Innovative Work. Exceptional Training. Professional Development.
More than 150 years after the founding of our firm, Sidley today comprises a diverse group of legal professionals from many cultures who are dedicated to teamwork, collaboration and superior client service. The firm has built a reputation for successfully representing clients on complex transactional, regulatory and litigation matters spanning a range of legal areas. From our offices in the commercial, financial and
regulatory centres of the world, we harness our knowledge to provide thoughtful advice for the myriad legal and business challenges that our clients face.
As a Trainee Solicitor, you will have limitless opportunities to take on sophisticated, substantive work, grow as part of a thriving, diversified practice and collaborate with some of the best legal minds in the world. Hear from their trainees just here.
Diversity
Sidley has a long history of committed action to diversify our ranks, to build an inclusive and welcoming culture and to build the diversity of the greater legal profession. The London office plays an active role in promoting a workforce that reflects the diversity of the communities in which we live and work.
- We proudly support LGBTQ causes and sponsor both internal and external events to encourage networking and alliance among peers, including Out of America, an organisation that brings together LGBTQ lawyers at U.S. law firms in London to help drive meaningful LGBTQ networking internally.
- The Committee on Retention and Promotion of Women pursues strategies to maximise the firm’s success in retaining lawyers, promoting women associates to partnership and promoting women partners to positions of authority and power within the firm.
- In addition, we work with initiatives such as the Rare Contextual Recruitment System and PRIME to help improve access to the legal profession for people from all backgrounds.
Social responsibility
All employees in the London office are entitled to volunteer for local community organisations on up to two occasions each year. To facilitate volunteering, Sidley has teamed up with Benefacto to provide dozens of employee volunteering opportunities in the London area, including causes focused on health, education, homelessness, arts, disabilities and helping the elderly. Other ways in which we support our neighbours and neighbourhoods include:
- Matched giving: The firm will match your fundraising donation to any charity of your choice up to a limit of £250 payable once per year.
- Payroll giving: Payroll giving is a tax efficient way to make charitable donations. It enables you to make regular donations, tax free, straight from your gross pay to any UK registered charity of your choice.
Pro Bono
Empowering people and communities through pro bono legal work is an integral part of Sidley’s culture. Our pro bono programme allows our lawyers to provide high-quality legal service to individuals and organisations that otherwise would be unable to
afford legal representation. We consider every one of our pro bono matters important, whether they are of local, national or global significance.
Our London office is now offering paid pro bono fellowships for newly qualified lawyers as an alternative to qualification leave. The fellowship is a 5- to 10-week secondment to the legal team of a charity. The fellowships will be arranged on a case-by-case basis, but some options may include corporate and finance in-house opportunities, as well as public interest organisations working with
vulnerable members of society.
Since 2016, more than 50 lawyers from Sidley’s London office have contributed over 3,000 pro bono hours to the representation of people with disabilities before the Social Security Tribunal. The firm’s work has helped overturn decisions denying Personal Independence Payments (PIP) from the UK government that help individuals meet the additional costs associated with having a disability.
Living well at Sidley
As part of Sidley’s ongoing commitment to support the health and wellness of all of our lawyers and staff, the firm offers a range
of health benefits including:
- Complimentary access to Headspace meditation app
- Gym membership subsidy
- Employee Assistance Programme
- Private clinics for general practitioner appointments
- Cycle to work scheme
- Private medical insurance
The London office also hosts an annual “Living Well” month every May to increase awareness around mental health and well-being.
Other activities include on-site health checks, fitness classes, massages, reflexology, mindfulness and much more.
Market-leading Benefits
- £50,000 First-Year Salary
- £55,000 Second-Year Salary
- £135,500 Newly Qualified Associate Salary
- £11,000 Maintenance Grant (GDL and LPC)
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To find out more about Sidley and view their opportunities, click here.