Trainee Solicitors - Sullivan & Cromwell

Trainee Solicitors
AN EXCEPTIONAL OPPORTUNITY

Copyright © 2011 Sullivan & Cromwell LLP

ABOUT SULLIVAN & CROMWELL
Introducing S&C
Sullivan & Cromwell provides the highest quality legal advice and representation to
clients around the world. The results we achieve have set us apart for nearly 130 years
and become a model for the modern practice of law.
At S&C, there is no such thing as second best – our culture of meritocracy,
responsibility and opportunity ensures the success of each and every new employee.
We hope this brochure gives you an insight into S&C, and the factors that distinguish
us from other law firms. If you are interested in working with the world’s leading
companies on their most challenging matters, and you feel that you have the qualities
we are looking for, we encourage you to apply for a training contract with us.
1

History
Since its foundation in New York in 1879, S&C has been involved in some of the
most significant international business transactions and developments. This extends
from working on the development and financing of the Panama Canal to advising
governments, companies and investment banks on many of the major privatisations in
the UK and Europe and being at the forefront of most of the major transactions and
developments during the global financial crisis of 2008.
More information about the history of S&C can be found at:
www.sullcrom.com/about/history
In 2011, in its fourth annual
Transatlantic Elite survey, The Lawyer
named S&C as one of the “sweet sixteen”
law firms that will shape the global
market in the year ahead – the Firm has
been recognised every year since the
survey’s inception.
3

S&C London
The London office, established in 1972, is S&C’s largest office after New York. There
are approximately 65 English, US and dual-qualified lawyers working in the office
across a number of practice areas, including: M&A and private equity; capital
markets; credit, leveraged and acquisition finance; project finance; competition law;
criminal defence and investigations and tax. S&C London is perhaps unique in the
scale, complexity and significance of the work carried out in an office of its size.
Since 1999, S&C’s London office has included partners and associates advising on
English and EU law. Over the past decade, we have taken a series of initiatives to
strengthen and develop our English and EU law practice, while continuing to grow
the practice organically. The development of a trainee solicitor programme is an
important and exciting step in this organic growth. We expect to further develop the
practice over the coming years in response to the needs of our clients.
More information about the work recently done in the London office can be found at:
www.sullcrom.com/London-England
“They have the reputation of being
the Rolls-Royce of law firms and our
experience is that they really are –
they deliver a whole different kind
of quality.”
CHAMBERS UK
2011
5

Integrated Legal Services Worldwide
S&C has more than 700 lawyers across an international network of 12 offices on four
continents. We maintain a unified firm culture worldwide and provide our clients with
highly integrated legal advice on a global basis.
The office locations reflect our strategy to be present in key financial and business
centres where our clients are active. Approximately half the Firm’s clients are based
outside the US.
LONDON
FRANKFURT
PARIS
BEIJING
TOKYO
HONG KONG
ASIA/PACIFIC
EUROPE
100+ LAWYERS
35+ LAWYERS
Tokyo (1987)
London (1972)
Paris (1927)
Frankfurt (1995)
Hong Kong (1992)
Beijing (1999)
Melbourne (1983)
MELBOURNE
SYDNEY
Sydney (2001)
6

Unique Business Model
S&C is committed to being a global organisation. Unlike many law firms with an
international reach, S&C has built its network of offices not by acquiring firms or
hiring large numbers of lawyers from other firms, but by developing offices to serve
client needs and staffing them primarily with lawyers who have been with S&C for
their entire careers.
Almost all of our partners have spent their entire professional lives with the Firm, and
approximately half have spent a significant portion of their careers in more than one
of our 12 offices.
PALO ALTO
LOS ANGELES
NEW YORK
WASHINGTON, D.C.
Our business model sets
S&C apart from many
less integrated law firms
that are characterised as
“international” and from
other law firms that are
more domestic in their focus.
This provides a unique
opportunity for those lawyers
wishing to work on some
of the most interesting and
high-profile transactions,
both in Europe and across
the globe.
UNITED STATES
600+ LAWYERS
New York (1879)
Washington, D.C. (1977)
Los Angeles (1984)
Palo Alto (2000)
7

OPPORTUNITIES AT SULLIVAN & CROMWELL
Our success is the result of the quality of our lawyers, the most broadly and deeply
trained team of lawyers in the world. Since S&C was first founded, our approach has
been to recruit the very best US law school graduates and train them to be all-round
“generalist” business lawyers within broad practice areas. We promote lawyers to
partner almost entirely from among our own associates. The result is a partnership
with a unique diversity of experience, exceptional professional judgement and a
demonstrated history of innovation.
We are now replicating this model in London. Starting in September 2013, S&C
will for the first time employ trainee solicitors in its London office. By recruiting the
very best law and non-law students and graduates to train as solicitors with a view
to continuing their careers with us, we aim to continue the organic growth of our
London office and our English and EU law practices. We see our trainees as the
future associates and partners of the Firm.
“The selling point [of S&C] is that the
team is incredibly high calibre. There
are no weak links – including associates.
All their associates seem to have been
hand-picked; they’re all incredibly
bright and hardworking.”
IFLR 1000
2011
9

OUR TRAINEE PROGRAMME
The Programme
Although our London office has been in existence for nearly 40 years, we did not want
to start a trainee solicitor programme until we were confident that it would be one of
the best of its kind.
Training contracts with S&C will be divided into four six-month seats, covering at
least three practice areas as required by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. As a
trainee you will, in each seat, be supervised by a partner who is a leader in his or her
field, as well as other senior lawyers, to guide you through your work and help ensure
that you are engaged and challenged by interesting work. The partners and senior
lawyers you are working with will ensure that you see a range of outstanding work,
and receive guidance to help you make the transition from academic study to legal
practice.
We will offer our trainees the opportunity to do superior work, meet exceptional
people and grow in a supportive culture. We aim to distinguish our trainee
programme by offering genuine mentoring from partners and other senior lawyers
who will take a keen interest in your career development.
10

International Opportunities
Although our trainees will be working on international work every day in London, we
will aim to provide trainees who are interested in spending time in one of our other
offices with the opportunity to do so during their training contract.
This will primarily be in our New York or Hong Kong offices, although there may also
be openings for trainees to spend time in one of our other offices in Europe or Asia.
We have had a visiting lawyers programme in our New York office since 1949. Our
trainees who spend time in New York will have similar opportunities to those we have
provided to our hundreds of visiting lawyers over the past 60 years.
Quality of Work
We avoid routine and commoditised work, and focus on work which is interesting and
challenging. In all our practice groups, you will work with small teams of partners
and associates. Reflecting the integrated and international nature of our practice, the
teams will often include both US and English qualified lawyers in London, as well as
lawyers from other offices, working together in a highly integrated way.
From an early stage, you will be encouraged to take real responsibility. This will
include: preparing draft written advice; participating in meetings and conference
calls; dealing with clients and other lawyers on a regular basis; reviewing and drafting
contracts, notices, letters and other documents; reviewing and drafting public
disclosure documents; co-ordinating the signing and closing of transactions; carrying
out research into specific questions of law or practice and participating in discussions
on tactics and strategy.
You will be constantly challenged but, with help and guidance from our experienced
lawyers, you will soon find your feet.
11

OUR PRACTICE AREAS
General Practice
A seat in our General Practice group will provide a thorough and broad-based
training in the legal, technical and organisational skills required to be a successful
all-round business lawyer.
Our General Practice group in London is made up of lawyers working in a wide range
of different practice areas, including the following:
MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS
(M&A) – where we help clients of
all sizes to structure, negotiate,
complete and implement all types
of M&A transactions, including
acquisitions, disposals, joint
ventures, partnerships, minority
investments and strategic alliances,
across all industry sectors
CAPITAL MARKETS – where we work
with both issuer and underwriter
clients on some of the largest,
most complex and most significant
securities transactions, whether
involving shares, bonds or other
securities
PRIVATE EQUITY – where we
advise some of the world’s leading
privately managed funds on all
aspects of investments made by
them, including in relation to M&A,
consortium arrangements and
financing
PROJECT FINANCE – where we
advise project sponsors, lenders and
governments and other agencies
on the development, construction
and operation and financing of
some of the world’s most significant
infrastructure and natural
resources projects
CREDIT, LEVERAGED AND
ACQUISITION FINANCE – where
we work with borrower and lender
clients on all types of financing
arrangements (including bank and
bond financing being raised for
acquisitions, the refinancing and/
or restructuring of existing bank
or bond financing, or bank or bond
financing which is secured against
particular assets or revenues)
REAL ESTATE – where we work with
investors on their investments in
real estate transactions in a wide
range of countries
In other firms with a more departmentalised approach, each of these practice areas
would be organised so as to be separate and distinct from one another, and lawyers
assigned to one practice area would not work in any other practice area. We believe,
however, in exposing our lawyers and trainees to a wide range of different practice
areas, both to enable them to follow their interests and abilities as well as to help
them develop into better, more well rounded lawyers.
12

Competition
A seat in our EU competition law group will expose you to a varied spectrum of work.
This could involve merger control work, where you will work on competition law
aspects of M&A transactions and help obtain the requisite competition law approvals.
We also represent companies under investigation by the European Commission or
relevant national authorities for alleged breach of competition law, as well as providing
advice to clients on general competition law issues and on EU state aid issues.
Tax
The Firm’s UK tax group deals with a variety of contentious and non-contentious
UK and cross-border tax work, involving not just the London office but also other
S&C offices worldwide. We routinely advise on tax aspects of M&A, private equity,
capital markets and other financing transactions, the setting-up of investment funds
and the tax aspects of employee incentives. Tax is a fast-moving area, where EU and
other international developments are increasingly significant, and we are active in
publicising all relevant developments.
In 2009, S&C represented Silver Lake Partners and other
investors on their purchase of a controlling stake in Skype. In
2011, S&C represented the same parties on the sale of their
entire stake in Skype to Microsoft.
In 2011, S&C represented Apollo Management and CVC
Capital Partners on their $1.4 billion acquisition of Brit
Insurance, the sponsor of the England cricket team.
In 2011, S&C represented the underwriters on the €1 billion
bond offering by Jaguar Land Rover.
13

Formal Training
We believe that the best training is hands-on experience and we also recognise the
importance of formal training.
Your training will start even before you join us. In the year prior to joining, you will
undertake a Legal Practice Course (LPC) and Professional Skills Course (PSC) that
not only fulfil the mandatory requirements of the Solicitors Regulation Authority, but
have been specifically designed to prepare our trainees, and those from other similar
firms, for their future careers.
When you join us, you will take part in an induction programme introducing you
to the way we work in London and use of our information technology, library and
research, legal assistant and other office resources. You will also attend our week-long
orientation programme in New York, learning more about the Firm and getting to
know your colleagues from elsewhere in our network.
Throughout your training contract, you will attend regular formal group training
sessions on the key building blocks of commercial legal practice. These will include
a training programme designed specifically for trainees and given by our partners
and associates, as well as external speakers and training providers. In addition, all of
our other in-house training sessions will be open to our trainees to attend. Some of
these sessions involve video link-ups with other offices, helping you to get a feel for the
international issues relevant to our practice.
Pro Bono
S&C is committed to the communities in which we practise. The Firm encourages
lawyers to work on pro bono as a way to enhance skills through work that might not
otherwise be available to them. Our trainees will also be encouraged to do so.
Recent pro bono work undertaken in the London office includes advice to a number
of charities and not-for-profit organisations in the UK, the US and overseas. In
addition, a growing number of lawyers in the London office participate in the Lawyers
in Schools programme, in which they lead discussions on topics such as citizenship,
youth justice, human rights, family law and government in secondary schools in some
of London’s most deprived boroughs.
14

SUPPORTIVE CULTURE
We understand that, even for the brightest and most ambitious students and
graduates, the move from academic study to legal practice can be daunting. However,
by offering a friendly, supportive culture, with regular contact with partners and
associates who will guide and mentor you, we aim to make this transition as easy
as possible.
Our partners and associates operate an “open door” policy and will be only too happy
to find time to talk to you about issues you encounter. The broad range of our practice
means that we all, even at the most senior level, encounter new issues and challenges,
and a collegial and supportive approach is key to the Firm’s continued success.
Life at the Firm is not all hard work. Lawyers enjoy regular social, sporting
and cultural events, and are encouraged to pursue outside interests and passions.
We have an excellent subsidised restaurant on site, and subsidised membership of a
private health club and gym in our building. A concierge service is available to help
you organise all life’s little details.
“When the partners say they’re going
to be involved in the project, they get
involved.”
CHAMBERS UK
2011
17

WHO SHOULD APPLY
For our trainee programme, we aim to employ the brightest minds regardless of
subject studied at university.
We seek trainees who have strong academic credentials (including a projected or
achieved First or Upper Second Class honours degree (or equivalent)) as well as an
excellent prior academic record. Most important, however, you should also have
genuine intellectual curiosity, integrity, common sense, commercial awareness and
an ambition to succeed as a lawyer at one of the world’s leading law firms. Strong
interpersonal skills will also be important: we are looking for genuine team players.
While we expect most of our applicants to be penultimate year law students and final
year non-law students, graduates and post-graduates are also eligible.
There is no “S&C type”. Our lawyers come from a diverse range of backgrounds. Along
with our commitment to superior legal service, S&C is equally dedicated to fostering
a diverse and inclusive work environment. Not only do we believe that this is the right
thing to do, but we also believe that diversity is vital to recruiting the best lawyers and
to providing the highest level of service to our clients. Our culture and policies value
the unique abilities and perspectives of every individual, and support diversity in its
broadest sense.
18

SUMMER VACATION SCHEME
We are offering a two-week summer vacation scheme for candidates interested in
joining us as a trainee.
During these two weeks, you will shadow a partner or senior lawyer to help you get
a feel for our work and culture. There will also be opportunities to meet socially the
people who work at S&C, and we aim to make this an interesting, rewarding and
enjoyable introduction to the Firm.
Participants in the summer vacation scheme will be paid not less than £350 per week
to cover expenses
20

SALARY AND BENEFITS
We offer the most attractive trainee salary and benefits package of any major law firm
in London.
We will cover Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) and Legal Practice Course (LPC) fees
for prospective trainees who accept our offer of a training contract. We will also pay a
maintenance grant.
The salary for trainees will not be less than £50,000 in the first year, and not
less than £55,000 in the second year. The salary for newly qualified associates is
currently £97,500.
Our associates normally receive a discretionary bonus paid at the end of each calendar
year, and trainees will also be eligible to receive a portion of any discretionary bonus
that our newly qualified associates receive.
In addition, we offer a comprehensive suite of employee benefits, including: private
health insurance; dental insurance; life insurance; travel insurance; group personal
pension scheme with option to contribute via salary sacrifice; paid maternity,
paternity and adoption leave plans; subsidised gym membership; concierge service;
and 24 vacation days (plus bank holidays) each year.
21

APPLICATION PROCESS
Summer Vacation Scheme
To make an application for the 2012 summer vacation scheme, please send a copy of
your CV (including a full classification and percentage breakdown of all academic
results) and a covering letter to traineesolicitors@sullcrom.com
We will be accepting applications for our 2012 summer vacation scheme from
1 November 2011 through 31 January 2012.
We expect to offer 4-6 places on our 2012 summer vacation scheme.
Training Contracts
To apply for a training contract starting in 2014, please send a copy of your CV
(including a full classification and percentage breakdown of all academic results)
and a covering letter to traineesolicitors@sullcrom.com
We will be accepting applications for our 2014 trainee intake from 1 May through
31 July 2012.
We expect to offer up to 4 training contracts starting in 2014.
22

APPLICATION TIMELINE
Penultimate Year Law Student
Apply for summer vacation scheme from .... 1 November 2011
Summer vacation application deadline .......31 January 2012
Interviews for vacation scheme(s) ........... February 2012
Attend vacation scheme(s) in ............. June/July 2012
Apply for training contract from .............. 1 May 2012
Training contract application deadline .......... 31 July 2012
Interviews for training contracts in . . . August/September 2012
Commence final year at university .... September/October 2012
Commence LPC ......................September 2013
Commence training contract .............. September 2014
Final Year Non-Law Student
Apply for summer vacation scheme from .... 1 November 2011
Summer vacation application deadline .......31 January 2012
Interviews for vacation scheme(s) ........... February 2012
Attend vacation scheme(s) in ............. June/July 2012
Apply for training contract from .............. 1 May 2012
Training contract application deadline ......... 31 July 2012
Interviews for training contracts in . . . August/September 2012
Commence GDL .....................September 2012
Commence LPC ......................September 2013
Commence training contract .............September 2014
23

OUR OFFICE
Contact Details
Sullivan & Cromwell LLP
1 New Fetter Lane
London EC4A 1AN
Tel: 020 7959 8900
Fax: 020 7959 8950
Email: traineesolicitors@sullcrom.com
Website: www.sullcrom.com
Where to Find Us
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OF
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www.sullcrom.com
london . paris . frankfurt
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