a preference list. The result is that into a different area of law.”  Interviewees noted that “a lot
trainees found qualification to be  a  “fairly calm and re- of the partnership trained at Travers. It’s certainly some-
laxed” process. The firm “tries hard to keep everyone on,” where you can have longevity.”  In 2020, 21 of 25 qualifiers
and those who don’t stay are usually looking to “qualify were kept on. 

And finally...
Lockdown, summer in the City: During lockdown, people
across the firm (including members of management)
sent “light-hearted daily emails – they let us know what’s
going on and keep us going together as a whole.”

The True Picture

575
 www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
T  ravers Smith LLP
T chambersstudent.co.uk

Travers Smith LLP

10 Snow Hill, London EC1A 2AL
Tel: 020 7295 3000 Partners: 85
Email: [email protected] Twitter: @traverssmith Assistant solicitors: 288
Total trainees: 54
Website: www.traverssmith.com Instagram: @TraversSmithGraduates
UK offices: London
Overseas offices: Paris, close
ties with carefully chosen quality
overseas independent law firms
Firm profile
It is not just law at Travers Smith. We treat our clients’ business as our business, their dispute as our Contacts
dispute, their challenges as ours. We act for publicly listed and private companies, financial services Graduate recruiter:
and private equity clients, as well as other business enterprises involved in large and complex UK and Germaine VanGeyzel
cross-border matters, transactions and disputes. Our clients know that wherever in the world they or graduate.recruitment@travers-
smith.com
their ambitions lie, we will work as one of their team to get things done and they know that we do so Co-Heads of Graduate Recruit-
in a straight-talking, thoughtful and open way. ment:
Diversity and independence of thought are key to our success. We know each other well and we know Hannah Manning, Danny Peel
and Asma Rashid
that we get the best results when we act as a team – not just within our legal teams, but right across
our firm where we welcome diversity of thought and views from everyone. This is our difference and Application criteria
we are proud of it. Training contract pa: 25
Applications pa: 1,000
Minimum required degree grade:
Main areas of work 2:1 or equivalent
Our business comprises the following main practice areas: commercial, IP and technology, competi- Minimum UCAS points or A
tion, corporate M&A and ECM, dispute resolution, employment, environment and operational risk, levels: AAB or equivalent
finance and restructuring, financial services and markets, funds, incentives and remuneration, pen- Vacation scheme places pa: 72
sions, private equity and financial sponsors, real estate, regulatory investigations and tax. Dates and deadlines
Training contract applications
Training opportunities open: 1st June 2021
The firm’s comprehensive training programme ensures that trainees experience a broad range of Training contract deadline 2023:
31st July 2021
work. All trainees sit with partners and associates, which ensures a refreshing lack of hierarchy. It also
Vacation scheme 2021 deadline:
means that trainees receive individual and extensive training from experienced lawyers, and can look Winter: Rolling basis
forward to client contact, and the responsibility that goes with it, from day one. During the two-year Summer: 17th January 2021
training contract, trainees spend six months in our corporate department and another six months in
Salary and benefits
either the dispute resolution or the employment departments. The firm offers you a choice for your
First year salary: £46,500
other two seats in two of our other specialist departments. Trainees may also have the opportunity Second year salary: £52,000
to spend six months in the firm’s Paris office. Travers Smith is a collegiate firm – we treat people with Post qualification salary: please
respect, allowing them to conduct business in the most effective way for our clients. This has led to a visit website
climate of shared goals, supported by a friendly and engaging team spirit.
Sponsorship
We’ll give you responsibility from day one – you will quickly find yourself on the phone to clients, LPC fees: Yes
in meetings and handling your own work with all the guidance you need. As such the firm looks GDL fees: Yes
for people who can combine academic excellence with plain common sense; who are determined, Maintenance grant pa: £8,500

articulate and able to think on their feet; who are self-motivated and have a healthy sense of humour. International and regional
A law degree is not a necessity – just over half the trainees who joined last year came from a non-law Offices with training contract:
background. London
Overseas seats: 1 seat in Paris
The True Picture

Client secondments: Following

Vacation scheme qualification, there are numerous
Students spend two weeks with the firm; each week they are able to experience a different depart- opportunities for secondments
ment, sharing an office with partners, associates and trainees. to overseas law firms with whom
we have a close relationship. In
The work will include attending meetings, drafting documents and letters and carrying out research. recent years, our associates have
We extend our internal seminar programme to include a number of talks, case studies and negotiat- worked on secondment in places
ing exercises specifically for students to give an authentic taste of a City lawyer’s work. The timetable such as the Netherlands, Germany
and Spain.
also includes a City tour, plenty of social activities including softball and the option to be involved
in sporting activities such as mixed hockey, netball and football. There are also working lunches and
informal evening events.

576
Org ID: 424 5 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................
chambersstudent.co.uk Trowers & Hamlins LLP T

Trowers & Hamlins LLP

The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Locations: London, Manchester, Birmingham, Exeter Get hired at Trowers
Overseas offices: 5
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 139/217/46
Seats: 4x6 months
First-year salary: £37,000 (London); £28,000 (elsewhere)
Qualification salary: £68,000 (London); £44,000 (else-
where)

Want to do some groovy real estate work while (peacefully) combating

the country’s housing crisis? That’s Trowers power, baby.

The Firm ate our own work and help out with London too.” As well
Amidst a nationwide housing crisis, the government as taking advantage of the national network of offices,
faces huge demand for affordable homes. To bring hous- trainees were keen to capitalise on the firm’s “internation-
ing to the masses, they need… well, they need housing al elements.” With four offices in the Middle East, Trowers
powerhouses. That’s where Trowers & Hamlins comes in. picks up a top ranking in Chambers Global for its corpo-
Few firms in the UK are brave enough to wade into the rate and finance work in Bahrain, as well as additional
political uncertainty and shifting budgets that come with rankings in Oman and the UAE. Trowers also has an office
social housing and public work. Fortunately, Trowers is in Malaysia, where it was the first foreign firm to get a li-
one of them. “Our real estate work is a flagship of Trowers,” cence to practise in the country. For London trainees, the
said trainees. “It’s the driving force of the firm.” The firm’s opportunity to do international secondments was another
mid-market real estate work is ranked top in London by “big draw” (more on this below).
Chambers UK, and outside of the capital, the firm is a na-
tional leader in social housing work (it’s actually the only The firm allocates trainees’ first seats, but from then on,
top-ranking firm in this field). “It excites me to think I’m everybody puts forward a most desired seat – “it’s more
learning directly from experts in our field,” said one insider. than likely you’ll be able to do that seat at some point dur-
ing the two years.” The seatallocation process starts with
“Our real estate work is a flagship of an “open conversation with the graduate recruitment man-
Trowers.” ager, then they balance what you want with business need.”
Folks in smaller offices like Birmingham liked the fact
Clearly, anyone who digs real estate should take a second that “because there’s only a small number of teams, there’s
look at Trowers, but the firm also handles other types of not much competition and it’s likely you’ll get the seats you
work like commercial litigation, corporate, finance, em- want.”
ployment and private wealth. “Several departments do
The True Picture

have underlying property elements,” trainees helpfully

pointed out, but it isn’t the entirety of the firm. Trowers The Seats
gets additional national rankings for its work in local Introducing Trowers’ newest team: real estate. “Wait,
government, public procurement, international personal what?” we hear you cry. Up until 2020, the firm had de-
injury (claimant and defendant side), charities, projects, lineated real estate departments, but now it all falls un-
and administrative & public law. der one umbrella, including the two main streams: com-
mercial, and housing & regeneration. Trainees in this
At the time of our calls, around two-thirds of trainees
were based in the London office, with a handful or so in Seat options: real estate; projects and construction;
Birmingham, Exeter and Manchester. “Trowers is very banking and finance; corporate; dispute resolution & liti-
good at pushing a national team mindset,” they said. “We’re gation; employment; tax & private wealth; international
one big unit.” Those outside the capital told us: “We gener- secondment

577
 T Trowers & Hamlins LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Chambers UK rankings Trowers’  banking and finance  team works with banks,
Administrative & Public Law Local Government
lenders and commercial borrowers on loans, financings
Charities Projects
and funds work. The team recently advised Global Net
Construction Public Procurement
Lease on its £230 million refinancing, for example. Un-
Corporate/M&A Real Estate
surprisingly, “the majority of the work has a real estate
Employment Real Estate Litigation
element to it.” Clients include private affordable hous-
Healthcare Social Housing
ing finance lenders, and the team also works on funds
Litigation Travel
for private commercial property developments. Sources
reported “helping out on registered facilities and sorting
loans,” as well as doing a little work with Middle Eastern
lenders. Trainees were responsible for putting together
seat now get to act as generalists, “making the most of conditions precedent checklists and drafting board min-
the different specialisms people have in the group.” Inter- utes, but it’s “not just the usual trainee tasks –they’re happy
viewees speculated on the thinking behind merging the for you to put your hand up and ask for more.” ‘More’ could
groups: “We’ve got strong social housing expertise, but mean helping to create presentations, and getting draft-
we want to attract more private companies who invest in ing experience with facility agreements and loan agree-
commercial property too.” The firm’s current commercial ments.
clients range from pension funds to general commercial
property investors, which the firm helps on matters like “One day you’re talking with bankers;
leases, renewals and tenancy agreements. For example, the next you’re talking with the person
the team recently acted for a Malaysian sovereign wealth
installing the lifts.”
fund on the 20-year letting of Aviation House in London’s
Holborn to WeWork. In this “naturally drafting-heavy” area, There’s more property-related work in the projects and
interviewees got to draft leases and tenancy agreements construction seat, where interviewees worked mostly
themselves, remarking that this was “a good way to fully on the construction side. The “interesting” projects work
understand the business and learn what the firm’s about.” available is mostly in the renewable energy sphere –train-
And then “once you’re ready, they’re comfortable to give ees said: “If you want to get involved you just need to ask!”
you hands-on opportunities with clients.” Another niche is public procurement, where the team
helps private companies secure contracts from the gov-
“It’s great to help out in the middle of a ernment (Chambers UK ranks the firm nationally for this
housing crisis.” work). The Exeter office also offers trainees the chance
to do construction litigation, whether it’s a dispute about
Housing and regeneration makes up a larger share of the faulty cladding or poor building work. Nationwide, the
real estate team’s work. The group works with public bod- construction team works on development projects cover-
ies such as Homes England as well as private developers ing social housing developments, school buildings, busi-
on “large-scale site acquisitions.” As a trainee explained, ness parks and office blocks. The team recently advised
“they buy large areas of land which will ultimately be built Berkeley Homes on the £1 billion Stephenson Street
on for housing stock. Another part of the team then deals development in east London; it’s also representing the
with the agreements for building on the land.” Then finally, Museum of London in its relocation to Smithfield Mar-
the team deals with the sales of the individual plots that ket. Interviewees were happy with their client contact,
get built. “It’s a nice little Russian doll-type thing,” one and we heard this seat is also “drafting-heavy,” with de-
commented. “Everyone goes further and further in with the velopment agreements, building contracts and construc-
creation of one housing project.” There’s also some charity tion reports. “I enjoyed drafting collateral warranties,” one
sector work as well as grant funding, where “government shared. “They’re problem-solving-focused and you need to
bodies give away monies to housing associations to build tailor it to the client’s needs.” Another felt “one of the most
The True Picture

affordable homes.” One interviewee felt “it’s great to help interesting and enjoyable aspects” of the seat was the vari-
out in the middle of a housing crisis.” The group recently ety of people they dealt with: “One day you’re talking with
helped Homes England in its endeavours to make grant bankers; the next you’re talking with the person installing
funding more flexible and apply £1.5 billion of funding the lifts in the project.”
to deliver more affordable housing. It’s also advising En-
field Borough Council as it embarks on a £6 billion regen- Trowers offers  overseas seats  in its Dubai, Abu Dhabi,
eration project that includes the creation of 10,000 new Oman and Bahrain offices, usually as a second seat.
homes. Trainee tasks here include legal research, pres- These, however, are only available for London trainees,
entation writing and drafting documents such as reports, unless Londoners don’t want to go or someone drops out.
grant agreements and lease transfers. Trainees might Trainees in other offices weren’t “too fussed,” since “they
also be put in charge of the “transaction formalities – fi- make it clear at the interview stage and keep your expec-
nalising applications, making sure everyone’s on track, and tations in check.” As for the lucky Londoners who get to
sending documents out.” go, trainees can submit a preference but don’t have the

578
chambersstudent.co.uk Trowers & Hamlins LLP T

ultimate say in where they can go. However, all the over- trainees do a three-week induction in London (regional
seas offices are much smaller than the London office, so trainees get put up in accommodation). “It’s a great oppor-
“you’re not stuck doing work for one department and can tunity to get to know your intake across offices,” trainees
push for the kind of work you want.” Interviewees found said. “Whenever I go to London, it’s really nice to catch up
“the transition really easy; there wasn’t the culture shock with everyone.” Culturally, trainees reckoned that there’s
I expected.” Some did point out there are “a few etiquette “a little separation between London and the regional side of
things to learn with clients, especially for women.” the firm,” but quickly followed up that “it’s not a bad thing
– it’s nice to go to another office and feel a different vibe.”

Trainee Life “I’d be surprised if a trainee was working

Trainees said the firm’s many clubs (football, netball, past 7pm regularly.”
yoga, book club) were “a really good way of integrating
new people in the firm and getting to know people across Interviewees rated their salary as “market standard and
departments.” There are regular socials across offices, in- fair” in their respective cities (London trainees and NQs
cluding “drinks, pizza evenings and pub crawls – and it’s not earn about £10,000 more than their regional counter-
uncommon to end up at karaoke!” The firm’s social commit- parts). “There’s not a long-hours culture here,” they added.
tee is looking for ways to “make sure it’s inclusive of every- “I’d be surprised if a trainee was working past 7pm regular-
one” after the firm got feedback from an inclusion survey ly.” Across offices, most people “leave between 5pm and
suggesting more alcohol-free socials. Future renditions 8pm,” with real estate and banking tending to be on the
of ‘Total Eclipse of the Heart’ may be on the quieter side later side. Prior to the pandemic, trainees could also work
without Dutch courage, but at least they’ll be in tune. from home on an ad hoc basis.

“It’s great to see a firm promoting Asian We also heard partners check in on trainees’ hours: “If
leaders and black female leaders.” you’re staying too late, they’ll do something about your
workload.” Trainees also liked that partners are “open
Efforts like these prompted trainees to rate the firm as about needing an NQ” or not on the approach to qualifica-
“ahead of the curve” on diversity. Diversity network Trow- tion time, “so you can make your own contingency plans if
ersIncludes brings together groups of religion, ethnicity, need be.” During the final seat, a jobs list is sent round.
LGBTQ+ individuals, age and social mobility. “The firm en- Interested qualifiers submit an application and cover let-
courages you to be you,” trainees praised. For a Birming- ter before taking part in an interview, “which is a bit bi-
ham trainee, “one of the factors that influenced my joining zarre seeing as it’s with people you’ve been working with
is the fact that the previous head of the office was Amar- for at least two years!” The interview contains a few of the
deep Gill, and the new head is Yetunde Dania. It’s great to “usual questions,” as well as a short exercise. Interview-
see a firm promoting Asian leaders and black female lead- ees were heartened by the fact that “most of the success-
ers.” ful people at the top here are people who’ve been loyal to
Trowers since they trained, or even paralegalled here. There
In terms of training, the firm hosts talks on topics from is a culture of longevity at Trowers.” In 2020, 19 of 23 quali-
“updates in tax law to gender diversity. There’s also a lot fiers were kept on.
of emphasis on developing non-law business skills.” All

And finally...
The True Picture

Mistletoe and wine: Trainees described “prolific”

Christmas parties at Trowers & Hamlins.

579
 www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
T Trowers & Hamlins LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Trowers & Hamlins LLP

3 Bunhill Row, London, EC1Y 8YZ
Tel: 020 7423 8000 Twitter: @Trowers Partners: 139
Email: [email protected] Instagram: @trowers_law Associates: 217
Website: www.trowers.com/careers/stu- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/com- Total trainees: 46
dents-and-graduates pany/trowers-&-hamlins/ UK offices: London, Birmingham,
Exeter, Manchester
Overseas offices: 5
Firm profile
Trowers & Hamlins is a national and international law firm. We’re here to help businesses and gov- Contact
Graduate recruiter:
ernments change the way we live and work for the better. We do this by providing commercial advice
Jacqui Bernuzzi
geared towards tackling tomorrow’s challenges in industry. [email protected]
We pride ourselves on providing down-to-earth and commercially savvy advice to our clients and, Training partner:
no matter where our clients are, they have access to a connected network of lawyers across disci- Lucy James
[email protected]
plines, jurisdictions and sectors.
Application criteria
Main areas of work Training contracts pa: 23
Our main areas of expertise include banking and finance, corporate, dispute resolution and litiga- Minimum required degree
grade: 2:1
tion, employment and pensions, international, projects and construction, public sector, real estate
Minimum UCAS points: ABB
(including commercial property and housing), tax and private wealth. Vacation scheme places pa: 46

Training opportunities Dates and deadlines

Training contract applications
We recruit 23 trainees every year, split between March and September intakes and based at our of-
open: 1st October 2020
fices in London, Birmingham, Exeter and Manchester. All trainees work across a range of seats and Training contract deadline, 2023
those in London have the opportunity to spend time in one of our offices in the Middle East. start: 30th July 2021
Training is divided into four six-month seats and you can expect to experience a broad range of Vacation scheme applications
open: 1st October 2020
departments and practice areas over the course of the two-year period. All trainees are teamed with a
Vacation scheme deadline: 29th
supervisor and from the outset, our trainees are given real responsibility and the opportunity to learn January 2021
from hands-on experience in a supportive working enviroment.
Salary and benefits
(as of July 2018)
Vacation scheme
First year salary: £37,000
Our summer vacation schemes are a good way of finding out what life really is like as a trainee at (London) and £28,000 (Birming-
our firm. We offer 46 places schemes across our London, Birmingham, Exeter and Manchester of- ham, Exeter and Manchester)
fices each year. During your time with us, you will be involved in real work - drafting, undertaking Second year salary: £40,000
research, attending meetings and interacting with a range of people across the firm. At the end of (London) and £30,000 (Birming-
ham, Exeter and Manchester)
your vacation scheme, you will have an interview for a training contract. Post-qualification salary: £68,000
We pay every candidate attending our summer vacation schemes. This is currently £300 per week in (London) and £44,000 (Birming-
London and £250 per week in Birmingham, Exeter and Manchester. ham, Exeter and Manchester)
Holiday entitlement: 25 days

Other benefits Sponsorship

Our trainees receive a competitive salary and benefits package including five weeks’ annual leave LPC fees: Yes
each year. The benefits currently include a personal pension, an interest-free season ticket loan, and GDL fees: Yes
Maintenance grant: £7,000
private medical insurance.
(London) and £6,500 (outside
The True Picture

of London)
Open days and first-year opportunities
We hold a winter open day in our London office and coffee mornings in our Birmingham, Exeter and International and regional
Offices with training contracts:
Manchester offices in December and January each year. During the events, you will attend a number
London, Exeter, Birmingham and
of presentations on topics ranging from application form tips to life as a trainee at the firm. You will Manchester
also have the chance to network with partners, trainees and graduate recruitment. Overseas seats: Abu Dhabi,
Bahrain, Dubai and Oman
Client secondments: None
University law fairs 2020
Please see our dedicated webpages for further details on this front.

580
Org ID: 425 2 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................
chambersstudent.co.uk Vinson & Elkins RLLP V

Vinson & Elkins RLLP

The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Location: London Get hired at V&E
Overseas offices: 11
Becoming an energy lawyer
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 16/45/12
Seats: 4x6 months, overseas seats
First-year salary: £50,000
Qualification salary: £147,500

Two Texan traits of “Southern hospitality” and energy expertise have

translated over to V&E’s London base, where trainees get to see as much
of the practice as they’d like. Everyone’s a Vinner…

The Firm trainee recalled. “It was a very exciting way to kick the seat
V&E may be a Big Mac on the global projects scene, but off!” International is the name of the game here, and the
in the City it’s more of a mini slider sandwich with all the London team works closely with the Houston office “if we
key ingredients: meaty energy deals, a lot of oil, a salad need input from a practice area we don’t have in London,
of seats, and a Gherkin (just nearby). “V&E doesn’t try to or any help with US regulatory issues.” The firm recently
be all things to all people,” one of our trainee sources told advised J.P. Morgan in the first ever North Sea underwrit-
us. “I wanted legal practice with a political angle, and the ten oil and gas financing, with $500 million senior notes
oil and gas work I’ve done has fit the bill because we look issued for the $2 billion acquisition of Chevron North Sea
at the relationship between different countries.” This is one by Ithaca Energy. Other clients on the books include BP
of the US firms with the deepest roots in London, setting and the Ministry of Oil of the Republic of Iraq.
up shop all the way back in 1971, but Vinson & Elkins has
kept its UK headcount on the lower side. “You won’t end up bundling for two years.”
Chambers UK ranks the firm highly for oil and gas work V&E’s energy prowess feeds into its complex commercial
and construction, recognising V&E for its projects prac- litigation (CCL) group, which has a particularly strong
tice too. Energy work is fo sho the headline here, but the and established presence in the construction and oil &
Texan outfit’s no one-trick buckaroo: the broader corpo- gas sectors. Trainees felt they saw “the biggest complex
rate team quadrupled in size over just three years. Train- construction cases possible. V&E is the place for that kind
ees can sample the practice with a bit more freedom of work.” The firm represented the Panama Canal Au-
than a traditional seat structure affords. New arrivals are thority in a series of multibillion-dollar arbitrations with
“thrown in wherever they need you,” but get more say over a consortium of European and Panamanian companies.
seat two; the second year of the training contract is more “Arbitrations like that are so vast that trainees typically do
flexible: as part of the non-rotational system, trainees more discrete, less exciting tasks like preparing bundles,”
The True Picture

may pick up or carry forward the work that most interests but don’t panic that you’ll be completely sidelined. “You
them. “It gave me the independence to shape the training won’t end up bundling for two years,” a trainee confirmed,
contract how I wanted, and it means you hit the ground run- “as mega arbitrations are also mixed in with small matters
ning as an NQ,” one reflected. where you get to draft witness statements and email clients
applying law to their circumstances.” The litigious seat is
known for its elite-level clientele: “So much of our work
The Seats concerns the Middle East and we need to work very closely
“Oil & gas is our heritage. Our forte.” Based on trainee com- with the Dubai office.” London has a strong enough rela-
ments, it’s no surprise the energy transactions and pro-
jects (ETP) team works for some of the biggest players Seat options: M&A; capital markets; finance; complex
in the industry. “In my first week I was in client meetings commercial litigation; employment; energy, transac-
with a national oil giant during a multibillion-dollar deal,” a tions and projects; restructuring

581
 V Vinson & Elkins RLLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Chambers UK rankings into the room where it’s all happening, which isn’t always
Construction Projects
the case at other firms where optics are everything.” Other
Energy & Natural
trainee responsibilities include verification and drafting
Resources board resolutions.

tionship with its sister office that one of our interviewees Trainee Life
was on secondment to Dubai when we came calling; other Interviewees noticed V&E’s “Southern hospitality culture”
sources “didn’t work with a single American client,” highly come to the fore during negotiations: “We’re not aggres-
unusual for trainees at US-based firms in the UK. sive and we don’t take a hard line. Senior lawyers empha-
sise that we must always be polite.” Several said “London is
The opposite is the case in capital markets, where train- very much its own office, but we have a lot of Texans work-
ees “work with major American banks.” Don’t be fooled ing here and people fly over from Houston all the time. It’s
by the department’s “very broad-sounding name” – V&E amazing that they remember what you talked about last
eschews an equity practice in favour of specialising in time they visited, like the fact I’ve got a dog.” Sources were
high-yield bonds. “We’re much more niche than many of generally chuffed with the environment at V&E. “It feels
our US counterparts,” a source declared. In a recent ex- like we’re all equals,” one declared. “Everyone, partners in-
ample, the firm represented Goldman Sachs in the issu- cluded, is keen to chat if you need to interact with another
ance of €550 million worth of floating rate senior secured human.”
notes (bonds with variable interest rates). Trainees were
pleasantly surprised by the drafting experience on offer, Vinson & Elkins sits alongside fellow American giants
“the main thing this group does is draft big prospectuses.” Akin Gump, Latham and Kirkland & Ellis at the top of
This mammoth task involves liaising with local counsel, the market in London for compensation, paying its NQs
making sure the right people sign the right documents a staggering £147,500 a year. As well as making other
and “identifying which numbers need supporting.” Sound firms look cheap, V&E also matches US counterparts by
appealing? Capital markets is one of the easier seats to investing heavily in diversity and inclusion. “We aim to
get “because it’s known for having the worst hours,” and we take a progressive approach in the UK and we’re respond-
heard of one poor trainee who had to work from 10am to ing to the dialogue here too,” insiders suggested. Several
4am for ten days in a row. “I was at the point where I for- highlighted the firm’s Women’s Initiative, which is “very
got my own name, but the firm knew it was killer,” they ex- prevalent across the firm. We often connect with the WIs at
plained. “I only had to work a few hours a day after that pe- our US offices and had a virtual panel where we discussed
riod.” Summing up their experience, another trainee said: how to cope with having children as a partner at the firm.”
“You have to sacrifice your personal life in capital markets, There’s diversity and inclusion training for juniors, mid-
but there’s no other seat like it.”   levels and partners (“absolutely compulsory, no excuses” )
and an LGBT+ alliance is in the works.
“It’s nice to be invited into the room where
it’s all happening.” “What really sets us apart is the informal
support… you aren’t just one of a hundred
That said, the hours in M&A are similarly topsy-turvy:
trainees.”
“You’ll do 20-hour days one week then 10-hour days the
next.” Here too, the bulk of the work is international; we Each trainee shares a room with a senior associate or
heard it’s very rare for both sides to have English clients, partner, and new starters receive mentors when they ar-
so trainees spend their days liaising with local counsel. rive: “I go for a meal with mine two or three times a week
“You need to have a basic understanding of how their legal and they help out, but what really sets V&E apart is the in-
system works so that you know which questions to ask and formal support,” an interviewee felt. “The office is so small
The True Picture

how to formulate the information coherently,” one said. V&E that we all know each other, and you aren’t just one of a
recently advised UK-based telecoms company Helios hundred trainees.” During the coronavirus pandemic, the
Towers on its purchase of a controlling interest in South firmwide WhatsApp group reliably came through with
African firm SA Towers. The firm’s corporate clients also memes and funny videos, and V&E hosted virtual happy
include Africa Oil Corp and investment giant KKR. When hours on Friday evenings. “They checked in with us every
they’re not busy with cross-border transactions, trainees day, everyone was super supportive,” we heard.
are invited into local client meetings: “It’s nice to be invited

582
chambersstudent.co.uk Vinson & Elkins RLLP V

Second Elkins:
Qualification is “relatively informal. You’ll likely have been
working with your chosen team for at least a year and they
won’t reject a trainee because they hired one recently, it’s
about whether you’re a good fit.” V&E retained all four
qualifiers in 2020.

The True Picture

583
 www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
V Vinson & Elkins RLLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Vinson & Elkins

20 Fenchurch Street, 24th Floor, London, EC3M 3BY
Tel: 020 7065 6000 Fax: 020 7065 6001 Twitter: @VECareers Partners: 19
Email: [email protected] Associates: 47
Website: www.velaw.com Total trainees: 10
UK offices: London
Overseas offices: Austin, Beijing,
Dallas, Dubai, Hong Kong, Hou-
Firm profile ston, London, New York, Rich-
Vinson & Elkins RLLP is one of the largest international law firms and has been repeatedly ranked mond, Riyadh, San Francisco,
as the world’s leading energy law firm. Founded in Houston in 1917 (and with an office in London Tokyo and Washington DC.

for 46 years), Vinson & Elkins currently has over 700 lawyers with offices in Austin, Beijing, Dal- Contacts
las, Dubai, Hong Kong, Houston, London, New York, Richmond, Riyadh, San Francisco, Tokyo [email protected]
and Washington, DC. Talent manager:
Aidan Connor
Main areas of work [email protected]

Cross-border M&A, private equity, corporate finance and securities advice (including London Training partner:
Andrew Nealon
Main Market and AIM listings and international equity and debt capital markets), banking and
[email protected]
finance, international energy transactions, construction, project development and finance transac-
tions, litigation and arbitration and tax. Application criteria
Training contracts pa: 5
Applications pa: 400
Training opportunities
Minimum required degree grade:
The firm is looking for ambitious individuals with strong academic results, sound commercial
2:1
awareness and rounded personalities. The ability to think laterally and creatively is essential, as is Minimum UCAS points or A levels:
a need for common-sense and a willingness to take the initiative and assume responsibility from AAB or equivalent
day one. Vacation scheme places pa:
The firm currently offers five training contracts commencing each September. Trainees will gain 25 approx

wide experience in many different areas, working with a wide variety of associates and partners Dates and deadlines
from across the firm. V&E is proud of the fact it has won several LawCareers.Net awards for the Training contract applications
quality of its training with a further seven nominations. open: 1st November 2020
Training contract deadline, 2023
Whilst the trainees are based in London, the firm is currently regularly seconding its trainees to
start: 31st July 2021
other offices (particularly its offices in the Middle East and Houston).
Vacation scheme applications
open: 1st November 2020
Vacation scheme Vacation scheme 2021 deadline:
We view vacation placements as a key part of our recruitment process. For summer 2021 apply by 31st January 2021
31st January 2021, by way of online application form. Open day deadline: Open now
until 7th February 2021

Other benefits Salary and benefits

Private medical and dental, pension, season ticket loan, discounted gym membership, travel First-year salary: £50,000
insurance, life assurance. Second-year salary: £55,000
Post-qualification salary:
£147,700
Open days and first-year opportunities
Holiday entitlement: 25 days
Open day in March 2021 for first year law students or second year non-law students. Apply by
The True Picture

email to [email protected] with your name, university, A-level results and stage of Sponsorship
education. Deadline is 7th February 2021. LPC fees: Yes
GDL fees: Yes

University law careers fairs 2020 Maintenance grant pa:

£8,000 for GDL and LPC
Oxford, Cambridge, Exeter, Bristol, LSE, Durham, LawCareersNetLive, Edinburgh, St Andrews,
Warwick. International and regional
Offices with training contracts:
London
Overseas seats: Middle East,
Houston
Number of seats available abroad
pa: 2

584
Org ID: 3666 6 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................
chambersstudent.co.uk Ward Hadaway W

Ward Hadaway
The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Locations: Newcastle, Leeds, Manchester How to get into Ward Hadaway
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 90/280/24
Seats: 4x6 months
First-year salary: £24,000
Qualification salary: £36,500

Ward Hadaway has a way with trainees looking for a mix of regional and
national work grown out of strong Northern roots.

The Firm Roughly 12 trainees a year flock through the firm’s doors.
Ugh, London! Ruthless, expensive, busy old London Most of the cohort were housed in Newcastle, with Leeds
– who’d choose it? Not the trainees at Ward Hadaway. and Manchester each taking a smattering of incomers.
“We’re proud to be Northern,” one beamed. “We’re proud of Newcastle offers seats in everything from corporate and
our Northern roots, and we’re proud to be a strong Northern real estate to commercial disputes and private client,
firm.” Make no mistake, Ward Hadaway is a robust feature whereas Manchester and Leeds – “both trying to expand
on the Northern legal landscape – an Angel of the North, and build names” in more competitive markets – offer
perhaps? Trite Northern references aside, the firm’s com- fewer seat options due to their size. Despite their differ-
mitment to the region is key: “They put an emphasis on ences, trainees reported “lots of cooperation” between all
those applying who are proud of the North East and want three bases, noting the firm is “quite keen for people to
to see it grow.” spend time in other offices.” That includes trainees: “I’ve
worked in another office on a Friday before visiting friends
“There’s a real Northern focus but also or family.”
national work.”
But not just the North East – headquarters are indeed in The Seats
Newcastle, but the firm has two more offices in Leeds Trainees sit in four seats for six months at a time. New-
and Manchester. A spate of recent hires in Leeds has bies “roll off seat preferences” during mid-seat reviews,
added to its commercial litigation, corporate and insol- with the firm allocating those where possible. We’re as-
vency teams, while Manchester also welcomed in four sured the firm “wants your experience to be broad” and
new appointments to the family team, bolstering exper- trainees were generally pleased with their placement,
tise in surrogacy and fertility matters. The trio of bases but a word to the wise: “It would be a miracle if you man-
garner acclaim from Chambers UK, scooping top-tier aged to do the training contract without a real estate seat.”
recognition in Yorkshire and the North East in banking
The True Picture

and finance, employment, IT, litigation, real estate, plan- “From day one, I was drafting leases and
ning, and social housing. On the national stage, the firm contacting clients.”
is ranked for its healthcare and clinical negligence work.
This balance of national and local expertise proved com- The real estate department is broad, covering planning,
pelling for our sources: “There’s a real Northern focus but commercial property, public sector work, plot deals,
also national work.” Key regional clients include Newcas- real estate finance and more. Alongside work for many
tle International Airport, the University of Newcastle and national house builders such as Keepmoat Homes, the
local NHS trusts and councils, while on the national side firm recently acted for family-owned Northumberland
the firm has worked for Bannatyne Group, NHS England, Estates on its acquisition and development of the Willow-
Aldi, the Woodland Trust, Highways England and big burn Retail Park in Alnwick. In another matter totalling
banks like Lloyds and Santander. £25 million, the firm acted for the Inn Collection Group in
acquiring five hotels as part of the company’s expansion

585
 W Ward Hadaway chambersstudent.co.uk

Chambers UK rankings ment buyout by Chiltern Capital, a private equity house

Agriculture & Rural Affairs Information Technology
based in London. Trainees noted that contract work
Banking & Finance Intellectual Property
“tends to be more regional,” whereas the corporate gov-
Clinical Negligence Litigation
ernance “comes from around the country.” One particular
Construction Planning
highlight was working on “a large restructuring of a film
Corporate/M&A Real Estate
production company.” For commercially focused trainees,
Employment Real Estate Litigation
Ward Hadaway also offers client secondments, which in
Family/Matrimonial Restructuring/Insolvency
the past have included a six-month stint with Newcastle-
Healthcare Social Housing
headquartered Virgin Money.

Ward Hadaway’s dispute resolution team covers all man-

into the Lake District. A trainee’s experience in this seat ner of commercial spats including procurement, finan-
will depend on the work of their supervisor, but it’s likely cial, joint venture, director and shareholder disputes, as
to be “more commercial than residential.” Sources report- well as professional negligence claims, judicial reviews
ed working on “everything under the sun,” from plot sales and disputed wills. In a highly publicised matter valued at
and “big commercial leases” to the building and selling of around £200 million, the firm is representing a local NHS
properties. “My supervisor was very keen for me to cut my trust after its PFI contract was terminated, with the trust
teeth,” one praised. “From day one, I was drafting leases seeking damages and the PFI funders looking to recoup
and contacting clients. They were no baby steps!” their investment. Ward also recently defended Aldi in a
judicial review brought by one of the supermarket’s com-
Distinct from real estate is a seat with housing. “We act petitors questioning the validity of planning permission
for loads of big house builders and housing associations on granted for a new store. The team acts for individuals too.
new developments,” explained one rookie. The firm works For example, it recently represented a Chinese business-
with social housing providers such as Home Group, Gen- man in his dispute with a football agent in the UK, val-
too and Yorkshire Housing. It recently advised on an £11.5 ued at around half a million pounds. Given the variation
million development for Livin Housing, a local housing of these examples, it won’t come as a surprise that train-
provider in County Durham. On another matter, the team ees dubbed this the “most varied seat,” citing involvement
acted for the Newcastle Parks and Allotments Trust on in disputes with insurance and energy companies, and
the transfer of ownership of all of the city’s parks to a some contentious probate work. Given that cases often
newly formed trust. Trainees got stuck into procurement, run for years, trainees said that “you’re diving into certain
financing, workforce management, governance, planning points” of a matter rather than seeing it from beginning
and development work. And there was no shortage of in- to end.Trainees’ days were coloured with tasks such as
teresting concepts to get to grips with, whether it was bundling, drafting letters before claim and witness state-
providing advice on easements (the right to use someone ments, legal research, and handling bankruptcy petitions.
else’s land for a specific purpose), drafting Section 106
agreements (which are made between local authorities “Stopping to chat with the managing
and developers), or handling first tranche sales, where partner isn’t a scary scenario!” 
a property is owned by more than one party. Sources
gleefully reported plenty of drafting experience with The family andmatrimonial group is having a growth
sales contracts, report on title documents, and property spurt at the moment, having trebled revenue over the last
analysis.For one trainee, a highlight was “being allowed five years. Given the highly sensitive nature of the work,
a seat at the table” when the firm brought in a barrister we can’t provide any examples of recent matters. But be-
“on a complex area of law.” This team also hosts Housing yond conventional areas of family law like divorce, the
Management Law School: a biannual event offering legal firm handles private and public law children disputes, as
training to housing professionals, local authorities and well as safeguarding children work. The firm also handles
The True Picture

housing associations. multi-jurisdictional cases with assets in the USA or other

European countries. There’s crossover with the private
The corporate department straddles M&A, private equity, client team, which is highly ranked by Chambers High
capital markets, venture capital and restructuring work. Net Worth in Newcastle. As one trainee explained, “we do
It also houses a specific banking and finance team, and private law with child proceedings, finding suitable custody
in Leeds, we were told that there’s an international debt and maintenance agreements.” Trainees often worked on
collection team too. Trainees got to work on transactions divorce and finance proceedings, and described a tiny
ranging “from five figures to seven or eight figures” in val- bit of prenuptial work. In this vein,the team recently at-
ue. Of note, the firm recently acted for Millex Investments tended a wedding fair to discuss estate planning and
on the £20 million sale of its tenant referencing service wills with savvy brides and grooms. We heard “there were
Van Mildert to Rightmove. Ward Hadaway also lent its ex- actually quite a few parents coming up, so it did generate
pertise to IP services group Perfect Image in its manage- some instructions and enquiries into prenups.” Task-wise,

586
chambersstudent.co.uk Ward Hadaway W

trainees liaised with clients, helped with disclosure work On the subject of diversity, trainees found “the numbers
before court proceedings, assessed assets and liabilities seem to be a reflection of the lack of diversity in the North
in document review, and attended court hearings and ne- East” rather than the firm itself.Gender diversity is “getting
gotiations. better,” and trainees thought the firm was “quite strong in
recruiting new female partners and loads of female train-
ees.” There are apparently “lots of ethnic backgrounds” in
Trainee Life the Manchester office, “which make kitchen conversations
Northerners are known for their no-nonsense chat, warm really interesting.” The firm reportedly doesn’t have any
personalities and strong cups of tea. So the questions specific diversity initiatives, “which is a shame.”
beckons: are the tropes true at Ward Hadaway? “I was so
nervous on my first day,” one trainee recalled, “but people “My really late finishes have been few and
stopped by and asked if wanted coffee or tea.” Interview- far between.”
ees across offices chorused: “It’s incredibly personable.
The partners are very approachable, and you can have a Trainees found their hours “pretty manageable” by all ac-
laugh with them.” In fact, even “stopping to chat with the counts, with 9am to 6pm coming out as an average day,
managing partner isn’t a scary scenario!” In the open-plan though “it does vary between seats.” Naturally, there are
Manchester office specifically, “I can literally walk two “lots of long hours” in corporate, with one telling us they
steps to a partner’s desk and they’ll always put time aside occasionally “worked into the dwindling hours” in that
for me.” There was more praise for trainee supervisors. seat.But interviewees said this wasn’t the rule. “They
“Even while working from home, I was getting lots of pasto- encourage you to avoid late nights,” sources said. “My re-
ral calls and caring emails,” said one. ally late finishes have been few and far between.” As for
salaries, first-year trainees start on £24,000, and NQs are
“There are sometimes really rubbish cakes, paid £36,500, which is in line with other firms in the North
but it’s amazing to see the effort.” East.

Trainees highlighted “an emphasis on getting people in- Explaining the qualification process, trainees told us
tegrated” at the firm. Social calendars were filled up that” usually, the list of jobs would come up, and you’d ap-
with awards ceremonies, lunches with local press, cas- ply and then interview. But Covid has kind of blown it all
ual post-work beverages and organised seasonal parties. wide open.” At the time of our calls, the process was on
“There’s a nice balance of firm events and self-led trainee hold and “a lot of trainees have been furloughed, which is
initiatives,” they explained, adding that “each department sad but not uncommon across the industry.” Despite un-
also has a budget to do team activities.” We heard one certainties, trainees said: “We’re quite confident as a firm
team took an excursion to do a Crystal Maze challenge. emerging from the crisis.” The firm had not released its re-
Beyond frivolities, “we do a lot of charity work. Last year, tention figures by the time we went to press.
a few colleagues slept outside Manchester Cathedral to
raise money for a homeless shelter.” Cake sales are also
common: “There are sometimes really rubbish cakes, but
it’s amazing to see the effort,” said one, channelling their
inner Prue Leith.
The True Picture

Award Hadaway:
Every year the firm honours growing Northern
companies in the Fastest 50 awards.

587
 W Watson Farley & Williams chambersstudent.co.uk

Watson Farley & Williams

The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Locations: London How to get into WFW
Overseas offices: 14
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 99/73/36
Seats: 6x4 months
First-year salary: £43,000
Qualification salary: £74,000

Is it a boat? Is it a plane? If it’s transport, WFW knows what to do –and

with an overseas secondment guaranteed, trainees get to know transport
rather well too.

The Firm sually for London firms, Watson Farley rotates trainees
“I wanted to be at a corporate law firm. I wanted interna- through six seats of four months each, “though people
tional exposure. I wanted a sector-specific training con- often repeat a seat” to get more experience in a depart-
tract… and I wanted to go abroad.” This interviewee cer- ment prior to qualifying there. With energy and projects,
tainly knew what they wanted – thankfully for them, WFW real estate, and corporate (which houses tax and employ-
ticked all their boxes. Originally set up as a boutique mar- ment) rounding things out, many trainees concluded that
itime and aviation asset finance firm, Watson Farley has they don’t get much choice over their rotations. “It’s likely
expanded into rail, energy – particularly renewables – and you’ll sit in all the seats, the trick is to get the order right,”
real estate. With 15 offices worldwide and a guaranteed some savvy sources suggested. “By the time you start
secondment to one of them for all trainees, the firm is your last seat in May you already know if you’re going to
ideal for wannabe lawyers with wanderlust. An interest in qualify and stay at the firm.”
moving money helps, as the training contract can be “very
finance-heavy. I did four finance and one corporate seat and
that’s not atypical,” a source said. The Seats
As all the firm’s trainees complete a seat in asset fi-
Watson Farley Williams’ Chambers UK rankings ram nance, it’s a logical first port of call: eight to ten sit here
home that this is a firm that knows where to drop its an- at each rotation, and typically split their time between
chor: it’s top nationwide for shipping finance and scores the shipping and aviation finance practices. Interviewees
well for shipping, renewables, capital markets and avia- described working on “financing for cruise companies,
tion finance, plus for lower mid-market M&A in London. including for new builds, and second-hand financings and
There’s been some to-ing and fro-ing in the partner ranks loan transfers” on the shipping side of the practice. “We
lately: an energy and infrastructure quartet left for Orrick also do a lot of smaller things: ships looking to change their
in 2020, but the firm has also made lateral hires into its flag, adding a ship to a securities package and so on.” The
The True Picture

growing aviation practice. firm recently advised MSC Cruises on a debt financing
facility to fund building four new luxury class ships at
“I wanted a sector-specific training the Fincantieri shipyard in Italy. As for aviation finance,
contract.” along with what trainees described as “bog standard as-
set finance,” the department also handles “slot-based fi-
As for recruits at entry level, Watson Farley takes on 18 nancing” where airliners trade take-off and landing slots,
trainees a year, making it ideal for those seeking a “me- “which are worth a lot. A single weekly slot can sell for $75
dium-sized firm” doing large-scale international work. Be- million.” J.P. Morgan’s asset management wing recently
cause WFW does a ship tonne of shipping, aviation and
(some) rail asset finance, a seat in the department is man- Seat options: assets and structured finance; corporate;
datory for all trainees, as are a litigation seat and at least projects; dispute resolution; real estate; tax; employ-
one overseas secondment – some do more than one. Unu- ment

588
 S EEK ING
E XC ELLENC E

Vacation schemes Training contracts See our website for

open day details
Apply by Apply by
8 January 2021 9 July 2021 for 2023 start uktrainee.wfw.com
 W Watson Farley & Williams chambersstudent.co.uk

Chambers UK rankings were “unsure how many associates will be going with
Asset Finance Corporate/M&A
them,” leaving confusion over whether the department
Capital Markets Energy & Natural
would slim down from its current five trainees per cycle
Commodities Resources (the firm suggested numbers would stay steady).
Construction Shipping
Litigation also traditionally takes five trainees at a time.
They’re more likely to tackle one larger case at a time,
rather than several smaller ones at once – interviewees
called on the firm’s counsel for a warehouse facility to focused on a big case, adjudication or arbitration. “The
help finance the cost of aircraft acquisitions. Trainees intensity is a level above” in this seat, more than one sug-
may also see rail finance work in this department. gested. “Supervisors in litigation impressed upon me the
importance of getting everything right.” To ensure perfec-
Our insiders in the seat were largely impressed with the tion, trainees unfortunately “do not get client contact. All
responsibility levels on offer – they spent their time on my emails went through an associate, which I found very
“drafting documents and face-to-face negotiation meet- stressful.” What is in the trainee diet is bundling, case
ings,” as well as more regular trainee tasks like “emailing, management, writing witness statements and disclosure.
filing and coordinating with foreign lawyers. The downside The last of those can be a “mammoth, mind-numbing task,”
of being a trainee is there’s a lot of project management,” a source said. “I’ll be reviewing a thousand documents
one of our sources lamented. With deals often involving every day.”
“several different parties” across multiple time zones,
transaction management can be “quite long and difficult.” Hopefully you kept your life jacket – ships are back on the
Sizing up the volume of work, most of our sources aver- agenda in a litigation seat, “mostly in the form of contrac-
aged ten-to-12-hour days, with a few later ones thrown in. tual disputes.” For example, “there’s a lot of talk right now
In addition to fairly regular hours, several sources rated about the amount of sulphur that can be used in ship fuel,”
“the level of training” (high) and the nature of people in following new shipping regulations aimed at lower car-
the department (approachable). bon emissions. “Who pays for the changes in terms of the
hardware of the ship? Do you put in a filter? Or buy cleaner
“A single weekly slot can sell for $75 fuel?” Clients in the department include shipping firm
million.” MSC, and the firm’s acted for banks like NatWest and RBS
on shipping finance disputes; away from the ocean, WFW
The firm’s projects department is essentially the rebrand- advised renewable energy projects developer Bester UK
ed energy practice, another WFW flagship. “80% of our in a claim and counterclaim (totalling £24 million) over a
projects work is energy, and most of that is renewables,” sub-contract for the construction of the Wrexham bio-
trainees explained – WFW works on groundbreaking mat- mass plant in Wales. Trainees told us there’s a “big con-
ters, such as advising multiple parties involved in what struction bent” within the litigation department. “Disputes
will be one of the world’s largest offshore wind farms, arise if there’s been a delay, or if what you’ve ended up with
and one of the first few Taiwanese offshore wind farms. looks nothing like the design.”
Clients include Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, In-
vestec, Lightsource BP and National Westminster Bank. “The firm makes it so easy: it does all the
Sources said: “The projects are so much bigger in project admin, you just get on a flight.”
finance,” describing “huge” matters as a “baptism of fire.
We might have multiple lenders in the syndicate and multi- A guaranteed international secondment (or two, or even
ple export credit agencies backing the loans.” three as in the case of one trainee we heard about) can
be a double-edged sword. Clearly, the opportunity to
This is therefore another seat where time zones are a work and live abroad is priceless, even more so when “the
The True Picture

force to be reckoned with – “I was taking calls at 11pm,” firm makes it so easy: it does all the admin, you just get on
one source admitted. Another confirmed that the “hours a flight.” The potential drawback is less time getting to
can be crazy. There was a one-week period before a signing grips with the work and environment in the London of-
where I was working 9am-4am.” The team is split between fice. Of Watson Farley’s 14 overseas bases, trainees can
financing, corporate, construction and planning wings, score a seat in six: Bangkok takes two trainees a rotation
but our sources weren’t siloed into one area. Trainees (one litigation, one corporate); Paris another two (avia-
therefore got a varied task load of “managing conditions tion and shipping finance); Dubai welcomes one trainee
precedent, writing first drafts, and liaising with the export into finance, who also acts as a general resource; Athens
credit agencies.” We also heard that “in the early stages of takes two into shipping finance; one goes to Hamburg for
the seat you do some research, plenty of admin and docu- general asset finance; last but not least, Singapore takes
ment review.” At the time of writing, Orrick had nabbed two trainees into finance, but one remains more general-
“four quite senior partners” from the group and trainees ist to handle “whatever the team needs.”

590
chambersstudent.co.uk Watson Farley & Williams W

If you’re picturing strolling down the Champs-Élysées, in touch relatively regularly. We’ll grab a cup of coffee or a
or sipping ouzo in a Greek café, allow our trainees to drink at the end of the week, depending on work commit-
put you straight: “Lawyers abroad work extraordinarily ments.” All new arrivals complete the Professional Skills
hard,” a source who’d been to Athens found. As a trainee Course three weeks before starting, “that’s a good oppor-
overseas, you typically get a “lot more responsibility. The tunity to get to know your intake.”
teams are smaller than in London so there’s more substan-
tive work.” A source arrived to find things “very, very busy. “You’re constantly working in other
Pre-Christmas always is; add the overseas factor and it gets jurisdictions, so you are expected to be on
a bit manic at times.” Greece was one of the most popular
call.”
destinations: “For a trainee, Athens is the best place to go.
You’re left to deal with things on your own, but I’ve never Across departments, trainees were likely to work be-
felt like I didn’t have the support or guidance I needed. Eve- tween ten and 12 hours a day on average. One notable
ryone was on top of things despite it being busy.” Trainees trend was a dramatic increase in the lead up to Christmas,
were similarly hectic in Singapore, working 18-hour days which appeared to be anything butthe most wonderful
for two weeks running on a “huge deal involving banks time of the year at Watson Farley. “I’ve had two Christmas-
around the world. So many parties, so many documents…” es here and the firm does technically shut down, but you’re
constantly working in other jurisdictions, so you’re expect-
ed to be on call,” a second-year told us. The festive period
Trainee Life tends to be the busiest at many City firms and WFW train-
Back in London, each seat comes with its own cultural ees confirmed that “between January and the middle of
quirks according to our sources. “The culture does differ February you’re quiet.” Our sources liked that “there’s not
between departments” – projects is perhaps most notable much of a culture of presenteeism. If you’ve finished, you
for “having a beer fridge they open on a Friday,” marking can go home earlier.” Some suggested “there’s an element
the group out as one of the most sociable. Team real es- that depends on your supervisor and if they work really late
tate got good reports from trainees; one dubbed them “in- hours, that means you do too.” An increased dinner budget
credibly friendly. I had department drinks in my first week; is available for night owls; other office perks include free
the people all make an effort to get to know you.” Pinning fruit until lunchtime and a dress-to-your-day policy in the
down a universal WFW vibe was harder, though we heard London office.
that “any negative press about the firm’s culture” is totally
wide of the mark. “People are friendly. Normal,” trainees Committing to “regular meetings between HR and trainees
agreed. “I’ve never really noticed anything strikingly bad.” via a forum,” interviewees were largely impressed with
the support and training available to them. They noticed
Our sources said that “people socialise after work, but the firm “seems to be actively taking on board trainee feed-
there’s not much organised for the whole company.” We back.” HR is also responsive throughout the qualification
heard about “monthly teas which are firmwide and wel- process, which kicks off early in February: trainees can
come new starters,” along with an annual summer and submit as many department preferences as they’d like,
Christmas party. Trainees revealed that a culture commit- and decisions are made in April. “Your post-qualification
tee has been set up “to make more of an effort in terms sixth seat helps you build a more holistic view of full-time
of putting on firmwide social events.” In the meantime, practice. It didn’t feel like a dead end to me,” a trainee clari-
they’ve taken it upon themselves to ramp up the com- fied. The firm retained 17 of 18 qualifiers in 2020.
munity spirit: “Trainees in the same year group tend to get

Brave new world

The True Picture

During the Covid-19 pandemic, WFW continued to get

trainees overseas where possible; if they couldn’t travel,
trainees were able to complete a ‘virtual’ overseas
secondment remotely with an additional London supervisor.

591
 www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
W  atson Farley & Williams
W chambersstudent.co.uk

Watson Farley & Williams LLP

15 Appold Street, London EC2A 2HB
Tel: 020 7814 8000 Fax: 020 7814 8017 Twitter: @WFW_UKTrainees Partners: 171
Email: [email protected] Associates: 400+
Website: www.wfw.com/trainee Total trainees: 36
(18 first years and 18 second years)
UK offices: London
Firm profile Overseas offices: 14
WFW is an international law firm advising on complex transactions and disputes through local
knowledge and an integrated international network. We have a strong sector focus, combining Contacts
our technical excellence with deep industry knowledge across energy, transport and real estate. Graduate recruiter:
Lucie Rees, Graduate Recruitment
We strive for excellence in all that we do and view investment in our people as key to achieving our & Development Manager,
business goals and values, which rest on developing deep and long-lasting relationships externally [email protected]
and internally through respect, sharing, communication and integrity. Our teams are integrated Training partner:
across legal disciplines and offices delivering consistently high levels of service in combination Kavita Shah, Assests & Structured
Finance, [email protected]
across borders and locally through a deep understanding of local business customs and culture.
Application criteria
Main areas of work Training contracts pa: 18
Within our core sectors of energy (conventional and renewable power, oil and gas, mining and Applications pa: c600
commodities), real estate and transport (aviation, maritime and rail) plus associated infrastruc- Minimum required degree grade:
ture, we provide a full suite of legal services including finance, capital markets, corporate, con- 2:1 or equivalent
Minimum UCAS points or A levels:
struction, planning, employment, public law, regulatory and competition and dispute resolution.
ABB or equivalent
Vacation scheme places pa:
Training opportunities Up to 30
WFW deals with training and ongoing development in an individual way. During each seat the
firm discusses with trainees plans for the next one to ensure they gain valuable insight from the six Dates and deadlines
seat programme, including a guaranteed overseas secondment. Training contract applications
open: October 2020
Training contracts will be hands-on, with as much experience of clients and challenging, high- Training contract deadline, 2023
profile work as possible. Trainees will benefit from plenty of exposure to senior lawyers, many start: 9th July 2021
acknowledged leaders in their field. Vacation scheme applications
open: October 2020
WFW believes that only total immersion can provide trainees with the experience they require. Vacation scheme 2021 deadline:
8th January 2021
Vacation scheme Open day deadline:
The firm’s vacation scheme is the best way to familiarise yourself with WFW. The two-week place- 20th November 2020

ments are at WFW’s London office in Spring and Summer, and are open to anyone applying for
Salary and benefits
a training contract in the current recruitment cycle. To appreciate first-hand the type of work First-year salary: £43,000
trainees undertake day to day, participants will work with solicitors in one of the firm’s practice Second-year salary: £46,000
groups for the whole period, where possible. To complement this focus on one area, they will also Post-qualification salary: £74,000
attend a variety of talks and social events designed to give a general overview of the firm. Partici- Holiday entitlement: 25 days
pants will receive a payment of £325 per week during the scheme. Applications must be received
Sponsorship
by 8th January 2021. LPC fees: Yes
GDL fees: Yes
Other benefits Maintenance grant pa:
These include 25 days holiday, income protection scheme, life assurance, employee assistance £8,500/£7,500 dependant on
scheme, pension scheme, private medical insurance, interest-free season ticket loan, £250 contri- location
The True Picture

bution towards a sports club or exercise classes, and a flexible benefits scheme.
International and regional
Offices with training contracts:
Open days and first-year opportunities London
The firm currently runs Winter Open Days. Applications for these open in October, closing the Overseas seats: Guaranteed in
following month. Anyone in their first year of university onwards is eligible to apply via the online either Athens, Bangkok, Dubai,
application form. Hamburg, Paris or Singapore
Client secondments: Ad Hoc

University law careers fairs 2020

Please come along and see WFW at one of the following law fairs:
AllAboutLaw, Legal Cheek, Kent, Queen Mary London, Exeter and Durham.
The firm’s representatives would be delighted to meet potential applicants and answer questions.

592
Org ID: 71034 3 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................
chambersstudent.co.uk Wedlake Bell LLP W

Wedlake Bell LLP

The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Location: London Get hired at Wedlake Bell
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 68/115/13
Seats: 4x6 months; occasional client secondments
First-year salary: undisclosed
Qualification salary: undisclosed

Ding dong! Wedlake Bell strikes in London to the chimes of real estate,
private client, corporate and disputes.

The Firm
If you’d been hanging around in London for 240 years, wit- The Seats
ness to the bewildering changes the city has undergone, Wedlake has four umbrella practice groups – private cli-
the events of 2020 would produce nary a bead of sweat. ent, real estate, business services and dispute resolution
Wedlake Bell is nothing if not resilient, demonstrating all – each of which contains several seats. Newbies submit
the cultural hallmarks of a firm that always moves with choices at the start of each rotation; sources said the
the times. In the search for a training contract, trainees firm” takes into account your interests and skills to make
here were “looking for a firm that had a good mix of private sure you get a range of seats that fit you.” Trainees also
client and commercial work.” Wedlake Bell acts for both happily pointed out that “the firm creates new seats if you
businesses and private clients, drumming up Chambers have a particular interest in something.”
UK rankings in mid-market real estate, IP, construction
and family work. Chambers High Net Worth also rates the Three seats fall under the real estate umbrella: com-
firm in private wealth law. mercial property, residential property and construction.
The firm’s real estate team acts for developers, investors,
“A good mix of private client and occupiers and lenders, including recognisable names
commercial work.” like Hugo Boss, Taylor Wimpey and housebuilders Cala
Homes. Healthcare and hospitality are key sectors for the
Trainees were also drawn to Wedlake’s modest intake of team, which recently advised Care UK on the £230 million
around six a year. All told, Wedlake Bell houses around sale of 14 care homes. Trainees in commercial property
180 lawyers. This size made for what trainees dubbed a got busy with “finalising leases and licences, and working
“real” culture. “Yes it’s nice to have slick, shiny brochures,” on waiving agreements.” Trainees also got client contact
one admitted, but trainees felt their firm has a focus on in this seat. Some found this seat “quite tricky,” with one
their day-to-day life. “There’s a clear effort to ensure peo- commenting that “people are extremely busy.” That said,
ple are taken care of,” whether through appraisals, yoga, one person’s ‘tricky’ is another’s “intellectually stimulat-
ordeep, meaningful chats with supervisors (more on all ing.”
The True Picture

of these below).
Trainees on the residential property side sang a similar
Trainees also spoke of “relaxed vibes, good food and good tune, with the work here geared towards the “sale and
conversation” – no, they were not regaling us with tales purchase of property.” A trainee gave more detail: “My
of their best Hinge dates. In fact, this was how they de- typical tasks were drafting reports, drafting enquiries, and
scribed the firm’s “humanised” application process, which speaking with clients.” For one trainee, “a fond moment” in
includes a meet-and-greet with a buffet and the chance
to network. And for most of our interviewees it looked Seat options:  private client; residential property; cor-
like it was turning out to be a real love story. “Since I’ve porate; IP and commercial; insolvency restructuring
joined I’ve become a much happier person,” one reflected. and recoveries; commercial litigation; employment;
“The firm is very much responsible for that.” Who’s cutting commercial property; banking; property litigation; con-
onions? struction

593
 W Wedlake Bell LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Chambers UK rankings filled with people willing to run you through anything that
Construction Intellectual Property
you don’t understand.”
Family/Matrimonial Real Estate
“You get to delve into the depths of IP law –
it’s pretty cool.”
this seat was working on a lifetime mortgage “for a vul-
nerable elderly client who needed money for care.” As the There are some pretty well-known names on the IP and
seat goes on, “we get to run our own extension files start commercial disputes client list, like Tesco, Lacoste and
to finish.” the brand behind Which? magazine. The team recently
acted for French footwear company AIGLE in a trade-
“A segue between sophisticated law and mark dispute with American Airlines. Trainees in this seat
quite sensitive questions.” said: “You get to delve into the depths of IP law – it’s pretty
cool.” Comparing it to transactional seats, trainees noted:
Reflecting on the work in private client, trainees de- “There’s a lot more hands-on supervision here because eve-
scribed the seat as “a segue between sophisticated law rything could turn up in front of a judge.” Trainees had a
and quite sensitive questions. The human element was in- lot of correspondence with courts and were “drafting con-
teresting.” The team advises high net worth individuals sent orders and letter responses to the other side.”
on wealth management, estate planning and wills. “The
wills are pretty sophisticated,” a trainee commented. “You
have to be really careful with the information you put down Trainee Life
when you’re winding up an estate.” Beyond wills, trainees Trainees described “outstanding” support at Wedlake
recalled supporting clients with “life housekeeping in the Bell. While doing a client secondment, “I’d ring a partner
event that multiple members of their family passed away.” from the firm if I had a question,” one recounted. “They
called it the ‘Wedlake Bell hotline.’” Back at the mother-
Trainees in corporate tax told us that “the department is ship, “I’ve always felt like my training was at the forefront of
small, so you get a lot of responsibility.” It may be a smaller my supervisor’s priorities.” As well as “super detailed” mid-
group, but lawyers throughout the firm often come here and end-of-seat appraisals, “there are lots of professional
for help with tax questions, so trainees in this seat “get development trainings” on topics from Excel to uncon-
to build an internal network.” When they weren’t running scious bias. The firm’s BAME network hosts a plethora
around making friends, trainees had complex matters to of events and campaigns. At the time of our calls it was
get to grips with. “We’re advising on the way a client’s pat- wellbeing week: “We’ve discussed mental and emotional
ent matches up with legislation,” one told us. “Because of health, done a bit of yoga and drunk smoothie shots.”
the UK tax code, it can be quite challenging.” Matters were
mostly advisory but could be contentious, with trainees And how’s this for support? The firm dishes up porridge
getting to see “big disputes with HMRC.” Trainees may be and soup for lawyers every day. “Around Wimbledon we
called on to assist with tax aspects of transactions for the were served strawberries and cream,” one satisfied trainee
corporate team, which advises clients in energy, financial informed us. To stay in shape, trainees can attend firm-
services, insurance, healthcare, hospitality and FinTech. wide trips such as a ski trip, curling trip and walking trip.
If you’re more about the food than the fitness, fear not
Work in construction revolves around advising purchas- – apparently the last walking trip in Kent was “more like a
ers, players in office developments and big hotel refurbs, three-day pub crawl!” All jokes aside, trainees said Wed-
and healthcare sector clients like BUPA and Care UK. lake is doing culture correct: “The people here care about
There’s a private client flavour here too, as the firm repre- you.”
sents high net worth individuals on expensive house and
apartment developments. The firm recently advised one “I’ve been putting in more hours.”
The True Picture

such client on the refurbishment of a penthouse in Gros-

venor Square, for example. The team also provides spe- Of course it’s not all strawberries, cream and jaunts in the
cialist advice to other law firms: it recently supported a Kentish countryside. Workinghours were luck of the seat
Canadian law firm on the £90 million purchase of a flower draw, with construction and commercial property requir-
and herb farm by cannabis company Sundial to ensure ing later finishes of around 7.30pm. A couple reported
the sale was legal under UK law. In this “high-pressure” their latest finish was 10 or 11pm, “which isn’t bad consid-
seat, trainees told us, “we work on the collateral warranty ering we’re a City firm.” As for salaries, trainees said it “ad-
documents, the terms and agreements, and the funding equately reflects the hours we’re expected to put in.” Train-
documents.” They elaborated that “you’re rarely drafting; ees did feel that the firm was putting a bit more emphasis
you’re more likely be liaising with contractors and consult- on billable hours, with one telling us: “I’ve been putting in
ants trying to get everyone on board.” Trainees described a more hours.” We also heard “construction even states who’s
bit of a tough gig in this seat, but assured us “the team is billed the most hours that week. Whether it incentivises

594
chambersstudent.co.uk Wedlake Bell LLP W

people or not I don’t know – I find it a bit of a slog.” Another

admitted: “My intention of staying here has slightly dete-
riorated,” but retention rates are usually pretty good – in
2020, five of six qualifiers stayed on.

All the Bells and Whistles…

Wedlake Bell brings a financial adviser into the firm to
teach employees how to be more financially astute.

The True Picture

595
 www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
W  edlake Bell LLP
W chambersstudent.co.uk

Wedlake Bell
71 Queen Victoria Street, London EC4V 4AY
Tel: 020 7395 3000 Fax: 020 7395 3100 Partners: 68
Email: [email protected] Fee earners: 110
Website: www.wedlakebell.com Total trainees: 12
UK offices: London

Contacts
Firm profile The Graduate Recruitment
Wedlake Bell LLP is a medium-sized law firm providing legal advice to businesses and high net Department
worth individuals from around the world. The firm’s services are based on a high degree of partner [email protected]
involvement, extensive business and commercial experience and strong technical expertise. The
Application criteria
firm has approximately 140 lawyers in central London and affiliations with law firms throughout
Training contracts pa: 8
Europe and in the United States.
Minimum required degree
grade: 2:1
Main areas of work Vacation scheme places pa: 8
For the firm’s business clients: Banking and asset finance; corporate; corporate tax; insolvency,
restructuring and recoveries; commercial; intellectual property; information technology; media; Dates and deadlines
commercial property; construction; residential property; employment. Training contract deadline, 2023
start: End of June 2021
For private individuals: Family tax, trusts and wealth protection; offshore services; residential Vacation scheme 2021 deadline:
property. End of January 2021

Sponsorship
Training opportunities
LPC fees: Funding available
In addition to academic excellence, Wedlake Bell LLP looks for commercial aptitude, flexibility,
subject to the terms and
enthusiasm, a personable nature, confidence, mental agility and computer literacy in its candidates. conditions of any offer
Languages are not crucial.
Trainees have four seats of six months across the following areas: insolvency, restructuring and
recoveries, commercial property, commercial litigation, construction, corporate, employment,
IP and commercial, private client, pensions, property litigation and residential property. As a
trainee, the firm encourages you to have direct contact and involvement with clients from an early
stage. Trainees will work within highly specialised teams and have a high degree of responsibility.
Trainees will be closely supervised by a partner or senior solicitor and become involved in high
quality and varied work. The firm is committed to the training and career development of its
lawyers and many of its trainees continue their careers with the firm, often through to partnership.
Wedlake Bell LLP has an informal, creative and co-operative culture with a balanced approach to
life.

Vacation schemes
• Places for 2021: Eight
• Duration: Three weeks in July
• Closing date: End of January, 2021
Other benefits
During the training contract: 25 days holiday entitlement, pension, travel loans, gym membership,
The True Picture

private medical insurance, dental insurance, life assurance, permanent health insurance, cycle to
work scheme, employee assistance scheme, additional holiday scheme and give as you earn.

596
Org ID: 446 2 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................
chambersstudent.co.uk Weil, Gotshal & Manges (London) LLP W

Weil, Gotshal & Manges (London) LLP

The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Location: London How to get into Weil
Overseas offices: 14 
More on social life and supervision
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 41/128/22 
Seats: 4x6 months; overseas seats 
First-year salary: £50,000 
Qualification salary: £133,000

New York’s Weil keeps the City’s wheels turning, with its robust global
capabilities in finance, restructuring, funds and capital markets.

The Firm Alongside its first-class private equity practice, Cham-

First things first: pronouncing a firm’s name correctly bers Global also rates Weil highly for its corporate and
is essential, and for Weil you essentially say ‘while.’ The finance expertise across seven jurisdictions around the
other vital piece of information is “it’s a corporate, restruc- world. For you, future trainee, the most important one for
turing, finance and funds powerhouse,” noted one trainee you to know about is the firm’s standing in Chambers UK.
source. “It handles top-bracket work at a very high level; On a UK-wide basis, Weil’s private equity-related buyouts
the deals are intellectually stimulating and never cookie- and investment funds expertise is highly regarded, while
cutter.” This elite New Yorker has certainly provided its its know-how across banking and finance, capital mar-
lawyers with more than just a slice of headline-hitting kets, corporate/M&A, restructuring/insolvency and tax
private equity and bankruptcy work.It has overseen some practices also comes in for praise.
of the largest and most high-profile bankruptcies in re-
cent memory, including those of major US names like The promise of big-ticket cross-border work aside, a
Lehman Brothers, General Motors and Sears. Its private training contract at Weil also comes with some of those
equity practice, meanwhile, is world-beating, positioned factors associated with US firms in the City: lean teams,
as it is at the very top of Chambers Global’s rankings for big exposure and even bigger pay cheques. Of course,
this area. Its prominence in the UK for this work is high- trainees work mighty hard and the hours can be intense,
lighted especially. but ultimately, as this source mused, the real pay-off is
that “the responsibility is second to none. We’re treated as
“…the responsibility is second to none. associates here, with structures in place for you to prove
We’re treated as associates here.” yourself as you do the same standard of work as a magic
circle firm.”
Weil braved the Atlantic crossing 25 years ago; now, the
London office plays a crucial role in the firm’s global op-
The True Picture

eration, which comprises 17 offices (eight of which are The Seats

in the US). The London office is the firm’s second big- Trainees are required to do at least one finance and
gest and global revenue increased by 4% in 2019 – from one corporate seat. Finance covers structured finance
$1.46bn to $1.5bn. Weil’s commitment to the City was re- as well as banking, business finance and restructuring
vealed in its recent partnership promotion round: of the (BFR), while corporate covers corporate/M&A, private eq-
16 partners promoted globally last year, four were made uity, funds and BFR. Litigation-oriented options consist
in London, bringing the UK partnership ranks to 41. In ad-
dition, Weil has continued to invest in its London offering Seat options: private equity; private equity infastruc-
via lateral hiring: five new lateral partners were brought ture: banking & finance; business finance restructuring;
on board last year. Most notably, the firm bagged an M&A funds; structured finance; infrastructure finance; tax;
expert from Linklaters to bolster its corporate practice.  and litigation.

597
 W Weil, Gotshal & Manges (London) LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Chambers UK rankings The firm’s banking team provides a “great seat for you to
Banking & Finance Private Equity
learn the basics.” It covers both sponsor and lender side
Capital Markets Restructuring/Insolvency
work on leveraged finance and high-yield bond matters.
Corporate/M&A Tax
Juniors reported working with “mainly private equity spon-
Investment Funds
sors” on the financing side, which involved being staffed
on “pretty diverse stuff from big new financings to legacy
transactions to reworking the financings of groups.” On the
lender side, the firm represents private equity companies
of employment, regulatory and BFR practices. Client se- like KKR as well as major financial institutions like Gold-
condments and overseas seats are reportedly quite rare. man Sachs and Morgan Stanley. Weil recently advised
“Technically” you can go to Paris, Hong Kong or New York, the latter (alongside Bank of America Merrill Lynch) on
but language requisites and business cases are required the near €700 million refinancing and dividend recapitali-
“as they effectively lose a trainee” from an already finite sation for a European security solutions provider, Sector
pool. Alarm. For the sponsor side, Weil advised private equity
firm Bain Capital on its 60% stake in research agency
First seats are assigned to trainees before they join. Kantar (worth $4 billion). “It’s quite procedural and trans-
While “not quite a point of contention,” juniors aired a few actional, so it’s a good seat to build up your organisational
grumbles about an “opaque” seat allocation system that and project management skills,” said one trainee, pointing
“can be quite obfuscated,” which left many wanting it to be to their work on the inevitable conditions precedent (CP)
more “transparent.” That said, sources found that “gener- checklists, board minutes and other transaction docu-
ally, if someone doesn’t get their first choice, they’ll be pri- ments required. “I’m not slating that it’s a process task. You
oritised for the next round and people are generally happy.” learn the job as you go on and it was naïve to think I’d be
Our sources also advised that “it doesn’t hurt to go and drafting banking documents!”
talk to the department. It’s worth doing as it gives them a
heads-up.” “I was afraid to pick up the phone when
arriving. Two weeks later and I’m speaking
“You’re expected to take on lots of to an exec in Paris about releasing
responsibility […] you do both the trainee signatures!”
and junior associate role.”
The corporate department is the firm’s largest in London For structured finance, trainees praised the “wide vari-
and covers cross-border M&A, joint ventures, takeovers, ety of work” on collateralised loan obligations (CLOs),
and carve-outs. Juniors also noted a “new focus” on public non-conforming loans (NCLs), securitisations and deriva-
M&A in addition to private equity work. Notably, the firm tives matters. Of late, the group has worked on numer-
recently advised on the proposed $80 billion combination ous CLOs for private equity and investment management
between two insurance giants, Willis Towers Watson and giants like Carlyle, Blackstone, BlackRock and Oaktree.
Aon; the deal is still to be completed, and at the time of Newbies reported undergoing a “baptism of fire” in the
writing it was the largest M&A deal to be announced in first few weeks: “We were thrown on the biggest and most
2020. The firm has also worked on a number of ‘take pri- complicated transaction this team has ever done, and we
vate’ deals (where public companies are made private) of didn’t even know how to turn on a computer at that point!”
late, including private equity firm Advent International’s Another interviewee “was afraid to pick up the phone when
‘public to private’ $4.1 billion conversion of UK-based de- arriving. Two weeks later and I’m speaking to an exec in Par-
fence and aerospace company Cobham, as well as the is about releasing signatures!” Beyond the typical trainee
Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan Board’s (as part of consor- tasks – like managing checklists, collating bibles, etc. –ex-
tium of private investors) $4.1 billion take-private acquisi- posure is readily available “on more interesting things, like
The True Picture

tion of UK satellite company Inmarsat. “You’re expected to black letter law research, document analysis, and the draft-
take on lots of responsibility,” one source reported, add- ing of some bespoke documents.”
ing that because of the smaller team sizes “you do both
the trainee and junior associate role.” On big transactions, The BFR team is roughly split between insolvency work
other firms “had ten lawyers and we had four, so we pick – which covers contentious matters – and restructuring,
up the slack.” Celebrating the exposure (“the level of client which is focused on the more commercial and transac-
contact is incredible!” ), one trainee also noted the variety tional elements of dealing with struggling companies.
of responsibility: “There are trainee tasks that feel very The firm has advised KMPG as special administrators
admin-focused, but with such big deals you also have so of the broker MF Global on various issues following its
many work streams. I did get a lot of drafting experience 2011 bankruptcy declaration; recently, Weil assisted on
on documents that ultimately got used in the transaction, litigation taking place in the UK and Germany. Weil also
which really made me feel valued and like an associate.” continues to act for the Lehman Brothers holding com-

598
chambersstudent.co.uk Weil, Gotshal & Manges (London) LLP W

pany in matters tied to its bankruptcy status and prior- all.” Juniors did note that only the firm’s high-yield team
itisation of subordinated debt. Juniors championed “the in London is comprised of US-qualified lawyers, “so it just
really nice balance of technical issues and commercial ele- feels like you’re in the UK working for an English law firm.”
ments” available in both strands. On the contentious side,
sources reported working on the “nuts and bolts” of litiga- That said, Weil London’s “massive emphasis” on pro bono-
tion, and told of drafting witness statements, interview- takes its cues from lawyerly norms across the pond. “It’s
ing witnesses, conducting legal research, and navigating one of my favourite things here and everyone respects it,”
civil procedures. “Because the teams are pretty lean,” one noted one source. “The target is 50 hours a year and peo-
explained, “you’re told to have a go at putting together the ple will work towards that. Some people do 300 hours!”
first draft of a witness statement.” On the restructuring Amounts aside, each hour is counted as billable, “so
side, juniors commended both the variety on offer – “every there’s no excuse not to do it.” Juniors reported working
transaction is different so you’re always doing variations on with the Innocent Project; providing local support for en-
matters” – and the involvement in meatier tasks, such as trepreneurs and charities seeking to set up social invest-
being able to work on a lengthy explanatory statement ment tax relief funds; and assisting the Women of Impact
for a scheme of arrangements, “which made me feel more partnership, which “gets women-led start-ups funded and
like an associate than trainee.” Weil also looks to the future it’s entirely for sustainable initiatives.” The firm also has
and focuses on the debt market “to see if certain compa- five charities that it’s supporting until 2023; the focus
nies are struggling and whether we can help them out.” here is on improving access to education in underprivi-
leged communities.
The private funds team assists with “the management
process of setting up funds, which involves raising money, “I wouldn’t say the American influence
forming the fund, and handling the legalities about partner- really shapes us.”
ships and structuring.” Some of the largest private funds
are on Weil’s books, including InfraRed Capital Partners, Yet another (stereotypical) cultural import concerns
Actis and PAI Partners. The team recently advised Ac- hourly demands. “It’s peaks and troughs,” told one junior.
tis on the development, launch and closing of its Long “The consistency of long hours is the crushing thing – and
Life Infrastructure fund. Trainees reported contributing that doesn’t really happen here. People work long hours
to fundraising work for large private equity sponsors, only when they have to.” Nonetheless, demands can be
first-time managers and “people spinning out from pri- high: “I’ve been here until 3 or 4am, which was brutal. But
vate equity houses, which is really exciting to be a part of.” on average I can get away at 9pm.” Another junior noted
Task-wise, juniors highlighted that the “work rolls down doing 11 hours a day on average. “The hours are long,” one
the hill,” so substantive drafting usually occurs later down junior warned. “I’m not going to sugar-coat it.” It’s fair to
the career line “as it’s all really complicated, but they do point out here that US firms get a bad rep for hours, but
give you smaller documents to have a go at.” Conducting in reality the hours in most City firms (US-founded or not)
document review, liaising with clients, and providing ad- focused on big-ticket corporate/finance work are the
min support for closures are all common undertakings for same – expect to work late nights wherever you go.
trainees here.
So, is it all-consuming? “It’s all-consuming in the sense
Weil has a small litigation team that tends to focus on that you don’t switch off that much – you always have
complex commercial litigation, as well as litigious sup- your phone and if you get an email you might have to do
port for BFR. “During my time,” one source revealed, “I’ve something there and then, but the hours are massively de-
been involved in a High Court defamation proceeding; an partment-dependent.” Private equity and BFR are under-
international arbitration; a corporate investigation; disputes standably busy, whereas employment is reportedly more
due diligence on transactional work for the private equity predictable. “The hours don’t bother me, but they’re not for
team; the work that was conducted around an estate; and everyone,” one source concluded. “You know what you’re
The True Picture

the administration of a big private equity group.” Juniors getting into and no one’s under any false illusions.” With big
therefore celebrated the team’s variety: “All in all, it’s a re- hours come big rewards and Weil follows the big bucks
ally good mix!” payment pattern of US firms in the City: “The salary really
is amazing and almost too much for someone my age! I’ve
got nothing to complain about there.”
Trainee Life
“We’re an English outfit with a US background,” declared Culturally, “the defining characteristic of all trainees is
one source when asked to sum up the London office. But that we’re all radically different and from all walks of life.
does the American buck stop there? “I wouldn’t say the We’re not a heavy Oxbridge contingent. There’s a lot more
American influence really shapes us,” another reflected, that’s different about us than the same.” More difference
highlighting how much of the work originates from Lon- prevails beyond the trainee ranks: “Day to day, it’s a close-
don: “It feels like we’re important and not a subsidiary at knit firm and the culture is very good. Some teams are

599
 W Weil, Gotshal & Manges (London) LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

known for having a friendlier culture, whereas others are culture can feel like arbitrary corporate propaganda, but in
less relaxed.” Juniors across the board celebrated the lack the days of the apocalypse, you see it actually exists and
of “macho posturing,” as well as the genuine support of- proves it’s not a front and that the firm will stand behind its
fered amidst the current global pandemic: “Talking about employees.”

Stay aweil:
Despite the global pandemic, juniors felt comfortable about
qualification. “We’re thinking Covid won’t impact trainee
retention. The reason for the small intake and the investment
they’ve made is because they don’t want to lose trainees.
That just doesn’t work for their business model.” In 2020, 12
of 13 qualifiers stayed with the firm. 
The True Picture

600
chambersstudent.co.uk
www.chambersstudent.co.uk Weil, Gotshal & Manges
A-Z(London) LLP
of Law Firms W

Weil, Gotshal & Manges (London) LLP

110 Fetter Lane, London EC4A 1AY
Tel: 020 7903 1000 Partners: 41
Email: [email protected] Associates: 95 Associates, 33
Website: www.weil.com/ukrecruiting Counsel, 128 in total
Total trainees: 22
UK offices: London
Overseas offices: 14
Firm profile
With approximately 1,100 lawyers across the US, Europe and Asia, Weil operates according to the Contacts
“one firm” principle, allowing it to bring the right mix of firm wide skill and local market presence Graduate recruiters:
to deliver coordinated legal advice to help its clients achieve their sophisticated goals and objec- Yohanna Wilson & Laura Nelson
[email protected]
tives. Established in 1996, Weil’s London office is the largest of its European offices and the hub
020 7903 1000
of its European practice. The office is a leading player in the UK legal market and is consistently Training partner:
regarded as one of the most successful London offices of a US-based law firm. The firm supports a James Harvey
varied client base of European, US and global private equity houses, corporates and financial insti-
tutions on domestic and cross-border matters. Weil’s strategy is focused on long-term investment Application criteria
in recruiting and retaining exceptional talent at all levels. The firm’s people celebrate diversity and Training contracts pa: 10-15
inclusion, and its award-winning pro bono programme is deeply ingrained in the firm’s culture. Applications pa: 580
Minimum required degree
grade: 2:1
Main areas of work
Minimum UCAS points or A
Weil provides clients with legal expertise at the highest level across its key practices of private
levels: AAB (or equivalent)
equity, corporate/M&A, funds, banking and finance, structured finance, restructuring and Vacation scheme places pa: 20
dispute resolution, and has been involved in some of the most significant, high-profile and
prestigious mandates across all its legal specialisms. The majority of the firm’s work involves Dates and deadliens
multidisciplinary teams across the specialist fields of competition, corporate governance and Training contract applications
compliance, employment, intellectual property, management incentives, pensions, real estate, tax open: 1st June 2021
and technology, leveraging the expertise of its full service capabilities for its clients. Training contract deadline, 2023
start: 31st July 2021
Vacation scheme applications
Training opportunities
open: 8th September 2020
Weil offers a comprehensive and sophisticated training programme with direct input from leading
Vacation scheme 2021 deadline:
partners alongside a tailor made approach to mentoring, career progression and development for 17th January 2021
each trainee. All trainees are required to complete four six month seats and two of those seats must Open day deadline:
be in corporate and finance. 1st November 2020

Salary and benefits

Vacation scheme
First-year salary: £50,000
Weil has up to 20 places on their two-week vacation schemes, which run during the spring and
Second-year salary: £55,000
summer holidays. Applications are open to all post-graduates and undergraduates who are able to
Post-qualification salary:
commence a training contract in 2023. A vacation scheme is a great way to experience first-hand £133,000
what life is like as a Weil trainee. Throughout the scheme you will work alongside senior associates, Holiday entitlement: 25 days
carrying out trainee tasks and responsibilities. Remuneration £500 per week.
Sponsorship
LPC fees: Yes
Other benefits
GDL fees: Yes
The True Picture

Private health cover; permanent health insurance; life assurance; pension (the firm will contribute
Maintenance grant pa:
to the group personal pension plan at the rate of 6% of your basic salary); birthday holiday and GDL - £8,000
25 days’ leave, with holiday entitlement increasing by one day after each year of service, up to a LPC - £10,000
maximum of 28 days.
International and regional
Overseas seats: New York, Hong
Open days and first-year opportunities Kong & Paris
Weil offers a number of open days throughout the year.
Weil also runs a one-week fast track scheme for first year law students and second year non-law
students.
Please visit the website for more information.

601
Org ID: 3667 2 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................
 W White & Case LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

White & Case LLP

The facts
Location: London 
Overseas offices: 43 
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 102/214/80
Seats: 4x6 months; overseas seats 
First-year salary: £48,000
Qualification salary: £105,000

“Everything is 100% international” at this elite US outfit’s London base.

The Firm construction practices among many others. On a UK-wide

“It’s not just marketing spin, White & Case is genuinely basis, its arbitration, energy, private equity, and projects
international,” one trainee affirmed, echoing the com- teams are all highly commended. Chambers Global simi-
ments of many another we spoke with on the phone. The larly rewards the firm with top marks for its arbitration,
evidence? First, “it isn’t a firm where half the trainee in- construction and projects know-how, on top of a whole
take is competing to complete a seat abroad – everybody is host of other rankings. Go to chambers.com for the full
guaranteed an international secondment.” Second, “it’s be- list. Given the firm’s global outlook, trainees felt that
coming increasingly common for associates to qualify into “speaking a second or even third language is a great string
other offices too. In the last round, associates qualified into in your bow. However, it’s not essential by any means, as
offices in the Middle East, New York and Singapore, while English is the global language of business.”
one remained on secondment in Moscow for an extended
period.” Third, sources highlighted the work, which is “al- Trainees submit three seat preferences before their
ways cross-border; matters nearly always require you to training contracts starts and continue to do so two
work with different teams from across the firm’s network.” months before each subsequent rotation. At least one
For example, the firm’s London and Tokyo asset finance seat must be a finance seat. While our survey results re-
teams recently represented leading German financial in- vealed some grumbles from trainees about their current
stitution Deutsche Bank on the financing of 12 Embraer assigned seat, generally our interviewees agreed that
E190 aircraft, which were to be leased to airlines based in “you’re very likely to get one of your top three preferences
Africa, Spain and Mexico. “Read the Financial Times, and most times.” Sources also felt it was important for future
there’ll always be companies mentioned that you are work- trainees to know that for those who put down real estate
ing with,” one junior boasted. as an option, “you’re either placed into the real estate team
or real estate finance team, there is no distinction made be-
“It’s becoming increasingly common for tween the two.”
associates to qualify into other offices too.”
Overseas secondments are usually reserved for the fi-
To look at what the firm has achieved in global clout, White nal seats. Trainees are provided with a full list of second-
The True Picture

& Case is moving in the same circles as the magic circle. ment options, “from which you are required to rank your
Our trainee sources had sought “a firm that was well es- preferences by practice area, along with a covering letter
tablished in the City” when looking for a training contract. explaining your interest.” In that letter, they can outline
W&C “has been on the scene for decades” unlike some their interest in a specific office. Past seats have included
other US outfits in the capital – indeed, the firm opened Singapore, Dubai, Paris, and Beijing. Although it’s true all
shop in London in 1971, so it’s nearing its 50th anniversary trainees are guaranteed a spot, some sources suggested
in the city. W&C is also one of the biggest US outfits in the
city, especially when you look at the number of trainees Seat options: bank finance; capital markets; competi-
it takes on. With size comes some enhanced capabilities, tion; construction (contentious & non-contentious); cor-
and the firm has a plethora of Chambers UK rankings to porate M&A; corporate private equity; disputes; EIPAF;
its name. In London, it’s recognised for the strength of employment, compensation and benefits; financial in-
its banking & finance, capital markets, restructuring, and stitutions advisory; FRI; IP; real estate; tax; white collar

602
chambersstudent.co.uk White & Case LLP W
Chambers UK rankings certain projects, the trainee role could be very process-
Asset Finance Financial Crime
driven, as this source explained: “Preparing packs for
Banking & Finance Infrastructure
sponsors; proofreading; collating and printing documents
Banking Litigation International Arbitration
for signing; checking all the documents had been signed;
Capital Markets Litigation
and collating the signature pages.” Recently, the depart-
Commodities Private Equity
ment has acted on projects ranging from the $20 billion
Construction Projects
(plus) financing of a gas liquification facility in Mozam-
Corporate/M&A Restructuring/Insolvency
bique; a hybrid project financing (including a sovereign
Data Protection Tax
guarantee) worth $2.3 billion for a subsidiary of Uzbeki-
Energy & Natural Transport
stan’s national oil and gas company; and the implementa-
Resources tion of a public-private partnership for a new highway in
the Czech Republic.

there was some competition to secure a spot for “the For their compulsory finance seat, trainees can choose
more glamorous locations,” with one adding sassily: “Who from real estate finance, asset finance, banking & fi-
wants to go to Frankfurt?” Ouch. Frankfurt sounds good to nance, and leveraged finance. On the banking & finance
us. Our insiders also pointed out that “providing you know side, the team represented CVC Capital Partners and its
where you want to qualify, you’re able to complete both a Finnish healthcare portfolio company, Mehiläinen, in re-
client and international secondment.” The former are avail- lation to its €380 million public offer to acquire a com-
able on an ad hoc basis. pany operating in the same sector. W&C’s asset finance
lawyers, meanwhile, have been busy advising Brookfield
Infrastructure and its partners on the $8.4 billion acqui-
The Work sition of Genesee & Wyoming, which has a portfolio of
Arbitration and litigation are the two main groups that railways operating across North America, Europe and
comprise W&C’s disputes umbrella. Trainees are typi- Australia. Collectively, the seats scored poorer than other
cally placed within one of the two groups, though sourc- transactional seats in our survey, particularly when it
es pointed out to us that “often you might work for both came to how interesting the work was perceived to be
groups.” Within the litigation group you’ll find further and whether trainees would be happy to qualify in the
subgroups including commercial disputes, regulatory area. One interviewee reasoned that “it’s not a reflection
enforcement, white-collar, and technology disputes. Cli- on the firm, but more on finance law” and explained that
ents include Goldman Sachs, Toshiba and the Industrial “the work is often repetitive and highly procedural” – this
and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC). The department is often the case for trainees in finance seats at many
recently advised Ukrainian conglomerate System Capital firms. In banking, classic trainee tasks include managing
Management throughout litigation/arbitration proceed- conditions precedent (CP) checklists as well as “draft-
ings spanning London, Cyprus and Holland; the dispute ing and duplicating many of the minor documents.” Real
revolved around the purchase of a Ukrainian telecoms estate finance only takes on one trainee per rotation,
operator and the many  issues stemming from it, includ- which means “responsibility is quite high,” while in asset
ing fraud allegations, injunction relief and arbitration financesources found themselves “working closely with
award enforcements. W&C ultimately secured a settle- the partners for clients such as airlines, debtors and banks.
ment. Trainees largely perform the same role in both There are similar structures in finance documents, but here
arms of the disputes practice. “There’s an awful lot of the process is different, which makes it unique.”
proofreading and bundling,” one source said, but we also
heard of trainees taking on more substantive tasks and “I’ve been able to run calls independently
“juicy work” such as preparing witness statements and when a client has rung up and asked for
conducting research. For example, one of our interview-
advice.”
The True Picture

ees was kept busy with “research into how cryptocurren-

cies are interpreted around the world,” while another had The corporatedepartment is split in two areas: private
looked into “the viability of bringing an arbitration claim to equityand M&A. The latter has tended to focus on private
the UK.” In summary: “There is a lot of grunt work but a lot M&A in the past, but in recent years more public M&A
of intellectually stimulating research too.” work governed by the Takeover Code has found its way
into the group as a result of lateral partner hires. The
EIPAF is W&C’s energy, infrastructure, projects and as- team covers both regulatory and transactional matters
set finance group. Sources explained that “it depends on and a variety of deal types, including those occurring in
your supervisor what range of work you’re exposed to; some the oil and gas, pharma and hotel sectors. Recently, the
trainees work exclusively within one area such as mining team advised a Nigerian oil and gas business, Seplat Pe-
or rail, whereas others work across all the areas.” Other troleum Development Company, on its £382 million cash
strands include oil and liquified natural gas (LNG). On offer for AIM-listed Eland Oil & Gas, which has assets in

603
 W White & Case LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Nigeria. Sources indicated that “there were more drafting While most trainees in our survey expected to qualify
opportunities and a lot more client contact compared to the with W&C, our interviewees did highlight that “the level
finance seats.” One added: “On some calls with partners, I of churn increases when you’re on the associate track.” It’s
would just be taking the minutes. However, there were also perhaps unsurprising therefore that a desire for a better
times where I’ve been able to run calls independently when work/life balance was singled out as the most deciding
a client has rung up and asked for advice.” factor in determining W&C trainees’ future career moves
in our survey. Indeed, sources confirmed that “a lot of
people opt to go to a smaller firm or in-house later on.”
Trainee Life Positively, trainees praised the firm for being proactive
Starting a new job can be scary, especially if it’s your in addressing mental health, with “a tonne of resources
first one straight out of university, and especially if it’s available.” For example, the firm runs a series of monthly
one with a prestigious law firm. However, our interview- training sessions to support trainees’ mental health. The
ees stressed that W&C is a “friendlier and less intimidat- firm also offers free counselling sessions and has trained
ing place than you would think. People are eager to talk several mental health first-aiders in the office.
to you and it doesn’t feel stuffy.” That’s good to hear. As
with many firms, we did hear one or two reports of “some Lawyers at the firm may work hard, but they are partly re-
partners who you want to avoid as they seem to only speak warded with many a firm-backed social activity. The high-
with other seniors,” but most sources put this down to light of the year is the White & Case World Cup, which
the realities of working in any large organisation. For the sees lawyers from around the globe get together in office
most part, interviewees agreed that partners “were very teams for three days of football, volleyball and – for those
approachable and down-to-earth.” who favour a less physically jarring activity, like us – a
barbecue. In 2019, it all kicked off in Madrid. Anyone who
“It’s a friendlier, less intimidating place wants to attend is whisked away for the three-day cele-
than you would think.” bration and they don’t need to take annual leave to get in-
volved. Back at base, sources felt that “some departments
There’s no sugar-coating the fact that trainees at W&C are more social than others,” with disputes being flagged
work long hours– a reality underpinned by the interna- as among the liveliest. “We also try to arrange informal
tional nature of the firm’s work. “Especially in the transac- trainee drinks most Fridays,” one source informed us.
tional world, your hours are ultimately dictated by wherever
the client is in the world,” one source stated. Detailing the The qualification process kicks off three months before
pressures that come with the job, another added: “If we the end of the fourth and final seat. HR reach out with a
receive a document at 9pm from a client, it is expected that list of NQ options, from which trainees can select three to
it will be fully reviewed, analysed and returned by 9am, apply for. “Typically, you also reach out to the team you’re
even if that means working very late.” Most trainees tend applying to,” a trainee explained. “Some departments re-
to be in the office until around 7.30pm most nights, with quire additional tests on top of looking at your reviews.”
only occasional opportunities to leave at 6pm. At the later Trainees might also need to interview; it just depends
end of the spectrum, “it’s not unheard of to be working on the department. In 2020, W&C retained 32 of 41 of its
until 4am too.” Another source added: “I haven’t had too trainees, with two fixed-term contracts.
many long periods working past midnight. As you progress,
you get better at prioritising and anticipating work more
efficiently.” We also heard that “most people take lunch
away from their desk and don’t tend to start working until
9.30am.”
The True Picture

And finally...
The guaranteed overseas seat might see trainees jet off
to Abu Dhabi, Beijing, Brussels, Dubai, Frankfurt, Geneva,
Hong Kong, Moscow, New York, Paris, Prague, Singapore,
Stockholm, or Tokyo.

604
www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
chambersstudent.co.uk White & Case LLP W

White & Case LLP

5 Old Broad Street, London EC2N 1DW
Tel: 020 7532 2899 Fax: 020 7532 1001 Twitter/Instagram: @WhiteCase Partners: 102*
Email: [email protected] Facebook: WhiteCase Associates: 203*
Website: www.whitecasetrainee.com Youtube: WhiteCaseGlobal Total trainees: 80*
*London
Firm profile UK offices: London
White & Case is a global law firm of more than 2,000 lawyers worldwide. We’ve built an unrivalled net- Overseas offices: 43
work of 44 offices in 30 countries. That investment is the foundation for our client work in 180 countries
today. Complex client projects, nuanced local market knowledge and global capabilities define who we Contacts
Graduate recruiter:
are. Many White & Case clients are multinational organisations with complex needs that require the Gemma Barns,
involvement of multiple offices. As part of our training contract, we offer every trainee a guaranteed Graduate Resourcing &
six-month overseas seat. Development Manager
Training partner:
Main areas of work Inigo Esteve
As a White & Case lawyer, you’ll work on fast-paced cutting-edge cross-border projects from the outset
Application criteria
of your career. In London, our key areas of work include: bank finance (including regulatory compli-
Training contracts pa: 50
ance); financial restructuring and insolvency; capital markets (high yield and securitisation); dispute
Applications pa: 4,000
resolution (including antitrust, commercial litigation, intellectual property, international arbitration, Minimum required degree grade:
trade, white collar and construction and engineering); energy, infrastructure, project and asset finance 2:1 or equivalent
(EIPAF); corporate (including M&A, private equity, employment, compensation and benefits, invest- Minimum A levels: AAB or
ment funds, real estate and tax). equivalent
Vacation scheme places pa: 75
Training opportunities
Dates and deadlines
White & Case is looking to recruit ambitious trainees who have a desire to gain hands-on practical ex-
Training contract deadline 2023:
perience from day one and a willingness to take charge of their own career. We value globally-minded 15th July 2021
citizens of the world who are eager to work across borders and cultures, and who are intrigued by Winter vacation scheme deadline:
solving problems within multiple legal systems. They should have an understanding of international 4th November 2020
commercial issues and an interest in working on big-ticket, cross-border work. We recruit both law and Spring and summer vacation
scheme 2021 deadline:
non-law students and owing to the nature of our work, language skills are of interest. Applicants will
15th January 2021
be welcomed for their individuality, their ability to contribute to the cutting-edge work we do and the Open day deadline:
energy with which they approach the job at hand. They should have achieved, or be on track to achieve, Please visit website
a solid 2:1, have a positive and friendly attitude, be enthusiastic and work well in teams. First-year insight scheme deadline:
The training contract consists of four six-month seats, one of which is guaranteed to be spent in one 31st March 2021
of our overseas offices, including Abu Dhabi, Beijing, Brussels, Dubai, Frankfurt, Geneva, Hong Kong,
Salary and benefits
Johannesburg, Moscow, New York, Paris, Prague, Singapore, Stockholm, Tokyo. The remaining three First-year salary: £48,000
seats can be spent in any one of the firm’s practice groups in London. Receiving a high level of partner Second-year salary: £53,000
and associate contact from day one, our trainees can be confident that they will receive high-quality, Post-qualification salary: £105,000
stimulating and rewarding work. Trainees work in small, focused teams, so their colleagues trust them
Sponsorship
to perform tasks accurately and efficiently. White & Case is a ‘high-stretch, high-support’ workplace
LPC fees: Yes
that celebrates individual excellence and team success. We actively encourage our trainees to take early
GDL fees: Yes
responsibility, and there is a strong emphasis on practical training, with plenty of support and feed- Maintenance grant pa:
back. Alongside the training contract, our trainees are encouraged to get involved in all aspects of our GDL £7,500
globally-renowned pro bono programme, often working directly with clients and even managing small LPC £10,500
matters. White & Case recruits and develops trainee solicitors with the aim of retaining them on quali-
International and regional
fication.
The True Picture

Offices with training contracts:

London
Vacation scheme, open days and first-year opportunities
Overseas seats: Abu Dhabi,
We offer vacation scheme placements over the winter, spring and summer, open days and two-day
Beijing, Brussels, Dubai,
insight schemes. These provide a great way to experience first-hand what life is like as a White & Case Frankfurt, Geneva, Hong Kong,
trainee as well as gain useful insight into the firm and the training we offer. Johannesburg, Moscow, New
York, Paris, Prague, Singapore,
White & Case Virtual Learning Programme Stockholm, Tokyo
Our virtual learning programme offers the opportunity to gain first-hand insight into life as a White &
Case trainee and experience the realities of cross-border law. There is no cost to access the programme;
it is self-paced to fit around your schedule, and no application form or legal knowledge is required.
You’ll gain insight into the fast-paced cutting-edge projects our lawyers and trainees work on, and gain
valuable skills by undertaking true-to-life legal tasks. Participation in the learning programme will be
recognised on our application forms, and it is a great way to demonstrate your interest in law and White
& Case. For more information and to apply for all opportunities please visit our website.

Org ID: 3672 7 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................

605
 W Wiggin LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Wiggin LLP
The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Locations: London, Cheltenham How to get into Wiggin
Overseas office: Brussels
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 40/55/6
Seats: 4x6 months
First-year salary: £39,000
Qualification salary: £65,000

Boutique firm Wiggin is quite the bigwig in the world of media, tech and
IP law.

The Firm tract, the firm is soon to implement a formal learning and
Picture this. You’re out for dinner with your old law school development programme, which will include a two-week
mates and one of them starts regaling the table with induction course plus training sessions at every seat ro-
tales of the part they played in a carpet company’s tax fil- tation.
ing. At the other end of the table, someone else mentions
their firm had a hand behind Netflix’s hit series Sex Edu-
cation. Who has your attention? Very few firms provide The Seats
trainees with the possibility of working on the legal puz- First seats are automatically assigned and from there,
zles behind films and TV shows (such as His Dark Materi- “we have a chat with HR about our preferences. Since
als, Dracula and Rocketman), but Wiggin is one of them. Of there’s only two of us, the firm is pretty accommodating.”
course, we should point out that trainees aren’t mingling We heard everyone does a stint in either commercial
with Hollywood stars, but with clients like Netflix, Para- litigation or IP. There are also occasional client second-
mount, HBO, Amazon, Disney and Warner Bros on the list, ments with companies such as Vodafone, Telefonica and
“there’s never a boring day!” Warner Bros.

“There are definitely no robots at Wiggin!” “…interacting with production teams to

convey their needs to the associates.”
Wiggin’s three core focuses are media, technology and
IP. Chambers UK awards the firm top media and entertain- Wiggin’s film and TV expertise attracts gigantic film
ment rankings for its film/TV and publishing expertise. companies like Paramount, Disney, Warner Bros and
It’s also highly ranked for its gambling work. According 20th Century Fox Film, as well as online streaming gi-
to training principal and corporate head Ben Whitelock, ants like Netflix and Amazon. Within the team there are
“a lot of the firm’s founders came from big City firms at- finance and production subgroups. As trainees detailed,
tracted by the idea of creating a specialist firm with an en- “we handle a little bit of the selling [distribution] of films
The True Picture

trepreneurial culture.” Our trainee sources affirmed this and TV shows, but we mostly work on production.” The firm
vision. “It’s totally different from your average corporate recently advised Eleven Film on its production of Sex
law firm,” they felt. “Everyone is encouraged to bring their Education for Netflix, for example. Trainees told us: “We
own personality to the team – there are definitely no robots work on location contracts and extras contracts, we draft
at Wiggin!” crew agreements and director agreements, and on a day-
to-day basis we’ll be interacting with production teams to
Wiggin has a miniature intake of just two to three a year, convey their needs to the associates.” On the finance side,
and at the time of our interviews, all trainees were based
in London – the firm does recruit for its Cheltenham of-
Seat options: betting & gaming; corporate; digital en-
fice too. Wiggin actually relaunched its training contract
tertainment; employment; film & TV; IP (UK and Bel-
in 2018 after a three-year hiatus. In response to calls from
gium); litigation; real estate
trainees for a bit more structure in the relaunched con-

606
chambersstudent.co.uk Wiggin LLP W
Chambers UK rankings tion against Primark relating to lookalike shoes. “Carry-
Defamation/Reputation Media & Entertainment
ing out trademark searches is a big trainee task,” sources
Management Sports Law
explained. “You basically go through a list of trademarks
Gaming and compare those to what your clients want and see if it
Intellectual Property would infringe.” Elsewhere, “there are bits and pieces of
trial work like putting together bundles and evidence prep.”
Another interviewee pointed out that “there’s less client
“we represent banks and investors in big film productions.” contact” than some other seats, “but you’re encouraged to
For example, the team recently acted for Coutts, a pri- sit in on calls with partners.” It’s a complex area of law, but
vate banking company, on the banking arrangements for the team holds bi-weekly training sessions to learn about
Dracula. Interviewees reported a reduction of work due to “any articles and new cases that have come out, plus up-
Covid-19; “however, there has been a rise in online stream- dates on AI and tech.”
ing platforms as they’re still commissioning a lot of work.”

The corporate team works across the firm’s key sectors, Trainee Life
advising on investments, mergers, acquisitions, joint ven- A standard day for trainees started between 9 and
tures and private equity deals. The team recently advised 9.30am and wrapped up by around 7pm. “I mean, there’s
Toadman, a Swedish game developer, on its acquisition been a couple of late nights until 11pm when working on a
of UK-based Antimatter Games. The firm also advised big matter,” one trainee shared, “but it’s not usual.” Train-
private equity fund Clairvest on its £27 million invest- ees in both offices start on a £39,000 salary which rises
ment in FSB Technology, a sports betting platform. As a to £65,000 on qualification, which is largely in line with
trainee, “you do a lot of the basic documents that are part Wiggin’s competitor firms. There’s no formal NQ pro-
of the transaction, whether it’s writing the board minutes cess at Wiggin; “it just comes down to whether your area
or reviewing shareholder certificates.” Interviewees liked of interest has capacity or not.” Retention rates have been
working on smaller deals, “since you’re typically working strong in recent years, as training principal Ben White-
alongside only a partner and legal director, so we have more lock notes: “Since we restarted the training contract, we’ve
responsibility.” never let anyone go.” The streak continued in 2020, when
both of the firm’s qualifiers were kept on.
In litigation, “a lot of the cases centre on defamation and
privacy claims,” including cybersecurity breaches, GDPR “There’ll always be someone making a cup
compliance and data collection. The team does a lot of of tea in the kitchen.”
defence work for news organisations facing defamation
allegations. It recently represented Associated News- Trainees felt “the firm definitely reflects the culture of
papers against defamation allegations brought by the the clients” when it came to dress code. “There are cer-
former technical director of the parent company of the tainly no suits to be seen in Cheltenham,” they said, while
manufacturer of insulation used on Grenfell. The claim- “London is a tad more business casual.” In the open-plan
ant alleged that a MailOnline article defamed him by London office, “non-legal chats and laughs between dif-
implicating him in the disaster. Trainees got plenty of ferent teams are a common occurrence.” During lockdown,
exposure to defamation cases, as well as injunction appli- “the partners have been trying their best to keep us in good
cations. “It’s a real melting pot of everything,” they praised, spirits with funny firm-wide quizzes.” Wiggin’s social cal-
with one sharing: “I felt trusted to communicate with coun- endar usually consists of events like a Christmas party
sel, clients and opposing solicitors,” but as is typical in liti- alternating between London and Cheltenham and organ-
gation seats, “there’s less client contact since everything ised coffee breaks. And when you can’t make the coffee
you do has to be very precise.” For one, “some of the best meet, “there’ll always be someone making a cup of tea in
days involved running down to the courts to file documents the kitchen.” We heard in both offices, “everyone knows
The True Picture

ahead of hearings!” one another, and if they don’t, everyone will introduce them-
selves!”
“Carrying out trademark searches is a big
trainee task.” In terms of diversityand inclusion at Wiggin, sources
thought the gender balance was quite equal across the
The IP teamhandles a lot of trademark protection and on- firm (and all of the trainees at the time of our interviews
line copyright disputes, as well as designs law, licensing were women). “Wiggin is also very supportive of the LG-
and commercial IP matters. Wiggin recently represented BTQ+ community and we have a Wiggin Pride Week,” an in-
Warner Music and Sony Music Entertainment in copyright terviewee pointed out. “The firm is also aware that it needs
infringement claims against TuneIn Inc, an audio stream- to do more in recruiting more ethnically diverse candidates.”
ing service. It also acted for Vans in High Court litiga-

607
 W Wiggin LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Gettin’ Wiggy wit’ it

The firm recently set up a pro bono committee “allowing
people to get involved in all sorts of interesting work for
various organisations, including youth choirs, homelessness
charities and film charities.”
The True Picture

608
 www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
chambersstudent.co.uk Wiggin LLP W

Wiggin LLP
Jessop House, Jessop Avenue, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL50 3WG
Tel: 01242 224114 Twitter: @WigginLLP Partners: 40
Email: [email protected] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/com- Associates: 55
Website: www.wiggin.co.uk pany/wiggin Total trainees: 6
UK offices: Cheltenham, London
Overseas offices: 1

Firm profile Contacts

Wiggin focuses exclusively on media, technology and IP. They advise clients on the financing, exploita- Graduate recruiter:
tion and protection of their creative and commercial assets in these sectors. Grace Walton
[email protected]
Main areas of work 01242 224114
Alongside its specialist commercial expertise, the firm provides a full legal service across corporate, Training partner:
tax, finance, litigation, employment and property. Wiggin’s clients range from leading businesses in Ben Whitelock,
digital entertainment, film, television, video games, music, sport and esports and publishing through to [email protected]
platforms, content retailers, gaming and technology companies and early stage entrepreneurs.
Application criteria
Training contracts pa: 3
The firm’s Brussels office provides legal support and lobbies EU decision makers on behalf of clients on
Applications pa: TBC
a wide range of matters, including EU copyright, audio visual regulation, data protection, competition
Minimum required degree
policy, trade and e-commerce. grade: 2:1

Training opportunities Dates and deadlines

4 x 6 months Training contract applications
open: 6th January 2020
Other benefits
• Group personal pension Training contract deadline,
2022/2023 start: 30th May 2021
• Permanent health insurance
• Death in service Salary and benefits
• Corporate gym membership First-year salary: £39,000
• Holiday buy / sell scheme Second-year salary: £42,000
• Cycle scheme Post-qualification salary: £65,000
Holiday entitlement: 25 days
University law careers fairs 2020
Attending virtual law fairs. Sponsorship
LPC fees: Yes
GDL fees: Yes
Maintenance grant: £7,000

International and regional

Offices with training contracts:
Cheltenham, London, Brussels
Overseas seats: Brussels
Client secondments: yes
The True Picture

609
Org ID: 1056 0 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................
 W Wilsons chambersstudent.co.uk

Wilsons
The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Locations: Salisbury, London Get hired by WilsonsMore on the
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 18/46/4
firm’s trusts & probate practice
Seats: 4x6 months
First-year salary: undisclosed
Qualification salary: undisclosed

In the pleasant city of Salisbury, trainees get hands-on experience in

private wealth, property, charity, agribusiness, and much more...

The Firm  The Seats 

In the whole nature-or-nurture debate, we acknowledge Trainees get allocated their first seat at random and state
that people are (in part) a product of their environment. their preferences for subsequent seats at their mid-seat
Law firms are too. Put a law firm among glass towers full reviews. A trainee underlined that the private client team
of highly-strung bankers, and they will do a lot of stress- is “in a sense, the core of Wilsons – it’s what the firm grew
ful banking work. Put a law firm in the charming city of out of.”  The group has three sub-teams: Court of Protec-
Salisbury, sitting pretty in its historic, rolling countryside, tion, tax and trusts, and trusts and probate.  The  Court
and you get a pleasant law firm specialising in charity, of Protection  sub-team  handles  lasting power of at-
private wealth and agriculture and rural affairs. torney  matters  for clients who, for example,  have  suf-
fered brain injuries as a result of a traffic collision. Train-
This resilient firm has been plying its trade in this city ees, we were told, field calls from clients who can have a
for an astonishing 300 years, making it even older than whole host of  requests  and questions, which  “makes
Freshfields. Wilsons is a living example of the value of every day different and keeps you on your toes.” Tax and
choosing a career outside the capital: the reward you get trusts  (unsurprisingly)  deals with all the tax aspects of
is to see the impact of your work on local businesses, in- trusts. Trainees are responsible for drafting “every type of
dividuals and charities, watching them grow, and thinking trust deed”  and conducting research, as well as working
“I did that.” And the more you progress the more your be- out tax calculations. “There’s a fair bit of problem solving
come a figurehead of that economy. The firm isn’t entirely – it can get quite technical!”  one source shared, but in an
locally-oriented, though. It has a smaller London office, encouraging and satisfied way. Read about the third sub-
as many of the matters, in private wealth especially, in- team, trusts and probate, on our website. 
volve court appearances and dealings on a grander scale.

This all results in  several  Chambers  and Partners ac-

“Sending something on solicitor-headed
colades. Wilsons’ knowledge in rural and agricultural af-
fairs earns it a top Chambers UK ranking, while its work
paper usually does the trick...” 
The True Picture

in the charity sector  is also applauded.  “It’s always a

bonus to be working for charities, it’s one of the main at- Contentious trusts and probate  is  the largest  litiga-
tractions here,”   one trainee felt.  In  Chambers High Net tion seat on offer at Wilson’s. “That team’s very strong,”  said
Worth, Wilsons comes out on top as a national leader for one proud trainee who’d sat here. The work almost exclu-
private wealth law, particularly for its work on the likes sively centres on charities and covers two main strands.
of landed estates matters, as well as cross-border issues The first  covers situations where  relatives of the de-
spanning various jurisdictions. All of this proved to be an ceased contest wills that leave assets to charity.  “Some
enticing combination for our trainee sources, who also
noted Salisbury’s  “London sensibility:  it has  that level of Seat options: contentious trust & probate; trust & tax;
client service and professionalism, but with a more sociable trust & probate; Court of Protection; employment and
set of hours and a friendlier atmosphere.” education; company commercial; commercial property;
property estates; litigation; family

610
chambersstudent.co.uk Wilsons W
Chambers UK rankings in on senior management, which we wouldn’t recom-
Agriculture & Rural Affairs Charities
mend...).  Interviewees felt that partners “take a real in-
terest in your development”  and also praised managing
partner Mike Parker for welcoming trainees:  “He knows
have estates that are worth millions, and family members where I went to uni, the sports I play, my hobbies etc... and
dispute it being given to charity,”  explained one source. On he could say  similar things  about  anyone in the firm. You
these  matters, trainees typically  gather  bundles for really feel he’s listening and is interested in what you have
court, prepare for hearings  and attend  “meetings with to say.”  A mentor scheme pairs each trainee up with an
the siblings or children contesting, which can be intense associate who’s five years or less post-qualified. “You can
at times.”  Lawyers here recently defended a leading UK ask them any questions and they’ll give you tips because,
charity  during  a  dispute over a £1.9 million gift  left  to if you’re in a situation, they’ve likely been there not so long
the charity in the will of the deceased (who had gifted the ago too,”  reported one insider.  
assets to prevent any of their estate going to their surviv-
ing spouse and stepchildren). Other clients include Help “It’s nice to go for a walk at lunch and
for Heroes, Macmillan Cancer Support and the Royal Na- imagine you’re time-travelling!” 
tional Lifeboat Institution. 
Trainees  generally credited  Salisbury as a  good  city to
The second strand revolves around legacy recoveries, work in. One commented: “It’s got an old-school vibe and
and it was here that trainees felt they got more respon- almost feels like a medieval town architecturally. It’s nice
sibility. So what does it involve? “It’s when the executor in to go for a walk at lunch and imagine  you’re  time-travel-
the will has spent the money that was supposed to be left to ling!”   Some  championed  Salisbury  as  a  “busy, buzzing
charity, and the charity instructs us to get that money.”  As place,”   while others  felt it  could be  “a little boring for a
these tend to be relatively small claims of £5k or under, 20-something. There’s not tons going on.”  Those in the lat-
trainees  “pretty much run  the  legacy recovery – it’s good ter camp tended to  commute in from nearby cities that
to get used to running a file and having that responsibil- are  “a little  livelier.”   On the firm socials front, we  heard
ity.”  This can involve calling will executors, though “send- that there isn’t much in the way of  “big organised firm
ing  a letter  on solicitor-headed paper usually does the events, but people will casually go out for drinks if they feel
trick”   of getting their attention.  Overall, interviewees like it.”
liked  how this  seat gave them exposure to trusts work
in a way that’s  “less emotionally draining. You feel better Mental health is  “taken very seriously here,”   said one
chasing these executors on behalf of  a  charity because trainee. “I feel completely comfortable and confident talk-
even if it’s tough, it’s easier to justify.”   ing about mental health with my supervisor and HR.”  The
firm also got praise for its promotion of female partners,
The property team is split into housing, commercial and though interviewees noted:  “We struggle with racial di-
farm matters, with a lot of crossover occurring between versity – but that might be because we’re in the South
the latter two. Trainees can be based in one area but usu- West.”  On the work/life balance front, most of the people
ally “get the opportunity to see all sides of it.”  Commercial we spoke to were adamant that they have the best hours
and farm work covers the buying and selling of freeholds in the legal industry: “You can do 9am to 5pm and people
and leaseholds  on  “anything from warehouses to shops, won’t give you a second look when you leave. In most seats,
and any kind of farming building.”  The team recently ad- people get up at 5pm and leave.”  No one we spoke to had
vised the Royal Marines Association (a charity) during the left any later than 7pm, nor had they worked from home
building of an £8 million facility to house Marines and on the weekends or in the evenings. 
their families. Residential work tends to be conducted for
high net worth individuals: “We’ve got some lords and no- We heard that the qualification process  “isn’t particu-
bility as clients – we work on singular £4 million properties, larly transparent – you only become aware of how the pro-
The True Picture

but also with landlords who have 50 small flats.”  Trainees cess works right towards the end of the second year.”  By
typically draft Land Registry documents, leases, licences May, Wilsons sends around a list of job vacancies, which
to assign and letters to clients.   trainees then apply for. Despite the reportedly  “sit and
wait scenario”   that follows applications,  most of our in-
terviewees had enjoyed their time at the firm and wanted
Trainee Life  to stay. One was very honest and admitted: “I thought I’d
The smaller size of the firm means that trainees “can just end up leaving Wilsons because of the location, but having
go up to the head of the team and get guidance when you worked in Salisbury I  now  never want to leave!”   In 2020,
need it”   (in a polite way of course – not by just barging three out of four qualifiers were kept on.

611
 W Wilsons chambersstudent.co.uk

Where there’s a will, they’re away:

While there is a small London office in gorgeous Lincoln’s
Inn Fields, trainees tend to just visit when needed for
court cases and meetings in the capital. There’s also the
chance for one trainee per rotation to spend a seat there. 
The True Picture

612
www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
chambersstudent.co.uk Wilsons W

Wilsons Solicitors LLP

Alexandra House, St Johns Street, Salisbury, Wiltshire SP1 2SB
Tel: 01722 412 412 Fax: 01722 427 610 Twitter: @wilsonslawcom Partners: 30
Email: [email protected] Other solicitors: 55
Website: www.wilsonsllp.com Total trainees: 8
UK offices: 2

Contacts
Firm profile Graduate recruiter:
Ranked as one of the top private client and charity law firms in the country, our almost 300-year Jo Ratcliffe
heritage, combined with lawyers who are recognised leaders in their fields, enables Wilsons to provide [email protected]
01722 427564
a unique combination of skills and experience to our clients. Our lawyers are dedicated to ensuring
Training partner:
a detailed understanding of their clients’ interests and a seamless working relationship across the Charlotte Watts
different specialities of the practice. [email protected]

Main areas of work Application criteria

Private Client: We act for clients with business interests, landed and inherited wealth, foreign Training contracts pa: 4
domiciliaries, UK and offshore trustees and non-resident individuals with links to the UK. Services Minimum required degree grade:
2:1 or other
including tax planning, estate and succession planning, asset structuring, UK and offshore trust
Vacation scheme places pa: 5
formation and advice, wills and trusts and estate administration and probates and intestacies
valued at up to £50m. Dates and deadlines
Family: The team’s expertise ranges from pre-nuptial agreements and civil partnerships to divorce, Training contract applications:
children’s arrangements and surrogacy law. Open now
Training contract deadline, 2023:
Charity: Wilsons has one of the most highly ranked teams in the UK. We advise on the complete 30th June 2021
range of legal needs and have a particular specialism in contentious and non-contentious legacy Vacation scheme applications:
work. The constitutional and governance team has considerable expertise in advising military Open now
charities and the charitable care sector. Vacation scheme 2021 deadline:
31st March 2021
Agriculture: Wilsons’ rural team has developed a practice centred on the needs of rural business
and landowners. These include complex sales and purchases, development options for landown- Salary and benefits
ers, grants and diversification advice and property litigation, including landlord and tenant, part- First-year salary:
nership matters, boundary, title and rights of way disputes. Above market rate
Second-year salary:
Commercial: The commercial team specialises in employment, commercial property and cor-
Above market rate
porate work. Corporate work focuses on commercial tax and asset planning, transactions and Post-qualification salary:
refinancing. The team deals with an unusual breadth of work requiring high-quality, bespoke com- Above market rate
mercial advice. Holiday entitlement: 25 days
Property: Our clients have substantial commercial, agricultural and residential property interests
Sponsorship
and the firm advises on purchasing, letting and sales, and has a reputation for gaining excellent
LPC fees: Partial
results in the options over and sales of development land.
GDL fees: No
Litigation & Dispute Resolution: Wilsons has one of the largest teams outside London. We advise Maintenance grant pa: No
clients on a wide range of contentious matters to provide an efficient and effective means of dispute
resolution. In addition to its expertise in agricultural and probate disputes, the firm has specialists International and regional

who can advise on all aspects of commercial dispute claims and reputation management. Offices with training contracts: 1,
occasional seat in London
The True Picture

Training opportunities
4x6 months

Vacation scheme
Each year in June/early July we run a work placement scheme at our offices in Salisbury for second year
law students or third year non-law students onwards. There are five places available on our placement
and we make a contribution towards travel costs/accommodation. The closing date for applications for
a placement in 2021 is 31st March 2021.

Other benefits
Pension, life assurance, choice of optional benefits and private medical insurance.

Org ID: 459 3 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................613

 W Winckworth Sherwood chambersstudent.co.uk

Winckworth Sherwood
The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Locations: London, Manchester and Oxford Get hired at Winckworth Sherwood
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 64/100/16
Seats: 4x6 months
First-year salary: £36,000
Qualification salary: undisclosed

Winckworth offers some interesting niche practice areas like charity,

Parliamentary and ecclesiastical law, together with core commercial.
The broad training experience, genuine achievements in diversity, and
reasonable workload make this is an attractive proposition.

The Firm The Seats 

“What I wanted,” said one trainee, “was a London-based The select few complete four six-month seats. “You don’t
firm that did high-quality, varied work that wasn’t go- choose your first one, it’s random,” trainees said, “but then
ing to consume my life.” Some people have unrealistic you choose your following seats, and they try to give you
dreams. And some work at Winckworth Sherwood. The what you want.” Trainees will do at least one property seat,
firm, though known for its ecclesiastical and Parliamen- which can be achieved by sitting in real estate, property
tary work, is something of a property-pro, and regularly litigation, planning, construction, or housing and local
provides expert advice on employment and family law government. The contentious requirement, meanwhile,
matters. A significant chunk of the firm’s business is re- can be met in “commercial or property litigation, construc-
lated to charities work in some way. It sits top of the pile tion, family or employment.” Parliamentary “always gets a
in Chambers UK for its Parliamentary, rail transport, and trainee – it’s quite sought after,” as are seats in real estate,
social housing work, with UK-wide nods for its educa- and corporate and commercial. Some departments like
tion, charities, partnership, and local government work. In tax “don’t traditionally take on a trainee,” but interviewees
London, the firm receives recognition for its construction, added that “they can make it work around you” if you had
employment, planning, mid-market real estate and real a burning desire to sit there. Similarly, trainees noted: “If
estate litigation work.  you want to do an ecclesiastical seat you can ask for one,
though there’s sometimes some overlap with that team in
With offices in London, Manchester and Oxford, Winck- other seats.”
worth is very much UK-based: “The firm has always been
quite open that it’s not trying to expand rapidly. It’s always “Mad things happen in this department.”
going for slow and steady growth.” That said, training part-
ner Eleanor Kilminster reveals the firm’s Oxford office has In its real estategroup, Winckworth represents clients
The True Picture

recently been expanding: “Over the last two years we have such as: Canary Wharf Group; Silvertown Homes; Aviva
recruited a number of charities, private client and commer- Investors; and the Cote Restaurant Group. As the calibre
cial property specialists in order to bolster that office.” She of client suggests, some of the deals are huge: the firm
adds that as the office grows, “it is possible we will offer advised Redrow on the £1 billion development for the de-
a future trainee role in Oxford, and it’s close enough to al- sign and building of 2,900 homes in north London; Peel
low future trainees there to do a seat in London.” It sounds
Seat options: corporate; commercial litigation; prop-
ideal, so what’s the catch? Well, it’s less of a ‘catch’ per
erty litigation; family; private client; housing and local
se, but it’s worth flagging that the firm is on the small
government; employment; Parliamentary; ecclesiasti-
side of mid-sized, meaning it only takes on eight trainees
cal; institutional property; real estate; construction;
a year from a pool of around 300 applications. Currently,
planning; commercial real estate and licensing; charities
all trainees are recruited into the London base.
and social enterprises; banking

614
chambersstudent.co.uk Winckworth Sherwood W
Chambers UK rankings the Open Spaces Bill. Trainees in the seat could expect
Charities Partnership
to do a lot of research: “You get a piece of research and
Construction Planning
you think it’ll take you 20 minutes, then two days later… But
Education Real Estate
when you get an answer it’s very satisfying.” Perhaps that’s
Employment Real Estate Litigation
to be expected when you need to look at “pieces of leg-
Local Government Social Housing
islation from the 1700s and work out what’s happened with
Parliamentary & Public Transport
them.”
Affairs
Charities typically falls under the housing and local gov-
ernment practice. The firm advises several high-profile
charities in matters worth millions of pounds, examining
Land and Property on the £5.5 billion regeneration of a issues like governance, sponsorship, and researching
section of former docks along the Mersey in Liverpool; best practice. Trainees in the department, could expect
and London & Quadrant Housing Trust on the £1 billion to be “involved with setting up charities, negotiating and
regeneration of Beam Park. But not all the matters are drafting contracts with local councils, and providing char-
that high-value and trainees said: “You can get your own ity management and advice.” The team has been involved
matters straight away, which was quite scary, but you learn in the restructuring of The Burlington Magazine after a
really quickly.” Sources recalled “negotiating contracts governance review, and also represents multiple former
and transfers and bringing those to completion” alongside Oxfam executives and trustees (including Dame Barbara
more traditional trainee tasks like “due diligence, proof- Stocking) who were involved in the Charity Commission’s
reading, researching and drafting.” Overall, our sources Statutory Inquiry into Oxfam’s handling of events in Haiti
were happy. “There have been a fair few times when you in 2011. Among others, the firm also represents The Hep-
see your work being sent almost verbatim to the client,” one worth Wakefield Garden Trust, and the Imperial War Mu-
contented trainee recounted. “You feel like you’re actually seum.
lawyering a bit.”

By contrast, the employment seat is “semi-contentious” Trainee life

and there’s “a lot riding on it and so it’s a lot more super- “If people who trained here go elsewhere,
vised.” The firm has several big names on its books includ- they tend to come back...”
ing BNP Paribas Real Estate; Mountview Estates; the Fi-
nancial Conduct Authority; Reliance Bank; Vistra Group; Whichever seat you end up in, the chances are good
and AEG Europe. The firm does both employer and em- you will not be burning the midnight oil. “If you stay until
ployee side work, but our trainee interviewees saw more 7.30pm, that’s an all-nighter for us,” one source quipped.
of the latter. Due to its nature, most of the firm’s work in And while that might sound slightly hyperbolic, the
this area is confidential, but one insider revealed “mad fact remains the latest we heard a trainee staying was
things happen in this department.” A typical case might “9.30pm. If you work late, people ask why you’re still here.”
go like this: “The common situation, if you’re representing Alongside reasonable hours we heard “everyone prides
an employee, is you take a narrative down from them and themselves on being very friendly and respectful.” One
figure out your strategy.” After that “you send a letter to source noticed “if people who trained here go elsewhere,
the employer and work out what the appropriate settlement they tend to come back, and if they trained elsewhere they
should be.” On bigger cases trainees were more likely to come here because they want a friendlier environment.”
do “a fair bit of bundling work.” On the whole, this exceeded most people’s expectations:
“I thought everyone would be serious and shouting at each
“You get a piece of research and you think other, but it turned out I’d watched too much American
it’ll take you 20 minutes, then two days TV! It’s not like that. Everyone is serious and gets the work
The True Picture

done, but no one’s ever been rude.” Some reckoned that

later…”
“there’s maybe the odd partner who isn’t so nice, but it’s a
Parliamentary, with its focus on “drafting legislature for fairly ego-less environment.” On top of firm-wide niceness,
big infrastructure projects,” was described as “very tech- sources mentioned “a huge social aspect.” Interviewees
nical at times, quite hard, and really interesting.” Sources listed various sporting clubs alongside “departmental dos,
said they weren’t “surewhat it was about,” before going the summer and Christmas do and going down the pub once
into the seat, but “having worked in it, it’s infrastructure or twice a week.”
planning: ports, trains that sort of thing. We’re doing HS2,
and the legislation goes in front of MPs in Parliament.” Un- It is perhaps because of this friendly and inclusive culture
surprisingly, this often means “quite a lot of negotiation that Winckworth’s gender diversity is particularly impres-
with objectors and reaching settlements.” The team also sive. With women making up nearly half of all partners
advised the City of London Corporation with regards to at the firm, Winckworth is streets ahead of the national

615
 W Winckworth Sherwood chambersstudent.co.uk

average of around 29%. “As  someone who trained at the an NQ.” It is perhaps for these reasons that Winckworth
firm, my view is that the firm offers the same opportunities maintains a strong retention record. Come qualification,
for males and females,” says Kilminster. Trainee reflected the firm releases a jobs list and qualifiers can apply for
that other contributing factors might include that there’s up to two roles. A round of interviews usually follows. “In
“no face time culture at all” and that “flexible working is the past there hasn’t been that much competition, so I think
a big thing.” Additionally, trainees spoke positively of su- it’s fairly informal,” sources reflected. In 2020, the firm
pervision, which involved a partner, who they normally followed its usual trend and retained seven out of eight
sat with in each seat. “There are no silly questions,” one qualifiers.
source enthused. And if there were, “you could always ask

And finally...
For a wink worth its weight in gold, sources warned that
“the so-called ‘open day’ is actually an assessment day.”
The True Picture

616
www.chambersstudent.co.uk
chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z ofSherwood
Winckworth Law Firms W

Winckworth Sherwood
Minerva House, 5 Montague Close, London SE1 9BB
Tel: 020 7593 5000 Fax: 020 7593 5099 Twitter: @ws_law Partners: 64
Email: [email protected] Facebook: winckworthsherwood Assistant solicitors: 100
Website: traineehub.wslaw.co.uk Total trainees: 16
UK offices: London, Oxford,
Manchester

Firm profile Contacts

The firm has a long established pedigree. It is a full service firm and is particularly recognised for its Recruitment manager:
specialist practices. Joanna Clark,
[email protected]
020 7593 5183
Main areas of practice
Corporate & Commercial: We advise on corporate, mergers and acquisitions, partnerships and JVs, Application criteria
commercial arrangements, outsourcing and procurement, corporate finance and capital markets, funds Training contracts pa: 8
and IP, IT contracts and data protection. Applications pa: 300
Employment & Partnership: We provide contentious and non-contentious advice covering financial, We expect candidates to have
insurance, retail, hotel, media, publishing, real estate and educational establishments. We also advise good qualifications but we look
at their application as a whole.
senior executives and on partnership disputes, as well as specialist non contentious partnership advice.
Vacation scheme places pa: 10
Infrastructure Projects: We specialise in private legislation promoting projects of major strategic im-
portance. We also advise central and local government bodies, developers and operators on infrastruc- Dates and deadlines
ture planning, development, construction, procurement, structuring and finance. Training contract applications
Not for Profit: We advise a large number of educational and affordable housing operators, charitable open: 14th November 2020
Training contract deadline, 2023
and religious organisations and cultural and leisure services providers, delivering a full range of legal
start: See website
expertise.
Vacation scheme applications
Private Wealth & Tax: We advise high net worth individuals, families, senior executives, private trus- open: 14th November 2020
tees and executors on a full range of private legal matters, including complex residential property solu- Vacation scheme 2021 deadline:
tions, immigration, tax and succession issues, pre-marital advice, divorce and family. 28th February 2021
Real Estate & Planning: We work for many of the leading national residential and commercial devel- Open day deadline:
opers, national house builders, investors and fund managers. This includes commercial real estate and See website

regeneration, planning, development, corporate finance, funds, tax, construction, asset management Salary and benefits
and property litigation capability. First-year salary: £36,000
Second-year salary: £39,500
Training opportunities Post-qualification salary £58,000
Trainees will be placed in four departments in six month placements. We encourage early responsibility Holiday entitlement 24 days,
and substantial client interaction. You will usually sit with a partner or associate and may be given the plus bank holidays, plus one
opportunity to manage your own files, subject to suitable supervision. extra day at Christmas

We have a well developed in-house development programme which draws upon the expertise of part- Sponsorship
ners, associates and guest professionals. As well as legal training, we also provide business skills training LPC fees: Yes
such as presentation skills, project management, networking and client development. GDL fees: will be paid in excep-
tional cases
Vacation scheme
We hold a two week vacation scheme in July 2021. The scheme is open to law and non-law students
who have already completed their first year of study and can start a training contract with us in 2023.
The True Picture

We provide each successful applicant with £150 per week to assist with expenses and travel costs.

Other benefits
We have a flexible benefits package which includes core benefits such as: pension, life assurance, income
protection and private medical insurance. Optional benefits such as: dental cover, health cash plan, gym
memberships, cycle to work scheme and childcare vouchers.

Open days
We hold an open day in July 2021 for law and non-law students who have already completed their first
year of study. This is part of the 2023 training contract process.

University law careers fairs 2020

BBP Law Fair, London Law Fair and others – please see our website.

617
Org ID: 460 2 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................
 W Winston & Strawn London LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Winston & Strawn London LLP

The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Location: London How to get into Winston
Overseas offices: 15
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 15/19/5
Seats: 4x6 months
First-year salary: £48,000
Qualification salary: undisclosed

Spreading its wings from the Windy City, W&S lifts a select flock of
fledgling lawyers into its practice mixing aviation with core corporate and
litigation.

The Firm creased during the Covid-19 pandemic. The small office
How good are you at remembering names? For trainees lends itself to an “informal NQ process, there isn’t really
joining megafirms with hundreds of colleagues, it’s an es- an incentive to have a structure in place. You simply make
sential skill. There is an alternative – firms like US-born your preference known to HR and the department of choice
Winston & Strawn, with an international practice but and then it depends on cost and availability,” sources ex-
a small enough UK headcount that Dory the fish could plained. W&S retained its solo qualifier in 2020.
probably get by. “Having a small intake and familial cul-
ture” in the London office is exactly what attracted inter-
viewees to complete a vacation scheme with Winston and The Seats
make their way in. Trainees advised that “applicants need Trainees described starting Winston’s signature avia-
to understand they won’t be joining a massive firm. You’ll be tion financeseat as “jumping into the fire. This seat is so
a big fish in a small pond and it’s essential to make waves intense because deals are being churned out every week.”
earlier on in your career to then help you progress.” The quick deal flow results in a higher level of client con-
tact and responsibility for trainees: “We just have to get on
Winston’s London office may be on the petite side, but its with it and quickly reach out to clients to get all the signa-
global operation is anything but: the firm boasts 15 offic- ture pages and chase up any missing items before closing.
es worldwide including nine in the US alone. The Chinese Day-to-day tasks would also include drafting documents,
arm of Winston had a shakeup recently: the firm closed monitoring conditions, connecting signature pages and put-
its Shanghai office and began a partnership with local ting together bibles.” The nature of the department’s work
firm YuanDa. Here in Britain, W&S is perhaps best known – funding international travel – means “each aviation deal
for its aviation finance department, the sole practice to has a cross-border element” to it. BNP Paribas, Deutsche
score a ranking from Chambers UK – it’s important enough Bank and the Development Bank of Japan are on the cli-
to get its own dedicated seat available to trainees. Win- ent list; Winston recently advised the Aviation Capital
The True Picture

ston London is small but growing, thanks to lateral hires Group on the recovery of aircraft and engines that were
like the recruitment of tax partner Ed Denny in April 2019 on lease to Thomas Cook, following its insolvency. Train-
from US rival Orrick. ees said aviation finance is a good first seat as “it may not
be the most academic in terms of content, but it’s a seat
“You will be a big fish in a small pond and which teaches all the necessary skills you need as a trainee
so it’s essential to make waves earlier on.” to then do well in other seats. It’s heavy on project manage-
ment and you have to be methodical in your approach.”
Our trainee sources all completed seats in disputes, cor-
porate and competition and picked between the general
finance or specialist aviation finance department for their
last. The firm hinted there may be some more flexibility Seat options: corporate; competition; finance; tax;
and options in the future: for example, litigation work in- aviation; litigation/arbitration

618
chambersstudent.co.uk Winston & Strawn London LLP W
Chambers UK rankings Trainee Life
Asset Finance
“We speak with the US offices on pretty much every single
deal we do,” insiders explained. “Some departments like
litigation are also very well connected to the firm’s Euro-
A disputes seat covers litigation, regulatory, white-collar pean offices.” The London office culture “definitely isn’t
investigations and international arbitration. Trainees tend Americanised, it’s its own place,” they suggested, even if
to be “mainly involved on arbitration matters as well as the firm hosts a big Thanksgiving lunch and cupcakes on
some general commercial litigation.” Winston’s internation- 4 July. Sources argued that “if there’s an opportunity to
al arbitration work includes a mix of investor-state dis- celebrate something and feed people, then it will happen!”
putes and commercial matters for clients like real estate More ‘British’ social events include breaks for strawber-
investment firm Century Bridge Capital and breast im- ries and cream during Wimbledon, and bingo and darts
plant manufacturer Sientra. Trainees must keep abreast evenings. One source recalled a minor culture clash when
of research and “standard” admin tasks; those we spoke colleagues from the US came to deliver a training ses-
to noted that “trainees are expected to get fully on board, sion: “Let’s just say they realised that elevator pitches just
whether that’s drafting a memorandum or researching en- wouldn’t work with a British person. That was very amus-
tire areas of law for partners who need to draft their par- ing.”
ticulars. We’ve been expected to give our opinion on client
calls and send direct emails on the smaller arbitration mat- One very positive influence that’s survived the trip over
ters.” Winston’s commercial litigation practice often takes the Atlantic is a dedication to pro bono. All partners, as-
on an international flavour; here too you’ll find “standard sociates and trainees have a minimum target of 35 hours
trainee tasks including drafting holding letters and re- to meet each year and “the uptake is generally pretty
sponses, filing court applications and researching discrete regular.” We’re told that one of the trainees is typically
legal issues,” according to our interviewees. in charge of sending out weekly emails listing pro bono
opportunities for everyone to ‘bid on’. These range from
“This seat is so intense that deals are being providing free legal advice at the Royal Courts of Justice
churned out every week.” Advice Bureau and Battersea Legal Connect to volunteer-
ing at soup kitchens and charity drives.
The competition department in London may be small, but
it works for big names like Hitachi Metals and Sberbank, “Because the work is so international,
a Russian retail bank that required advice for an applica- there’s never a moment in the day when
tion to the General Court to remove EU capital market ac-
someone isn’t online.”
cess sanctions. “Alongside competition, the team also does
general regulatory matters and data protection,” insiders If that makes you think trainees have plenty of spare
revealed. The trainee role here is “much more research- time on their hands, we’re afraid you’re quite wrong. An
based. We’re investigating points of EU or antitrust law, put- average day for our interviewees ran from 9am to 7pm;
ting together case summaries and helping to draft filings aviation finance seaters worked the “most late nights. Be-
and answers to relevant competition authorities.” cause the work is so international, there’s never a moment
in the day when someone isn’t online – the email traffic is
Winston’s corporate team focuses on mid-market M&A always coming in.” Despite having to commit to 3am clos-
deals for listed and international companies, with a spe- ings, sources appreciated that “partners always acknowl-
cific focus on US-based clients investing in the UK. On edge the late nights and thank us. Everyone is really good
the books you’ll find Groupon, Mind Gym and financial with not worrying about face-time and they’ve made it clear
data company Morningstar, which the firm advised on its that if there is no work to do, we can leave.”
$669 million acquisition of credit rating agency DBRS.
The team also works on UK deals like the Blenheim Estate As a Winston trainee, “you pretty much just get on with it.
The True Picture

owners’ acquisition of Pye Homes. Trainees may also get We had around two hours of IT training on the first day and
to see IPOs and bond issuances. Their role on deals starts a brief chat with the training principal and that was it.” Al-
with “obvious admin tasks such as drafting corporate sum- though this style suited trainees, we did hear some sug-
maries and filings to corporate houses, editing documents, gestions for the firm to introduce “refresher sessions on
researching client enquiries and responses, and drafting the fundamental concepts of the seats.” The firm recently
corporate finance documents such as letters of relief.” hosted an aviation-focused session following the Thomas
Despite having to start at the bottom of the ladder, our Cook administration – more may be needed in the wake of
sources “thoroughly enjoyed” working with the partner- Covid-19, which has devastated the industry.
heavy corporate team as they had the opportunity “to see
the full corporate spectrum and gain exposure to multiple
different transaction types.”

619
 W Winston & Strawn London LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Grab a cup of covfefe:

If you make it to the Winston vacation scheme, be
prepared to explain to an alien “how Donald Trump became
president” – it was a question when our sources completed
interviews. 
The True Picture

620
www.chambersstudent.co.uk
chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of
Winston & Strawn Law Firms
London LLP W

Winston & Strawn LLP

CityPoint, One Ropemaker Street, London EC2Y 9AW
Tel: 020 7011 8700 Twitter: @winstonlaw Partners: 14
Email: [email protected] Facebook: winstonstrawnllp Associates: 18
Website: winston.com/en/who-we-are/careers/ Instagram: @winstonstrawnllp Total trainees: 5
UK offices: London
Overseas offices: 15

Firm profile Contacts

For more than 160 years, Winston & Strawn LLP has served as a trusted adviser and advocate for Graduate recruiter:
clients across virtually every industry. In that time, the firm has built a law practice with tremen- Alexandra Wooster,
dous breadth and global reach. [email protected]
020 7011 8777
We are proud of the many accolades we have received over the years — a tribute to our lawyers’ Training partner: Paul Amiss,
creativity, flexibility, depth of experience, and commitment. [email protected]
020 7011 8778
Winston’s London office advises high-profile, multinational clients on their cross-border and in-
ternational needs. When it comes to our employees, our goal is to maximise individual potential Application criteria
with professional development opportunities, while emphasising the firm’s culture and contribut- Training contracts pa: 2 av.
ing positively to the community. Minimum required degree
grade: 2:1
Main areas of work Vacation scheme places pa: 10
Winston has approximately 1,000 lawyers across its 16 offices. Winston’s London office provides
Dates and deadlines
high-quality legal services in a diverse range of areas including cross-border corporate and finance,
Training contract applications
project and transportation finance, private equity and venture capital, litigation, international ar- open: Trainee offers made
bitration, contentious regulatory, and EU antitrust/competition services. subsequent to participation in
vacation scheme

Training opportunities Vacation scheme applications

• 4x6 months open: 15th October 2020

Vacation scheme 2021 deadline:
15th January 2021
Vacation scheme
You can get to know us through our two-week vacation scheme, designed for students who wish Salary and benefits
to apply for a training contract with the firm. It is intended to provide you with hands-on experi- First-year salary: £48,000
ence across our various practices, while exposing you to how our London office functions. On top Second-year salary: £52,500
of training, you will also enjoy attending our office social events. The two-week vacation scheme Post-qualification salary:
takes place annually in July. £100,000
Holiday entitlement: 25 days
We use our vacation scheme to identify and recruit future trainees, and we accept vacation scheme (5 carry over)
applications from:
• Penultimate-year and final-year law students (law students on a four-year course should apply Sponsorship
in their third year of study) LPC fees: Yes
• Final-year non-law students GDL fees: Yes

• Postgraduates Maintenance grant pa: £7,000 in

• Any other graduate wishing to commence a training contract in two to three years’ time London/£6,000 outside London

We use our vacation scheme to identify and recruit future trainees.

Remuneration £400/week
The True Picture

Other benefits
Private medical, dental, cash plan, life assurance, income protection, season ticket loan, gym loan,
employer pension contribution, ten days of paid sick leave per 12 months, up to 20 weeks of fully
paid parental leave.

621
Org ID: 3677 0 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................
 W Withers LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Withers LLP
The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Location: London, Cambridge How to get into Withers
Overseas offices: 15
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 163/258/25
Seats: 4x6 months; overseas seats
First-year salary: £38,000
Qualification salary: £68,000

A premium private wealth practice is the jewel in the crown of this

international outfit.

The Firm corporate side of the business has “continued to expand

Private client law’s appeal lies in “helping individuals and rapidly” following Withers’ acquisition of boutique JAG
practising with a more personal angle,” according to train- Shaw Baker in 2018, “bringing a lot of IP, tech and start-up
ees at Withers. For those looking to kick-start their prac- work into the firm.” Sources noticed this had kick-started
tice at “the very highest level,” this firm is well worth a a “revolving door of business” between the firm’s corpo-
look. The Chambers High Net Worth guide has long ranked rate and private client arms, with “constant cross-referrals
Withers among the top firms for private wealth advisory going both ways. After all, when someone trusts you to
and disputes; this is also one of very few firms to earn a manage their affairs on a personal level, why wouldn’t they
top spot from Chambers Global for its private client work trust you to help run their business as well? It’s a natural
on an international level. Appropriately enough, the firm progression.” In 2018/19 the firm’s revenue increased past
markets itself as WithersWorldwide: you’ll find 15 of its the £190 million mark (although profits per partner de-
offices overseas in New York, Singapore, the British Vir- creased due to a growing global headcount).
gin Islands and other exotic destinations, complementing
the London HQ. Looking at the firm’s commercial side, Chambers UK
ranks Withers highly for family, employment, art and cul-
This global identity is a rarity in the private client world tural property law, charities, Court of Protection work,
and tells us this is a firm with a more dynamic client base. fraud, tax and defamation. Highlighting the pace of the
Interviewees were quick to extol the benefits of this net- firm’s growth, one insider pointed out that “the interna-
work: “As the world becomes more globalised, people are tional arbitration team didn’t even exist a few years ago,
increasingly moving themselves and their assets across but in the time that I’ve been here it’s become massively
multiple jurisdictions, especially if they’re wealthy. It’s vi- successful, representing states and large financial institu-
tal to have an international footprint.” Conscious of a few tions.” Our sources unanimously reasoned that the firm
unsavoury stereotypes attached to the secretive world of has made great progress “moving away from its image as a
private wealth management, our sources were keen to private client giant towards being a full-service outfit,” add-
The True Picture

state that “it’s absolutely not just about helping stuffy, old, ing that “it’s significantly broadened the pool of candidates
rich men push their wealth into offshore trusts to avoid tax. that Withers can appeal to.”
For example, you might be assisting entrepreneurs fulfil
philanthropic goals with their millions.”
The Seats
“It’s absolutely not just about helping Before each rotation, trainees submit three preferences
stuffy, old, rich men push their wealth into for the next seat. “If you put down employment or IP, HR
typically asks you to submit a fourth because they don’t al-
offshore trusts to avoid tax.”
ways take on a trainee at every rotation,” trainees shared.
What’s more, there’s more to Withers than private cli-
ent work. As one source summarised: “You have a huge Seat options: wealth planning; family; commercial; real
breadth of seat options for the training contract.” The estate

622
chambersstudent.co.uk Withers LLP W
Chambers UK rankings ning has gone wrong. You deal with a lot of Inheritance Act
Agriculture & Rural Affairs Employment
1975 claims,” one trainee explained. “A dispute may arise
Art and Cultural Property Family/Matrimonial
if someone dies and leaves their estate to their cats and
Law Fraud
dogs instead of the family, for example. It can be frustrating
Charities Professional Negligence
because the main witness you need to question is dead!”
Court of Protection Tax
Perhaps you could call on a medium? Trainees here had a
Defamation/Reputation range of responsibilities from preparing papers for High
Management Court claims to drafting applications for the removal of
a trustee. One source added: “A lot of the time we’re re-
quired to consult barristers for advice on various issues,
As well as being required to complete at least one con- which is great exposure for us trainees.” Withers also acts
tentious seat, a source reasoned that “statistically you’re on cases with historical slants, such as representing the
also likely to complete a seat in private wealth and in one Nizam of Hyderabad (an Indian state that hasn’t existed
of the real estate groups.” An assortment of international since 1948) in a claim to £35 million that was held by
secondments are available, which in recent years has banks since its dissolution.
included spots in Singapore and Hong Kong. Some felt
the Milan seat was particularly sought after, with “oppor- If there’s anything more stressful than inheritance claims,
tunities to work with high-profile fashion brands” and Ita- it might be divorce proceedings –especially when they in-
ly’s uber wealthy. As one way of smoothing the process, volve millions of pounds of assets spread over multiple
trainees can rely on partner mentors “who help walk you jurisdictions. Step forward, the familyteam. “It’s a great
through how to best build your training contract – not just in seat and the one thing that stood out for me was the level of
terms of what you enjoy, but what is best for your develop- client contact,” a trainee told us. “There wasn’t a week that
ment.” went by that I didn’t have face-to-face contact with the cli-
ent, in court or in a meeting.” Another added that “partners
“A dispute may arise if someone dies and are aware there’s a risk of you ending up in bundling hell,
leaves their estate to their cats and dogs and they make efforts to include you on cases. I’ve drawn
up attendance notes, asset schedules, costs and witness
instead of the family…”
statements.” Though the majority of work is divorce-re-
More than 200 lawyers make up Withers’ private wealth lated, it’s certainly not all the team tackles: interviewees
team globally; nearly half of the firm’s fee earners are also spoke of opportunities to work on immigration, chil-
dedicated exclusively to this area of law. Matters run the dren’s and sometimes even rare domestic violence cases.
gamut of the private client spectrum including landed In all the different matter types, sources emphasised
estates, immigration, probate, international trusts, tax, the importance of “showing empathy and some emotional
pensions and philanthropy issues. “A typical case might awareness when you’re in the room with a client.” We can’t
be a probate issue where a collection of valuable artworks disclose any names – the wealthy do like to keep their pri-
or multiple properties spans four different jurisdictions; or vacy.
perhaps helping a client set up a complex family limited
partnership… something a regional firm couldn’t handle,” “There wasn’t a week that went by that I
one source explained. The specifics of clients and cases didn’t have face-to-face contact with the
are confidential, but the firm claims to have worked for
client, in court or in a meeting.”
well over half of the Sunday Times UK Rich List in the
past. Cases are also often measured in the hundreds Withers’ corporate team advises a mix of fashion, sports,
of millions and even billions of pounds… “As a trainee, I luxury brands and tech clients on public and private M&A,
probably worked for around 25 different fee earners by the joint ventures, financings and more besides. Trainees
end of the seat,” one source said, while another similarly pointed out that “you’re often still working with individual
The True Picture

recalled “being staffed on around 20 matters at any given clients as owners of the business rather than the business
time.” Plenty of drafting opportunities are available for itself. It means you still have that personal angle.” Insiders
newbies to cut their teeth on in the form of wills, letters of also described opportunities to work “on huge deals with
wishes and lasting powers of attorney, on top of some oc- publicly listed companies,” including the likes of Racing
casional opportunities to travel for client meetings. “The Point UK and Evolve IP. The team recently acted for the
most interesting meetings are when you get to visit the cli- selling shareholders of tech consultants Symphony Ven-
ent’s home,” one source revealed. “I’ve been to a few excit- tures during the company’s £52 million sale to Sykes En-
ing places where I’ve walked in and felt super out of place!” terprises. While some found their time in team corporate
dominated by “one huge transaction,” others spent their
The firm has a trusts seat that’s distinct from private seat engaging with more start-up and early-stage busi-
wealth, albeit with some overlap. “It’s a similar area of law ness work. One such source explained that “you deal with
and is mainly there for when some aspect of wealth plan- a lot of the foundational corporate law including the direc-

623
 W Withers LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

tors’ duties and articles of association you learn about at characterised Withers as a firm that “respects the fact
law school.” that people have lives outside of work and that sometimes
you do just want to go home and see other people that
The litigation and arbitration departments are “func- aren’t your colleagues.”
tionally separate,” but both fall under Withers’ disputes
umbrella. “If one team is particularly busy you might get “In my opinion, if you can’t survive – or even
pulled in to help, but generally you only work within one of thrive – on a £68,000 NQ salary, something
the teams,” sources explained. Here’s one trainee’s experi-
is wrong with you.”
ence of the arbitration practice: “It’s a lean team so it feels
like you can really sink your teeth into the cases. We’ve With most trainees finishing their work day between
recently been representing a company suing a sovereign 6.30 and 7pm, there’s plenty of time left for out-of-office
state: I’ve helped draft memos, interpret the enforcement of galivanting. One trainee provided a frank assessment of
an award in a country, and prepare research.” The firm has the working culture: “For me to be consistently billing ten
recently represented 79 Russian private individuals suing chargeable hours a day, I’d have to work 14 hours –I don’t do
for over $27 million after a bank’s collapse; and Juventus that. The firm is very clear at the beginning of the training
footballer Paulo Dybala in arbitration brought against him contract that they don’t expect us to work all hours under
by Maltese company Star Image over the player’s image the sun because they don’t pay us enough to justify doing
rights. Reputation management and data protection cas- so.” Another source had a similar perspective, suggesting
es also find their way into this department. that “if you want to join a firm that will provide you with
a sky-high bank balance and have you working until 11pm
every night, look at other firms. In my opinion, if you can’t
Trainee Life survive –or even thrive –on a £68,000 NQ salary, something
Keen to thoroughly address any preconceptions of what is wrong with you.” That told us. Withers trainees aren’t
working in the private client sector entails, our interview- wholly exempt from busy periods, with some logging fin-
ees described their firm as “made up of a younger part- ishes close to midnight. We did hear that “if you’re consist-
nership than you might expect,” complete with a “modern ently working past 8pm, partners will often approach you
office and modern approach to working.” Withers’ office and ask why you are working so late.” The message – don’t
space on 20 Old Bailey is open-plan and encourages hot- try toohard.
desking. Looking back to their beginnings at the firm, one
source recalled: “In both my interviews, there was much During their final seat, trainees roll through a series of
more of a calm, conversational feel. I get the sense that meetings with training principals and HR before listing
good humour goes a long way when applying.” up to three departments as qualification options. Eve-
rybody then gets to interview with their departments of
Our insiders explained that “Withers is not a firm with a choice, as long as there’s potential space for them. With-
culture of going out every night.” That said, there are plen- ers doesn’t provide a general list of jobs, “which isn’t fun,”
ty of sports teams for trainees to sign up to and several one of our sources deadpanned. The firm tells us it opts
departments run fairly regular drinks events. More sober for a flexible approach in order to accommodate quali-
activities include “a competitive chocolate-making class fiers’ preferences. Trainees were reassured by the idea
between two trainee cohorts” (everyone’s a winner!) and a that “the firm definitely tries to keep on as many people as
mid-lockdown “virtual breakfast club.” Ultimately, sources it can.” And in 2020, Withers retained all eight qualifiers.

Private wealth to public wealth:

The True Picture

Withers is one of a handful of law firms that helps fund

the Law Society’s Diversity Access Scheme, aiming to help
candidates from disadvantaged backgrounds into the legal
industry.

624
 www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
chambersstudent.co.uk Withers LLP W

Withers LLP
20 Old Bailey, London EC4M 7EG
Tel: 020 7597 6000 Fax: 020 7329 2534 Twitter: @WithersRecruits Partners: 189
Email: [email protected] Facebook: WithersWorld Associates: 258
Website: www.withersworldwide.com Instagram: withers_recruitment Total trainees: 32
Linkedin: withers-llp Total staff: 1,129
UK offices: 1
Overseas offices: 16
Firm profile
Withers is a leading international law firm dedicated to the business, personal and philanthropic inter- Contacts
ests of successful people, their families, their businesses and their advisers. Graduate recruiter:
Graduate Recruitment
The firm’s mission is to offer a truly integrated legal service to people with sophisticated global wealth,
recruitment@withersworldwide.
management and business needs. Withers’ reputation in commercial transactions and litigation, along com
with its status as the largest private client team in Europe and leading family and trust disputes teams, 02075976244
sets it apart from other city firms. The firm is consistently ranked amongst the top international law Training partner: Rachel Hawkins
firms in its major practice areas.
Application criteria
Main areas of work Training contracts pa: 11
The wealth of today’s private client has increased considerably and many are institutions in their own Applications pa: 900
right. We have responded to these changing legal needs by broadening our international base and Minimum required degree
strengthening our range of legal services to offer comprehensive advice to its clients. The firm has un- grade: 2:1

paralleled expertise in commercial and tax law, trusts, estate planning, litigation, charities, employment, Minimum A levels: AAB

family law, immigration and other legal issues facing high net worth individuals. Work is often interna- Vacation scheme places pa: 18

tional due to the complexity of our client base which includes some of the wealthiest global citizens. We Dates and deadlines
have acted for 70% of the UK Sunday Times ‘Rich List’ and a significant number from the US and Hong Training contract applications
Kong ‘Forbes’ rich lists. Trainees who speak a relevant language may have the opportunity to complete open: 1st November 2020
a seat in one of our offices abroad. Training contract deadline, 2023
start: 30th June 2021
Training opportunities Vacation scheme applications
Each year the firm looks for a diverse mix of trainees who are excited by the prospect of working with open: 1st November 2020
leaders in their field. Trainees must have an excellent academic background and great attention to de- Vacation scheme 2021 deadline:
tail. Team players with leadership potential are of interest to the firm, as is an international outlook and 31st January 2021
foreign language skills. Open day deadline date:
28th February 2021
Trainees spend six months in four different departments. Working in a team with a partner and an as-
sistant solicitor provides autonomy, responsibility and fast development. Buddy and mentor systems as Salary and benefits
well as on the job training ensure trainees are fully supported from the outset. First-year salary: £38,000
Second-year salary: £40,000
Vacation scheme Post-qualification salary: £68,000
The firm runs two-week long placements at Easter and over the summer in London. Apply online by Holiday entitlement: 23 days
31st January 2021 for places in 2021. Interviews take place between January and March.
Sponsorship
Open days and first-year opportunities LPC fees: Yes
The firm runs an open day for first-year law students in April. Apply online by 28 February 2021 for
th
GDL fees: Yes
a place in 2021. Maintenance grant pa: £5,000

Other benefits
The True Picture

International and regional

The firm offers a wide range of benefits including: flexible gym membership, private medical, season Offices with training contracts:
ticket loan, lifestyle discount etc. London, Hong Kong
Overseas seats: Geneva, Hong
Kong, Milan

Org ID: 463 3 Out Authorised by: ......................................................................

625
Date: ............................
 W Womble Bond Dickinson UK LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

Womble Bond Dickinson UK LLP

The facts On chambersstudent.co.uk...
Locations: Newcastle, Leeds, Bristol, London, Southamp- How to get into WBD
ton, Plymouth, Edinburgh, Aberdeen
Overseas offices: 19
UK partners/solicitors/trainees: 125/522/49
Seats: 4x6 months; client secondments
First-year salary: £22,000-£38,000
Qualification salary: undisclosed

Womble Bond Dickinson combines transatlantic reach with a “fantastic

reputation” in the regions. 

The Firm “We’re proud to be the biggest firm operating in the area,”
Womble Bond Dickinson has a lot of the features you’d while sources in Southampton were similarly assured of
expect to find in a transatlantic mega firm. It’s full-ser- the firm’s  “fantastic reputation.”   For  one trainee in a re-
vice for one. It has a sizeable lawyer headcount in the gional office, “it’s the only firm in the area that I considered
UK of almost 700 for another. It also pulls in some pretty applying to.”   Ultimately,  our interviewees agreed that
hefty global revenues just shy of half a billion US dol- “though the  firm is always looking to secure more cross-
lars. On the US side it has 19 offices in key legal markets border work,”  regional and national-level work makes up
including Washington DC, LA, Boston, Houston and Sili- the lion’s share of most trainees’ workloads. 
con Valley, and North Carolina. Here in the UK, the firm’s
spread of offices covers London, Leeds and Bristol, plus Further proof of WBD’s stellar reputation throughout the
some more unexpected, regional locations in Newcastle, country can be found in its  Chambers UK  rankings. As
Southampton and Plymouth. It also has Scottish bases in well as having a ton of top regional rankings, particularly
Edinburgh and Aberdeen. in the North East and the South (go to chambers.com to
see the full list), the firm is considered a national leader
“We’re proud to be the biggest firm outside of London in no fewer than ten different practice
operating in the area.” areas, including top accolades in banking and finance,
employment, litigation, planning, and real estate.
The origins of the firm’s eclectic geographical mix can
be traced back to 2017, when the then UK-national out- WBD recruits around 25 trainees a year. The group is
fit Bond Dickinson merged with American giant Wom- split fairly evenly between the northern and southern of-
ble Carlyle.  “The merger has brought many positive ben- fices, with Newcastle and Bristol tending to take in the
efits,”  one of our interviewees reasoned. “For example, in largest chunks. Moving between offices over the course
my first seat we received a referral from the US for a client of the training contract “isn’t unheard of,”   trainees indi-
The True Picture

looking to do an acquisition in the UK. It provided an inter- cated, but neither is it common.
esting contrast to the national and local work we typically
do.”  Down in London, “the office has doubled in size since I
have been here,” a trainee told us. “That’s been stimulated
by our US connection. There’s lots of people from the US Seat options: oil and gas; real estate; planning; casu-
walking round the office and it feels like we are the focal alty risks; professional risk; corporate; employment;
point of growth.” property litigation; finance; commercial disputes; bank-
ing and insolvency; commercial; private capital; IP/IT;
But our interviewees were also keen to emphasise public services; regulatory; insurance; transport; energy
that  “though the  big transatlantic merger might give the & natural resources; operational property; agriculture;
impression that the attention is shifting away from the re- charities; private client; private capital; construction;
gions, that isn’t the case.”  Those in Newcastle maintained: developers & investors

626
chambersstudent.co.uk Womble Bond Dickinson UK LLP W
Chambers UK rankings There’s a broad spectrum of work under WBD’s  dis-
Agriculture & Rural Affairs Litigation
putes umbrella including IP litigation, antitrust and com-
Banking & Finance Local Government
mercial disputes. A number of trainees we spoke to had
Charities Media & Entertainment
also sat in the insurance ligation and professional liability
Commercial Contracts Partnership
teams. “In London, it’s been a huge growth story,”  one insid-
Construction Pensions
er told us, adding: “When I started with the firm, the team
Corporate/M&A Planning
was just a few fee earners, but it’s now a team of 15 lawyers.
Data Protection Professional Negligence
We do everything from accountant negligence to issues re-
Education Public Procurement
lating to architecture and construction.”  Trainees appreci-
Employment Real Estate
ated that “there are a number of small claims that you are
Energy & Natural Real Estate Litigation
able to run with oversight from an associate and partner. It
Resources Restructuring/Insolvency
means you’re able to do the first draft of the liability report
Environment Retail
that goes to insurers.”   One source estimated their time
Health & Safety Social Housing
was split  “60% drafting and 40% research.”   While there
Information Technology Tax
are  a number of  clients specific to the firm’s regional
Intellectual Property Transport
bases on the firm’s books, such as Plymouth University
and local councils, cases are often staffed cross-office.
For example, lawyers from across the firm’s UK network
recently defended the Post Office against a group action
The Seats by over 500 claimants based on a claim that the Post Of-
While the firm’s offering as a whole is full-service, some fice’s IT accounting system was defective.   
of our interviewees felt there needed to be “more visibility
during the application process in regard to which seat op- “I did a lot of GDPR and mediation work
tions are available in each office.”  For example, “you’re not for companies ranging from multinational
going to find an agriculture seat in London,”  there’s no pri-
organisations all the way down to high-
vate client department in Southampton, and you’ll have
to head to Leeds to complete a seat in pure IP. “Current- street retailers.”  
ly there isn’t an employment seat” in London, where “you’re
also very likely to do an insurance seat at some point.” WBD’s commercial team comprises five sub-teams: com-
mercial contracts, competition, data and privacy, IP, and
The majority of  trainees will complete a client second- technology. Like litigation, the team works together as a
ment either in their third or fourth seat (some disgruntled national unit with representatives in most of the UK of-
trainees in Leeds told us they hadn’t had the opportunity fices. There’s an eclectic mix of clients including New
due to the firm’s business needs). The secondments often Look, TSB, the Ministry of Justice and the  Department
mean trainees relocate to London for six months. One for- for Transport, which the firm recently supported with a
mer secondee explained that “the firm was very support- variety of Brexit-related commercial issues regarding the
ive” while they were away: “I was put up in a flat near the roads, rail, aviation and maritime sectors.  The firm also
office and the firm was always in communication with me.”   recently advised Network Rail on the £150 million rede-
velopment of Gatwick Airport Station.One trainee told
Corporate  is one of the firm’s largest teams and works us that “it’s a team with a lot of support staff and parale-
with national and regional clients on a range of transac- gals,”   freeing up time for trainees to engage in tasks
tions. In Leeds, sources told us that the office has a par- such as drafting contract amendments, enjoying direct
ticular focus on private equity, while the Southern offices client contact, and conducting research. Another told
are known for their energy, retail and financial sector us: “I did a lot of GDPR and mediation work for companies
focuses. For example, the firm recently acted for energy ranging from multinational organisations all the way down
The True Picture

company RES Group on the  £37 million  sale of a  wind to high-street retailers.”  
farm in Northern Ireland to Italian green energy company
ERG. In Newcastle, the team recently advised packaging Our London interviewees identified banking and fi-
company Mpac on its £15 million acquisition of Lambert nance  as another “big growth story.” One source men-
Automation. Starting out, trainees’ responsibility tends to tioned their recent involvement “representing a syndicate
lean towards administrative tasks such as  “compiling of banks on a huge real estate finance deal worth hundreds
responses from other teams, PDF  management and  bib- of millions of pounds – that was a real game-changer in
ling.”  But once they were up to speed, trainees cut their terms of value for us.” The team recently advised Ad-
teeth drafting board minutes, completing stock transfer venture Forest (which owns Go Ape) on a refinancing.
forms and taking charge of the due diligence process.   In Leeds, the firm represented Homes England in con-
nection with a £150 million development facility for the
development of 660 new homes and an 11,000-seater

627
 W Womble Bond Dickinson UK LLP chambersstudent.co.uk

stadium on the former Wimbledon dog track. One insider told us: “If I made a mistake, they are happy to explain how
explained that “a lot of the time it was just me and a partner to deal with it.”  Even in London, where working cultures
working on a deal. I was charged with running the entire can often be more intense, trainees insisted that  “it’s a
conditions precedent checklist and coordinating with four fun office to work in.”  For example, “we have a pop-up pub
different banks on one deal.”   in the office once a month and when the notification email
goes out, there are always funny photoshopped photos of
A seat in restructuring offers trainees a blend of conten- the partners who host the drinks.”  
tious and non-contentious work. The firm has  a number
of well-known financial institutions on its books including “We had a day out in the forest throwing
Deloitte, KPMG, Lloyds and Santander. The firm recently axes and trying out some archery before
advised Byland UK on its acquisition of fashion brand LK
heading to the pub.”
Bennett from administration. “At the start of my seat I was
assisting an associate on various contentious matters,” said Trainees indicated the offices were  fairly sociable, al-
one, “but by the end I was running the files myself.”  Others though some felt that there could be more going on. “A
we spoke to reported working closely with partners  “to lot of the socialising is on us as trainees,” a Leeds source
produce first drafts of witness statements and letters be- said.On the plus side, trainees do “make efforts to arrange
fore action.”  The firm has also represented the Secretary a drink whenever we have PSC training,”   which takes
of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy in place in Newcastle for northern trainees and in Bristol
winding up companies in the UK and overseas on the for those down south. There are also annual team days
grounds of public interest after investigations conducted that bring all office departments together. For example,
by the department’s insolvency service.  the commercial team recently reconnected with nature
(sort of). “We had a day out in the forest throwing axes and
trying out  some archery before heading to the pub for
Trainee Life lunch,” a novice archer explained. “I think we all needed
WBD may be part American, but it certainly doesn’t ad- to blow off some steam after GDPR!”   Elsewhere, there’s
here to the late-night working culture associated with plenty for trainees to throw themselves into, whether it’s
US firms. As one trainee in London told us, “many people joining one of the sports teams (football, netball, rugby
in the office, including the most senior partners, have kids or running) or helping with charity fund-raising events.
and families so the office tends to empty out by 7pm.”  That Each office partners with a chosen charity, which it as-
doesn’t mean trainees don’t roll their sleeves up when sists with fund-raising, mentoring, volunteering and pro
there’s work to do – we spoke to trainees in Bristol who bono work. In Bristol, the firm partners with local charity
had the odd finish approaching midnight, for example. SARSAS, which provides support to survivors of rape and
But for the most part, trainees can expect to be clocking sexual assault.  
out between 5.30pm and 6.30pm. 
In normal times, WBD’s qualification process is  fairly
There’s no denying the UK’s regions have different iden- standard: trainees can apply for two jobs in any of the
tities and idiosyncrasies, but interviewees across WBD’s firm’s offices. However, in response to the pandemic the
offices made it clear that the firm bridges geography with firm has taken the decision to delay the entire NQ process
a shared culture. For starters, they said there’s no strict until March 2021 and is requiring all its trainees to com-
hierarchy between different levels, and “people don’t take plete a fifth seat.  Though many of our interviewees  ini-
themselves too seriously.” In other words, “you can have fun tially reacted a little frostily to the news, most ultimate-
and a more causal relationship with partners.”  This meant ly agreed that “it’s better to have a job in March than be out
that trainees had “no reservations picking up the phone to of a job in September.”  
a partner when you don’t understand something.”  Another
The True Picture

And finally...
The law firm of the future… Go to Spotify, Apple Podcasts
or our website to listen to our podcast with WBD on how
tech is transforming the legal industry.

628
www.chambersstudent.co.uk A-Z of Law Firms
chambersstudent.co.uk Womble Bond Dickinson UK LLP W

Womble Bond Dickinson

4 More London Riverside, London, SE1 2AU
Tel: 0845 415 0000 Fax: 0845 415 6900 Twitter: @WBD_Careers Partners: 126*
Email: [email protected] Instagram: @WBD_Careers Associates: 523*
Website: www.womblebonddickinson.com Total trainees: 51*
*UK figures
Facebook: Womble Bond Dickinson (UK) Careers
UK offices: Aberdeen, Bristol,
Firm profile Edinburgh, Leeds, London,
Newcastle, Plymouth,
Womble Bond Dickinson’s regional heritage and local knowledge, combined with a transatlantic reach,
Southampton
gives us the insights capable of unlocking more opportunities for our clients and our people. Overseas offices: 19
With locations on both sides of the Atlantic, we provide the breadth of legal experience and services to
Contacts
meet our clients’ needs without losing connections within our different communities. These strong lo- Graduate recruiter:
cal and regional ties enable us to remain close to the issues our clients and our people. A UK Top 20 and Joanne Smallwood,
Global Top 100, all service commercial law firm, Womble Bond Dickinson has more than 420 partners [email protected]
and 1,000 lawyers based across 19 US cities and eight UK cities. The firm’s reach also extends to Europe 0191 2799046
Training partners:
where it has strategic partnerships with other law firms in Germany and France.
Simon Hughes and Paul Stewart
We take our commitment to being a Responsible Business very seriously and care about the impact of
our actions on our people, our local community and the environment. Building sustainable relation- Application criteria
Training contract pa: Up to 25
ships through partnerships with charities, community projects and our own initiatives and networks,
Applications pa: 1200-1500
we are determined to play a strong role in creating better places to live, work and do business. We want Minimum required degree
our actions to have real social value impact, and so focus our activity on social mobility, BAME and grade: 2:1 (all applications are
LGBTQ+ communities. Hoping to give empowerment and unlock potential with Education, Employ- considered)
ment and Entrepreneurship. Vacation scheme places pa: 90+

Dates and deadlines

Main areas of work Please visit website for applica-
In the UK, Womble Bond Dickinson advises in excess of 40 FTSE 350 companies, many of the largest tion information. We encourage
early applications
businesses in the country, government organisations and wealthy individuals. With a focus on twelve
key sectors (public, government and third sector; technology, healthcare; insurance, manufacturing; Salary and benefits
real estate; retail and consumer; transport, logistics and infrastructure; pharmaceuticals, biotechnology First-year salary:
and life sciences; technology and private wealth). Bristol and Southampton -
£30,000; Leeds - £27,000;
London - £38,000; Newcastle
Training opportunities - £26,000; Plymouth - £28,000;
At Womble Bond Dickinson we look for intellectually able, motivated and enthusiastic graduates from Scotland - £22,000
Second-year salary:
any discipline or background. Successful applicants will understand the need to provide practical, com-
Bristol and Southampton -
mercial advice, show diversity of thought and share the firm’s commitment to self-development, team- £32,000; Leeds - £29,000;
work and its desire to provide clients with services that match their highest expectations. London - £40,000; Newcastle
- £28,000; Plymouth - £30,000;
Our training contract forms part of our early talent pipeline. Trainees at Womble Bond Dickinson will Scotland - £24,000
have an opportunity to spend six months in four Business Groups, gaining a real breadth of experience. Post qualification salary:
This is your training contract and it’s up to you to make the most of it, but along the way we offer fan- Competitive
tastic opportunities to develop your legal career in a growing firm. Our supervisors are trained and fully (benchmarked annually)
supported on an ongoing basis. You’ll have access to high quality work and senior client contact. We Sponsorship
regularly second trainees to our most high profile clients. LPC fees: Full cost of the course
We’re looking for people across seven of our UK offices. There is no typical Womble Bond Dickinson plus £6,000 grant
GDL fees: Full cost of the course
trainee - our trainees come from varied backgrounds and bring a range of different experience, and
The True Picture

plus £6,000 grant

that’s very important to us. What all of our people do share is an enthusiasm for law and a passion for
our business. Beyond that we look for our trainees to have a strong academic background, although International and regional
this is not the only criteria we use when shortlisting applications. It’s as important to us that candidates Offices with training contracts:
Bristol, Edinburgh, Leeds,
can demonstrate honesty, drive and motivation, good communication skills, resilience, adaptability, London, Newcastle, Plymouth,
diversity of thought and commercial sense. Southampton.
Client secondments: Yes
Vacation scheme
We run one-week long summer work placements which form part of the recruitment process. You’ll
need to take part in our work placement scheme to apply for a training contract. During the week you’ll
get involved with the business as a whole as well as learn more about the firm’s culture, the people who
work in the business and get a feel for the work of a junior lawyer. Applications open on 1st October
2020 and we encourage early applications.
For more information and to apply please visit our website.

Org ID: 583 0 Out Authorised by: ...................................................................... Date: ............................629

 Here they are.

20 life-changing opportunities.
20 spaces for future partners.
20 chances to start your
career with an ambitious,
international firm.

At Stephenson Harwood,
we’re looking for the most
inquisitive, driven people
to join us.

Have you got what it takes?

To find out more, visit
shlegal.com/futuretalent

Stephenson Harwood.
We welcome the best.

Follow us
@shfuturetalent
 S EEK ING
E XC ELLENC E

Vacation schemes Training contracts See our website for

open day details
Apply by Apply by
8 January 2021 9 July 2021 for 2023 start uktrainee.wfw.com