Professional Development
Due to our relatively small intake of trainees, we are able to deliver a first-rate training programme which is tailored to individual and departmental needs.
Dewey & LeBoeuf University (DLU) provides a comprehensive curriculum which covers the essentials of legal practice and provides regular updates on the law and market practice. Courses include one-hour to full-day seminars which delve into the latest legal trends and the business of law with an emphasis on specific skills development. As a trainee with the firm, you can expect to participate in regular DLU training sessions and to attend internal seminars and external courses. All of our trainees will spend their first week with the firm on our intensive induction programme. We then run the "core elements" of the Practical Skills Course (PSC) in-house. You will also attend weekly departmental "trainee training" meetings, which are run by our associates and provide practical insights into relevant legal issues. We also encourage trainees to take part in pro bono work, which provides excellent hands-on learning opportunities and a rewarding experience for trainees who are keen to take part. Having run a trainee solicitor programme in the London office since 1996, some of our home grown senior associates are now key players in trainee training, supervision and in our pro bono committee.
Progress is formally monitored every three months at mid-seat and end-of-seat appraisals. We use the appraisal process to track our trainees' development as lawyers and to identify training needs. However, trainees are encouraged to seek feedback throughout their training contract from each of the lawyers for whom they work. Our trainees also keep a training diary to record their training, learning and development.
Associates and trainees in London participate with partners on key committees, namely the Pro Bono Committee and the Associate Relations Committee. The Pro Bono Committee is an active and committed group which manages the office's pro bono initiative. The Associate Relations Committee (known as the ARC) meets regularly with partners to raise questions and share information and ideas about the firm.
Our aim is to retain all our trainees. We maintain a very high trainee-retention rate and plan to recruit trainees who will become our future senior associates and partners. The final decision as to which practice area a trainee qualifies into is generally taken about four months or so before qualification. In the first two or three years after qualification, our lawyers are encouraged to gain experience in a broad range of work without specialising too early. As experience grows, junior associates typically develop an enthusiasm for particular specialisations, which they will be encouraged to develop.