Best in Law 2016

Best in Law 2016

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WELCOME

W elcome to the 2016 edition of LawCareers.Net’s Best in Law magazine . Best in Law has a very specific purpose – to bring together everything that makes legal training and recruitment (and candidates) excellent. Best in Law is a guide that is designed to help you take the step from being a good candidate to an excellent candidate. This requires both a big-picture understanding of what you are embarking on and that you absorb some key tips that could be the crucial difference between success and failure. First, we look at how to identify excellent employers and give examples of what they might look like. Much of this information is drawn from the results of the 2016 LawCareers.Net Training & Recruitment Awards. These were based on an extensive survey of trainee and newly qualified solicitors, frankly assessing their own experiences and cumulatively providing an accurate assessment of which firms excel at giving candidates and those fortunate enough to become trainees the best possible start. Best in Law features nine in-depth profiles of award- winning firms. We suggest that you look at all of these to identify what aspects these organisations have in common and work out what questions to ask of any prospective employer you are researching.

Second, we address the art of researching and understanding the legal market and the players within it. It seems an obvious thing to say, but the better your knowledge, the better your chances. To this end, we look at what’s happened to the profession in the last year and the ongoing stories every lawyer will know about. We also examine how the business and legal worlds interact, as well as the relationship between lawyers and their clients. Finally, we look at the techniques that could launch your career and some of the issues that may be holding you back which, if addressed, will push you to the front of the pack. Are your applications as good as they can be? Do you understand your own key skills and strengths? Are you performing well at interview? Are you being realistic? Where can you improve? We lift the lid on all of this. Remember, Best in Law exists so that you can achieve excellence. Use it to open your eyes to the task in front of you and to ensure that you give yourself the best possible chance of a career in the legal profession. Good luck!

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LawCareers.Net

Best in Law 2016

Managing director Sinead Dineen [email protected]

Business development director Matthew Broadbent [email protected]

Content manager Antonio Ignatius [email protected]

Digital communications coordinator Bethany Wren [email protected]

Senior editor Isla Grant [email protected] Editor Josh Richman [email protected] Editorial services director Carolyn Boyle

Contributing editors Rowan McIntyre, Liz Rutherford-Johnson Group directors Guy Davis, Tony Harriss, Mark Lamb Design & production manager Neal Honney [email protected]

Design & production Russell Anderson [email protected] John Meikle [email protected] Photographer Tina Hillier [email protected] Printer Acorn Press, Swindon Published by Globe Business Media Group New Hibernia House Winchester Walk London SE1 9AG T 020 7234 0606 E [email protected] Copyright © 2016 Globe Business Publishing Ltd All rights reserved

ISSN 1745-445X

Price £20

No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means including photocopying and recording without permission. Permission must also be obtained before any part of this publication is stored in a retrieval system of any nature. While every attempt has been made to ensure the accuracy of this publication, the publishers cannot accept responsibility for any errors, omissions, mis-statements or mistakes.

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CONTENTS

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The LawCareers.Net

Who’s the best

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Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld Baker & McKenzie Farrer & Co LLP

Training & Recruitment Awards 2016

14 18 22 26 30 34 38 42 46

Forsters LLP

Mills & Reeve LLP Osborne Clarke LLP

Shoosmiths

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Winners & nominees

Sullivan & Cromwell LLP

Taylor Walton LLP

Law Lecturer of the Year

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Best informed

Be the best

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50 59 64

Research your way to

Burning questions A year in the law The commercial year

a training contract Networking: a how-to guide 74 Are you commercially aware? 76 Do you have the key skills 79 every recruiter wants? Experience required Application master class how to impress Assessment centres: how to prepare and perform well Training contract interviews 81 83 86 Vacation schemes: 88 90

made easy A dose of reality

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Best in Law 2016

T he LCN Awards have been a key fixture in the legal calendar for more than 15 years now. Recognising excellence in training and recruitment across the profession, from the City to the high street, they help prospective and current trainees to gauge the performance of firms and identify those that can provide them with the best possible start to their careers.  This year’s bash was held at Merchant Taylor’s Hall in the City of London, where representatives from over 70 top firms convened to celebrate the achievements of those which go the extra mile in the time- honoured fashion of a formal awards ceremony followed by a decidedly less formal knees-up. LCN’s Matthew Broadbent got things underway by reflecting on the current pace of change in a profession which has long had a reputation for tradition and conservatism, but is now opening up more avenues to entry than ever before. Training contracts have been supplemented by the equivalent means route, which allows those with sufficient paralegal experience to qualify as a solicitor; while legal apprenticeships

– which free prospective lawyers from the expense of university altogether – are also on the rise. However, there is still considerable progress to be made in other areas – not least in terms of gender equality, where the radical idea of implementing quotas is gradually gaining traction as a practical way to redress the balance. All the more reason, then, to shine a spotlight on those progressive firms which are helping to advance the profession by shaping the next generation of lawyers. The LCN Awards are based on a comprehensive survey of over 2,000 trainees and newly qualified solicitors, who report back on everything from vacation schemes, assessment days and interviews to seats, supervisors and training principals. As Broadbent concluded: “The LCN Awards are a real proving ground, painting a really accurate picture of which firms do a great job in recruitment and training. All the nominees should be congratulated, as the competition across every category is fierce.” Mills & Co was the first winner of the night, as Best Recruiter in the

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THE LAWCAREERS.NET TRAINING & RECRUITMENT AWARDS 2016

Small Firm category, while Zyda Law won the gong for Best Trainer. Taylor Walton bagged the Best Recruiter award in the Medium-Sized Regional Firm category, with Tees Law named Best Trainer. In the National/Large Regional Firm category, Best Recruiter went to Osborne Clarke LLP, while Shoosmiths – a regular high achiever at the awards – was recognised as Best Trainer. There was stiff competition among the London firms, but Forsters LLP emerged triumphant as Best Recruiter in the Medium City Firm category, while Farrer & Co took home the Best Trainer award – the latest in a litany of accolades in this area for the firm. In the Large City Firm category, Baker & McKenzie scooped Best Recruiter, while Nabarro LLP was honoured with the Best Trainer Award. Among the US firms with offices in London, Arnold & Porter (UK) LLP took home the award for Best Recruiter, US Firm in the City; Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld likewise earned kudos as Best Trainer. There was also recognition for the leading vacation/work placement schemes, which are a crucial part

of so many firms’ recruitment processes. Mills & Reeve LLP took the sought-after prize for Best Work Placement Scheme – Regional Firm, while Bird & Bird soared above the competition to take the same award among the City outfits. LCN also awards a Commendation for Diversity each year; this time the judging panel included Melissa Andrewes, director at Rare Recruitment, and Chris White, founder of Aspiring Solicitors. In a unique result, two firms – Hogan Lovells and Simmons & Simmons LLP – were honoured as joint winners for their stellar work in the field. The judges commented: “What was clear from the submissions of both firms is that diversity and inclusion is being promoted from the top down and the bottom up. This combination is essential to increase diversity in the legal profession across all underrepresented groups.” Next came tributes to those training principals whose dedication deserved special mention. Ben Perry of Sullivan & Cromwell LLP was named Best Training Principal – Small Trainee Intake, while Giles Chesher of Squire Patton Boggs impressed in the Large

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THE LAWCAREERS.NET TRAINING & RECRUITMENT AWARDS 2016

Trainee Intake category.

Last but not least, the Law Lecturer of the Year Award for 2016 went to the University of South Wales’ Benjamin Jones, who received a flood of nominations from the students who have benefited from his inspirational teaching. As the lights came on and taxis and trains spirited the great and good of the legal profession back home, it was tempting to wonder what the backdrop for next year’s awards would be in a profession – and indeed a wider society – in a state of ongoing change and uncertainty. But whatever the outlook, it is encouraging to know that so many dedicated individuals and teams have the enthusiasm and expertise to shepherd the lawyers of tomorrow to the very top of the profession.

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Best Work Placement Scheme – City Firm - Bird & Bird - K&L Gates LLP - Kennedys - Kirkland & Ellis International LLP

- Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe (Europe) LLP - Sullivan & Cromwell LLP Winner: Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld

WINNERS & NOMINEES

Best Recruiter – National/Large Regional Firm

- Nabarro LLP - Olswang LLP Winner: Bird & Bird

- Burges Salmon LLP - DLA Piper UK LLP - DWF LLP - Freeths LLP - Irwin Mitchell

Best Work Placement Scheme – Regional Firm - Bevan Brittan LLP - Bond Dickinson - Burges Salmon LLP - Michelmores - Mills & Reeve LLP - Veale Wasbrough Vizards LLP Winner: Mills & Reeve LLP - Ian Gascoigne – Eversheds LLP - Samantha Roberts – Reed Smith - Lynn Knight – Shoosmiths - Giles Chesher – Squire Patton Boggs (UK) LLP - Kirstie McGuigan – Taylor Wessing - Suzanne Todd – Withers LLP Winner: Giles Chesher – Squire Patton Boggs (UK) LLP Best Training Principal (large trainee intake)

Best Recruiter – Large City Firm - Allen & Overy LLP - Baker & McKenzie - Bird & Bird - CMS - Hogan Lovells - Macfarlanes LLP - Slaughter and May Winner: Baker & McKenzie Best Trainer – Large City Firm - Ashurst LLP - Charles Russell Speechlys LLP - Dentons - Herbert Smith Freehills LLP - Nabarro LLP - Reed Smith - Taylor Wessing Winner: Nabarro LLP Best Recruiter – Medium City Firm - Bristows LLP - Forsters LLP - Russell-Cooke Solicitors - Mayer Brown International LLP - RPC

- Osborne Clarke LLP - Pinsent Masons LLP Winner: Osborne Clarke LLP Best Trainer – National/Large Regional Firm - Bond Dickinson - Eversheds LLP - Shoosmiths - Squire Patton Boggs (UK) LLP - TLT LLP Best Recruiter – Medium Regional Firm - Mundays LLP - Roythornes Solicitors - Taylor Walton LLP - Thomson Snell & Passmore - Trethowans LLP - Wilkin Chapman LLP - Withy King Winner: Taylor Walton LLP - Walker Morris LLP - Weightmans LLP Winner: Shoosmiths

Best Training Principal (small trainee intake) - Maria Mulroe – Herrington - Carmichael LLP

- Peter Todd – Hodge Jones & Allen LLP - Nicola Hill – Kingsley Napley LLP - Ben Perry – Sullivan & Cromwell LLP - Tracy Harris – Taylor Walton LLP - Letitia Glaister – Tees Law Winner: Ben Perry – Sullivan & Cromwell LLP

- Travers Smith LLP - Wedlake Bell LLP Winner: Forsters LLP

Best Trainer – Medium Regional Firm - Birketts LLP - Blandy & Blandy LLP - Coffin Mew LLP - EMW Law LLP - Foot Anstey LLP - Stevens & Bolton LLP - Tees Law Winner: Tees Law

Best Trainer – Medium City Firm - Bircham Dyson Bell LLP - Farrer & Co LLP - Goodman Derrick LLP - Hodge Jones & Allen LLP

Commendation for Diversity Hogan Lovells Simmons & Simmons LLP

- Kingsley Napley LLP - Marriott Harrison LLP - Withers LLP Winner: Farrer & Co LLP

Law Lecturer of the Year - Daniel Berger – University of Hertfordshire - Michael Gordon – University of Liverpool - David Hodgkinson – University of Derby - Caroline Hunter – University of York - Benjamin Jones – University of South Wales - Mary Lee – University of Sussex - Ryan Murphy – Aston University Winner: Benjamin Jones – University of South Wales

Best Recruiter – Small Firm - Atherton Godfrey - EC3\Legal LLP - Mills & Co - The Endeavour Partnership LLP - Thackray Williams LLP Winner: Mills & Co Best Trainer - Small Firm - Clarkson Wright & Jakes Ltd - Curzon Green Solicitors

Best Recruiter – US Firm in the City - Arnold & Porter (UK) LLP - Cooley (UK) LLP - Covington & Burling LLP - Kirkland & Ellis International LLP - Shearman & Sterling (London) LLP - Weil, Gotshal & Manges Winner: Arnold & Porter (UK) LLP Best Trainer – US Firm in the City - Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld - Latham & Watkins - Milbank Tweed Hadley & McCloy - Morrison & Foerster (UK) LLP

- Maples Teesdale LLP - Wrigleys Solicitors LLP - Zyda Law Winner: Zyda Law

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Best in Law 2016

LawCareers.Net tells you everything you need to know about becoming a lawyer, whatever stage you’re at in your education and life. The site boasts a huge amount of information, advice, news and features, and contains the only comprehensive directory of employers offering training contracts and pupillages. It also provides a free membership area where you can store and manage the research you do on the way to starting your career as a solicitor, barrister, legal executive or paralegal.

WHO’S THE BEST?

No two law firms are the same, but each of the winning firms at the LawCareers.Net Training & Recruitment Awards satisfied some core requirements that set it apart from its peers. Shining examples all, the reports on these winners should allow you to put together a list of criteria to apply in your search for the very best firm for you. What is the firm’s market position and who are its clients? This will give you an idea of where the firm sits in the legal market when compared to its competitors and the type of work that it does. Identify its clients – big, small, businesses, individuals – to flesh out the picture further. How does the firm treat and develop talent? Obviously, the best sort of firm will treat its talented staff well and help them to grow, so you might like to find out what sort of training is offered at the early stages of your career and beyond. PSC? CSR? Time off to do pro bono work? A little investigation should reveal how the To get started, here is a selection of questions that it is useful to ask:

firm feels about professional (and personal) development.

What are its core values? This can sometimes be a harder concept to pin down, although increasing numbers of firms are including overt statements about their ‘visions’ on their websites and in their recruitment literature. Do some sleuthing and see whether its values are a good match for yours. Is it recommended? A top-notch firm will be recommended to others, and this is where client guides such as Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners come into their own. They provide a useful synopsis of the firm’s strengths in various practice areas, supported by client quotes. Individual lawyers will also be singled out, so you can get a sense of the high fliers at the firm – particularly useful if you’ve got an interview coming up. What do trainees say? A great firm will have its praises sung by the people who work there. Nowhere is this more beautifully evidenced than in the following profiles. The winners got their gongs by virtue of the scores and comments we received from trainees and newly qualifieds – those who are undisputedly in the best position to assess how well the firm is recruiting and training. These award winners are the best at what they do – read on to discover how they got to the top and what they offer that sets them apart from the rest.

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Best in Law 2016

AKIN GUMP STRAUSS HAUER & FELD

LCN AWARD WINNER 2016 BEST TRAINER – US FIRM IN THE CITY

W hat is better than coming up with your own award-winning graduate recruitment scheme? How about inheriting one that is fully formed and the perfect fit? In 2014 the London office of US firm Bingham McCutchen, along with its Hong Kong and Frankfurt offices, was laterally acquired by another US heavyweight, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld. Bingham had already been running a successful training contract programme, but it was new to Akin Gump. Vicky Widdows, director of international legal recruiting and development, had been involved with graduate recruitment at Bingham and was delighted by the response the team received from the new firm: “We brought our training across with us and it has been incredibly well embraced. Sebastian Rice, London managing partner, and global chairperson Kim Koopersmith are both very supportive, and there is great enthusiasm from other senior lawyers. There is certainly no lack of interest in what we’re doing because they know the benefit to the firm of hiring great junior lawyers. That is also the beauty of a smaller office – you can walk around and have one-to-one conversations with everyone about the programme.” Vance Chapman, partner and training principal, concurs: “In terms of support from within the firm, I think that one of the benefits of Akin Gump taking on a developed programme that was already off the ground and flying is that it has been very well-received by all practice areas. Everyone is keen to have trainees working in their departments and the quality of our trainees has been great.” It’s certainly not a case of sitting back and rolling out the same format year on year – things are under constant scrutiny. “We are always looking at what can be improved,” explains Vance. “Part of the vacation scheme exit interview is getting feedback from the participants on what has and hasn’t worked for

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BEST TRAINER – US FIRM IN THE CITY

them, and what they’ve experienced elsewhere that we can learn from. In terms of the vacation scheme itself, we want it to be as close to the experience of a trainee or junior associate as possible; so while there are sessions and talks, the bulk of it is sitting with a supervisor doing actual work. We want them to have the experience of day-to-day trainee life in a firm like this.” A ‘firm like this’, as Vance explains, is “a commercial corporate firm that focuses on a number of key areas including hedge funds, distressed and financial restructuring, and emerging markets”. That tends to attract a certain type of self-starter, keen to work in a dynamic and fast- paced environment. “It won’t suit all personalities, so we’re looking

for people with intellectual curiosity who are solutions-focused, who enjoy immersive learning and are after complex work,” explains Vicky. “They will thrive here.” “Our practice areas are attractive to some because they’re in the news,” adds Vance. “We also give our lawyers the chance to express themselves and make the most of the opportunities that are given to them; so again, we tend to attract people who want that sort of training. We are about 100 lawyers here, so it’s small enough to feel that you know everyone – it’s not a factory! We are a warm and open office, and although people are busy and getting on with the job at hand, it’s also non-stuffy and there is limited hierarchy. That’s a virtue of the size and the specialisations – everyone

works very closely with one another – and what we’re trying to create.” Small size, solid reputation and interesting work were just a few of the draws for first-year trainee Rachel Beddoe when she applied (to what at the time was Bingham): “By training at a smaller firm I really liked that I wouldn’t be compromising on the quality of work – that was key. The vacation scheme gave me the chance to sit in a number of different departments, meet interesting people and get involved in actual matters. I felt that I got true insight into what life as a trainee would be like.” When it comes to smoothing the transition from academic law to life as a commercial lawyer, the firm does all it can to help its prospective trainees. Rachel appreciated its efforts to help arrange a work visa (she is Australian) and to advise which LPC subjects would best suit the training contract that awaited her. “We are in constant email touch with our future trainees all the way through the LPC and they are invited to our summer party and a Christmas event, which is a great way of introducing them to people at the firm,” Vicky adds. “We also encourage them to pop in if they’re ever in London. There is an ongoing dialogue, but it’s not forced. When they arrive, we run a comprehensive on-boarding process, filled with firm knowledge and training. We encourage them to always ask questions – there is no such thing as a bad one – and they tend to settle in very quickly. We keep an eye on how things are going and always ask whether they have enough or too

We are a warm and open office, and although people are busy and getting on with the job at hand, it’s also non-stuffy and there is limited hierarchy

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Best in Law 2016

AKIN GUMP STRAUSS HAUER & FELD

much work, and evolve their training based on that feedback.” Rachel describes how she eased in to life as a trainee: “You come in for the first week and then go off on the Professional Skills Course; it’s like dipping your toes in, having a break and coming back fully prepared. We then have monthly meetings with Vicky and regular formal and informal meetings with our supervisors, all to check on our progress and that we’re OK.” Vance confirms that the firm keeps a close eye on trainees’ wellbeing and progress: “You do need to be more self-starting than at some other firms, but it’s not as if we throw them to the wolves – we’re very conscious of the fact that they’re trainees, not zero-year associates! They are treated and protected accordingly. We give them the chance to take on responsibility, but of the right type and level, especially in the first seat.” Once fully embedded, the emphasis is on hands-on experience, as Vicky explains: “We favour a practical approach, so from the outset trainees sit with their supervisors, who are senior lawyers and partners, so that they are exposed to the complexity of legal work and different ways to approach things. They learn through practical examples and actual matters – we don’t run loads of generic lunchtime sessions.” Another example of that practicality is the model that sees trainees impart what they have learnt: “As part of their ongoing development, we get them to teach a subject back to their peers, which is a great way of reinforcing the learning model.” Rachel confirms that compared to the experiences of some of her contemporaries, the responsibility she has been given surpasses those at a similar level elsewhere: “You can take on as much responsibility as you can handle. I get the sense that in other firms where there are a greater number of trainees, they may get stuck with more mundane tasks. Here you operate more like an associate,

and I for one really appreciate the independence and freedom that comes from being able to do that.” She describes a recent work highlight as an example: “I was involved on all aspects of a recent restructuring deal. I know that at other firms trainees may only be involved in isolated elements, but that’s not the case here – you get stuck in, learn all about it and get to know the clients and the commercial background.” Working closely with supervisors is key to the trainee experience. “I sat with Vance in my first seat and got great insight into his work as a partner,” reports Rachel. “I think that’s a sign of the almost total lack of hierarchy here – all the partners are very friendly and approachable. One of the things I was keen to do was take on a manageable amount of responsibility at an early stage. Because we work closely with our supervisors, you’re able to talk to them and actively seek work that challenges you. If they see you putting the effort in, they will thank you, and it all helps to make you feel valued and supported.” Trainees also rely on one another: “The fact that we are a small intake – there are only three

others in my year – means that you get to know each other very quickly and can lean on each other.” Size is also something that Vance cites as a bonus: “Our trainees appreciate being part of a smaller group; they have to be independently minded and self-confident, but it also means that we have enough seats to give them a large number of options. We can even split seats if that makes sense – some trainees appreciate being able to do more practice areas over the same period of time.” Vicky muses on the secrets of the scheme’s success: “I think that we invest the right amount of time and energy into our programme. Our firm is all about superior client service and I consider the lawyers and trainees my internal clients. Most US firms have a similar drive and innovation to us, but I think that we are particularly keen on ensuring that our trainees get a personalised and tailored training experience.” While the office is obviously part of a much bigger global operation with a significant presence in the United States, because graduate recruitment is so different Stateside, US involvement in the training contract programme is

We’re looking for people with intellectual curiosity who are solutions-focused, who enjoy immersive learning and are after complex work

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BEST TRAINER – US FIRM IN THE CITY

Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld Eighth Floor Ten Bishops Square

London E1 6EG

T 020 7012 9600 E [email protected] W www.akingump.com

Method of application: Online application form

Application deadline: Apply by 15 July 2017 for training contracts commencing in 2019

Apply by 31 January 2017 for summer work placements

Method of selection: Panel interview

somewhat detached, as Vance explains: “The US offices are focused on their own summer associate programmes, and thus not really involved in the detail of the programme here. From time to time we find ourselves explaining the process to our US colleagues, but we always have good things to say, so it’s an easy sell!” Rachel would highlight the combination of practical experience alongside mentoring as the firm’s USP when it comes to training: “You work very closely with your supervisor, who takes an active role in ensuring that you feel comfortable and are getting to know the work and the people you work with. What I saw of the firm on the vacation scheme – friendly and approachable people, dedicated and hardworking lawyers, who are passionate about their work – has proven to be exactly how it is. It is very fast-paced, but friendly, and you are immediately made to feel part of the team. The quality of work has been excellent. I would choose here a thousand times in preference to anywhere else and I couldn’t recommend it more.”

Work areas: • Banking & finance • Capital markets

• Company & commercial • Competition & EU law • Corporate finance/mergers & acquisitions • Corporate tax • Dispute resolution • Energy & natural resources • Financial services • Insolvency/restructuring • Projects/project finance • Technology, media & telecommunications What trainees said: “What distinguishes the programme is that, similarly to the firm’s strategy, it is not set in stone but evolves with the needs of the team and the trainee.” “The firm is modern, flexible and focused on getting trainees the experience and training they need to help them reach their maximum potential.” “We have frequent firm-wide training lunches during which associates and partners from different groups give presentations on recent transactions the firm has worked on and changing areas of law. These are informal sessions, often with plenty of questions and are a good way to keep up to date with the work the other parts of the firm are involved in.” Offices: London

on experience-based learning, which has allowed me to be involved in complex and fast-paced work from the beginning of my training contract. I have been encouraged to take on responsibility early and feel comfortable doing so in the firm’s supportive environment.” “My learning and development is closely monitored by my supervisors who I work very closely with and everyone at the firm takes a keen interest in the training programme. The smaller teams mean you get to know everyone quickly and can get involved in as many different workstreams as possible.” “I love working with people who are really passionate about getting great results for their clients.”

By Isla Grant

“Akin Gump places great emphasis

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BAKER & MCKENZIE

LCN AWARD WINNER 2016 BEST RECRUITER – LARGE CITY FIRM

F or a veritable colossus of the legal scene – founded in Chicago in 1949 with the clear intention of going global, and now with more than 11,000 employees in 47 different countries worldwide – there is a surprisingly small-firm feel to Baker & McKenzie’s London outpost. This unique combination made a real impression on third-seat trainee Rachael Gibbons: “Throughout my training contact, I have never worked on anything that has just been UK based. I had the same experience on the vac scheme – I was struck by how genuinely global Bakers is. But even though that is the case in terms of work, the London office has a real sense of community.” Ed Poulton, graduate recruitment partner and dispute resolution partner, supports this view: “The size of the intake compared to the international nature of the work and firm is attractive – prospective trainees like that they can join a major firm, but be part of a relatively small and intimate cohort. You can also much more quickly become part of the team and take on as much responsibility as you feel capable of. That’s exciting at this stage of your career.” Ed’s involvement with the trainee programme is very personal – as it is for many of the firm’s partners: “Our new global chairman, Paul Rawlinson, is definitely very supportive. He was a trainee here and was in fact the graduate recruitment partner when I came to interview as a trainee. There is a continuum which fits in with the view that we are recruiting our partners of tomorrow – it’s not just lip service. We take that aspect very seriously and it feeds into the number of partners who were trainees here, including the previous two managing partners; it has become self-perpetuating.” And what was true for Ed remains true for today’s trainees: “What continues to define a training contract at Bakers is the blend of excellent-quality work and very early responsibility. As a trainee, you will have the chance to do things you might

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BEST RECRUITER – LARGE CITY FIRM

not have the chance to do at some of our competitors, and that attracts a particular type. It’s not for everyone, but for those who are keen on getting involved with exciting work beyond what you would expect of a trainee, it is one of our key differentiators.” For today’s trainees, some of that exciting work is the fallout from the Brexit vote, as Rachael reveals: “I am currently in the EU department and part of the Brexit team. I did a lot of preparatory work leading up to the vote, including two versions of the same memo – it was a bit terrifying making sure that I posted the right one on the morning of 24 June!” It was a Bakers event during her (non-law) undergraduate degree that made Rachael rethink the profession: “I liked how fun the case-law sessions were and was surprised to discover how being a lawyer was about working in a team and finding creative solutions to problems – it was the opposite of the image I had in my head! I then spent a year abroad, working in an ad agency. I was first in the marketing department, but swapped to the legal team as the work was much more interesting. It confirmed the impression I had got at the Bakers event.” Rachael duly secured a training contract following a vacation scheme in 2012, but found that her relationship with Bakers was firmly cemented well before the official start date: “We had a celebration drinks party after we received our offers and the firm stayed in touch in my final year at uni. During the GDL and LPC, we were invited to the trainee summer party, firm-wide Christmas party and several other events. Towards the end of the LPC, we were invited into departmental talks to help us figure out which of them we might want to choose as seats. It’s nice to have a bridge between the academic theory and what it means day to day.” Rebecca Ryalls, senior graduate recruitment and development officer, explains that forging these early bonds is a key priority: “Right

from the point of signing their offer, prospective trainees are encouraged to get involved with the firm as much as they would like. It definitely helps that they do the LPC with their cohort, so that when they start, they are doing so with friends. It also means they have a pool of people to call on if they’re nervous or worried.” “Doing the LPC together and coming into the office in advance all helps them to feel at home and creates a sense of esprit de corps when they eventually arrive,” agrees Ed. “They have a three-week induction, which is a chance to get their feet under the table and work their way round the building before they join their departments.” Even more welcoming for trainees is the determinedly inclusive culture that pervades the firm; a previous winner of the LCN Commendation for Diversity, Bakers is at the forefront of championing diversity within the profession. “I have always valued that you can really be yourself here,” enthuses Ed. “We take diversity very seriously and there is a genuinely open culture – whatever your background or experience, sexual orientation or even taste in music! The nature

of Bakers is that it was created from its inception as an international firm, so it has always been outward- looking. That transmits throughout the organisation, but particularly in the London office. There is space for everyone and by welcoming a breadth of people, we make ourselves attractive to students. There is no doubt that the organisation benefits from having a diverse workforce and set of experiences, so it makes business sense as well as being the right thing to do.” Rebecca highlights certain aspects of the recruitment process that are designed to realise this imperative, as well as taking into consideration the candidate experience. Not least is the fact that every application is vetted by a human being: “We get thousands of applications and we’re a small team, but we look at every single one, regardless of whether it meets the academic criteria – there is no filtering. We have also incorporated contextual >Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 54 Page 55 Page 56 Page 57 Page 58 Page 59 Page 60 Page 61 Page 62 Page 63 Page 64 Page 65 Page 66 Page 67 Page 68 Page 69 Page 70 Page 71 Page 72 Page 73 Page 74 Page 75 Page 76 Page 77 Page 78 Page 79 Page 80 Page 81 Page 82 Page 83 Page 84 Page 85 Page 86 Page 87 Page 88 Page 89 Page 90 Page 91 Page 92 Page 93 Page 94 Page 95 Page 96 Page 97 Page 98 Page 99 Page 100

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