Training Contract

During the two-year Training Contract, you will experience the challenging high-performance world of commercial law and gain the breadth of experience you need to emerge as a confident solicitor in England and Wales. You will have four six-month rotations, giving you the opportunity to explore the firms practice areas. The majority of your seats are likely to be in our largest practice areas, Global Financial Markets and Corporate. You may have the opportunity to undertake an international secondment, a client secondment or a split seat secondment with our Disputes team and our Pro Bono clients.

Clifford Chance is one of the world's leading law firms, offering local and global client's expert advice on all aspects of commercial law. The firm has unrivalled scale and depth of legal resources across five continents and five core practice areas designed to meet our clients' most critical needs as they navigate increasingly complex regulatory and business landscapes.

You will grow to your full potential at Clifford Chance. Bring an open mind and collaborative approach, and you'll make the most of your talent when you join our global community. Our team work together across different roles and countries, sharing their knowledge, ideas, and experience to deliver legal advice and client services that are second to none. We welcome and value your contribution. We'll encourage your creativity and diversity of thought in a learning culture where you can flourish. With a wide range of development opportunities, you'll benefit from both on-the-job learning and formal training to enable your journey from trainee to qualified lawyer. We'll empower you to explore every opportunity – to make the progress you want.

Eligibility: Our Training Contract is open to law and non-law students. You must be eligible to start your Training Contract in August 2027 and/or February 2028. For further information on eligibility, please refer to our FAQs on our website. This programme is for the penultimate
year law (England and Wales qualifying law degree), final year law and non-law students and
graduates.

How to Apply:

• Complete the online application form
• Take the Watson Glaser critical reasoning test
• If you pass the Watson Glaser test, your application form will be reviewed
• Successful candidates at application review will be invited to a recorded video interview
• If you are successful at the video interview stage, you will be invited for an assessment day

Responsibilities:

Whilst your experience in each seat will be very different, in all of them you will develop your legal and business skills, gain insight into our high-profile clients, and enhance your commercial awareness. The tasks you undertake could include drafting and proofing documents, conducting due diligence on a client's acquisition target, attending client meetings, preparing documents for a court hearing, researching titles and leases on a real estate portfolio, or creating a data room ahead of a major transaction. You may even run some smaller transactions for our clients.

At the start of each seat, you will receive specialised training in that sector and a dedicated supervisor. Throughout your Training Contract, you will be closely supported by the Early Talent Development team, your Supervisor, Legal Support Manager, Resource Manager, and your Monitoring Partner. They will all be available to act as mentors and advisors on a full range of subjects, but it will be up to you to make the most of this support network. You will have access to learning and development support from the Clifford Chance Academy, arguably the legal sector's leading in-house learning and development facility.

The competencies that we look for in our Trainees include:

• Business awareness and problem solving with commercial insight and an ability to identify legal and business issues. You will need an inquisitive mind and an ability to articulate apply your knowledge creatively in a solution-focused manner with an ability to explore and analyse ideas.
• An ability to understand our clients needs and provide exceptional client service, putting clients at the heart of everything you do.
• Leadership and collaboration skills with a natural enthusiasm for being a team player.
• An ability to multi-task, remain organised and thrive through challenges in a fast-paced high-pressure and high-performance environment with demanding deadlines.
• Strong oral and written communication skills, including being reliable and responsive, and providing regular updates to team members when needed.
• An ability to demonstrate a real desire to learn from those around you and with an ambition to progress and gain exposure within the firm and with clients.
• The ability and desire to take pride in your approach to work and your work output, including proactively seeking feedback and taking responsibility for your own career. You will take ownership of your work, being proactive, solution-oriented, accountable, and committed to continuous improvement.
• Knowledge of and a genuine interest in the role, firm and our clients with an understanding of how this aligns with your skillset and career ambitions.

Further Academic Requirements:

If you are applying for our London Training Contract and you have not studied a law degree then you will need to complete the PGDL prior to joining us as a Trainee. Please note that if you are a Scots or Irish law student or graduate you may be required to do elements of the PGDL. All Future Trainees will also need to complete the SQE prior to joining us as a Trainee.All Future Trainees who have already completed the SQE will still need to complete the Clifford Chance Plus Programme, which is a bespoke course designed by our lawyers in collaboration with the University of Law. Both the PGDL and SQE are funded by Clifford Chance and we will provide a maintenance grant to use during your studies. More details can be found on our website here.

Hybrid Working:

During the first four weeks of each seat rotation, you are expected to be in the office at least four days a week. The role follows our 'balanced' hybrid working approach and as long as business needs allow, you will be supported to work in a hybrid way with the expectation of working from the office for a minimum of 50% of your time. But given you are learning on the job during your Training Contract, and a key part of this is learning from those around you, the reality is that many of our trainees are in the office at least four days a week.

Equal Opportunities:
At Clifford Chance we understand that our true asset is our people. Inclusion is good for our team and their families, our firm and society. We are committed to treating all employees and applicants fairly and equally regardless of their gender, gender identity and expression, marital or civil partnership status, race, colour, national or ethnic origin, social or economic background, disability, religious belief, sexual orientation, or age. This applies to recruitment and selection, terms and conditions of employment including pay, promotion, training, transfer, and every other aspect of employment. Our goal is to deliver an equality of opportunity, an equality of aspiration and an equality of experience to everyone who works in our firm. Find out more here.

Application deadline:
Thursday 21 November 2024 23:59