Qualification

Our success is based on our ability to attract and retain the very best talent. People join us and stay with us because they enjoy exposure to high-quality work, and we attract high-quality work through the calibre of our people, and so on. But long-term our people stay with us because we provide opportunities for them to build individual careers that continue to challenge and stimulate.

After two years you will be ready to qualify into one of our practice areas. It's important to keep an open mind as you progress through your seats as many of our lawyers qualify into areas that are different to what they originally expected - the fact is that your ambitions and interests will evolve as your experience, training and career develops. As you approach the end of your training you'll be invited to apply to your preferred practice area and indicate the other areas that interest you. Your applications will be forwarded to the practice areas for consideration. Should you be unsuccessful in securing your first choice, Graduate Development will liaise with you regarding other qualification options. Our aim is to help our people to find the best possible fit for them and to retain as many of our trainees as possible. Last year our retention rate was 96%.

For some, particularly if you have language skills, there may be the opportunity to qualify into one of our overseas offices and begin building an international career from the outset. You could either qualify directly into the office or, after qualifying into a London group, take up an immediate fixed-term secondment overseas.

After qualifying and before moving in to your first position as a newly qualified lawyer, you will have the opportunity to take up to six weeks of leave - a mixture of both paid and unpaid leave, which you could choose to take as holiday or even undertake pro bono work - it's up to you.