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Starting a Training Contract with Allen & Overy is just the beginning of what will be a stimulating and rewarding legal career. Throughout the two years of your Training Contract, we will work closely with you to ensure you have the right support to develop into a successful commercial solicitor.
What will you do?
Your training will be based on four six-month rotations (known as ‘seats’) through a number of departments or practice areas, where you will sit with a partner or an associate.
Our dedicated HR for Trainees team will work with you to plan your four seats. Seats are available across our practice areas and allow trainees to experience the full range of work we do. You will have the opportunity to express your preferences, so you can spend time in the areas that are of particular interest (subject to business need). Our core transactional areas of expertise are Banking, Corporate and International Capital Markets; as a trainee you will spend at least twelve months of your Training Contract gaining experience in at least two of these areas. You will also explore the possibility of spending a seat on an international or client secondment.
Our trainees also need to gain contentious experience during their Training Contract, which they can do either by spending a seat in our Litigation department or, for those who do not sit in a Litigation seat, by completing a Litigation course. The Litigation course is run by Nottingham Law School and consists of five days’ tuition and regular visits to a legal advice centre throughout your Training Contract, to gain practical contentious experience and provide valuable pro bono help.
Training and support
One of the things our trainees value most about being at Allen & Overy is the award-winning training they receive. In each seat, you will sit with a partner or associate who will provide you with support and guidance, and you will take an active and practical role in the department’s work, with plenty of individual responsibility along the way.
In addition to learning practical skills such as drafting, transaction management, research and legal and office procedures, the experience you gain as a trainee will develop your professional conduct, particularly with respect to negotiation and communication with clients and colleagues.
Alongside your departmental work, you will complete the Professional Skills Course, which consists of three compulsory modules: client care and professional standards, advocacy and communication skills and financial and business skills, plus elective modules specific to Allen & Overy, such as financial economics, developing business relationships and negotiating a deal.
You will also have the opportunity to learn from some of the world’s top lawyers. As well as regular departmental training and updates, trainees can attend client seminars delivered by our partners and associates.
Training does not stop on qualification. At key points during your associate career, you will become eligible to attend the different stages of our bespoke global associate development programme, where you will be joined by colleagues from around the world. These sessions are run by internal and external experts, focusing on developing your strategic and commercial awareness and your ability to work effectively and with resilience. As you progress, the focus on managing client relationships and building a practice increases.
More Reasons to Apply
The best way to learn is from real-world experience. Even in the early stages of your career, you will be given genuine responsibility on client projects. That means that as a trainee, you will be making real contributions to real projects.
You will collaborate with senior lawyers, benefiting from a combination of support and autonomy; support and guidance is always available if you’re unsure of something, but you’ll also be trusted to use your initiative to deliver innovative solutions on client matters.
With Allen & Overy, you’ll be given the support to help you flourish whilst you have the opportunity to make an impact on work that matters.
What we look for
We look for individuals with potential: open-mindedness, innovation, collaboration, critical thinking. These are the skills that will set your application apart and set you up for success. There isn’t one ‘type’ of person we’re looking for: we welcome applications from all graduates who are passionate about commercial law and innovation, regardless of the university they attended and the degree they earned.
Our clients rely on us for more than just outstanding legal advice – they trust us to guide them through uncertain times, deliver business growth and advise them on the future. If you have the ability, ambition and the determination to make that happen, then you will be a strong candidate for a Training Contract offer.
