Akin

The Legal 500 Future Lawyers verdict on Akin

Trainees at Akin were drawn to the firm’s ‘lean intake’, ‘stellar work’, and standout ‘restructuring practice’. The culture is praised as “friendly, non-toxic and supportive”, offering a refreshingly down-to-earth environment in the City. The relatively small cohort means “more responsibility placed on trainees”, translating to substantial learning on the job and “high-quality work from day one”. There’s no rigid training programme here – instead, Akin offers “less formal but more intensive” development, with a strong focus on proactivity and direct exposure to complex matters. One trainee described “leading the drafting on an agreement with just a partner to supervise”, while another worked on a “three-day hearing in the CAT”. Opportunities for real responsibility, even at junior level, are a defining feature. Support is close at hand too — the “kind colleagues”, “genuine people”, and “invested supervisors” are frequently singled out as among the firm’s best assets. The hours, while intense at times, are “not as bad as expected for a US firm” and many trainees felt the firm is “respectful of work-life balance”. Flexible working is also embraced, with trainees describing the hybrid model as “positive” and “working well.” Pro bono work is strongly encouraged, with “lots of opportunities” available, and trainees trusted to “run their own matters (with supervision)”. That said, it’s not all smooth sailing as “opaque admin processes” and a “weak social scene” were cited as minor frustrations. A few mentioned high-pressure periods or a lack of supervision during times of transition. But overall, the consensus is that Akin offers “intensive but rewarding” training, defined by real responsibility, supportive colleagues, and exceptional quality of work. For a firm that blends the “pay and prestige of a US firm” with “a genuinely kind and collaborative culture”, Akin is well worth serious consideration.

A Day in the Life of a Trainee at Akin Summer Ahmed,

University: Durham

Degree: Law

09:00 – I arrive at the office and look over emails which have been sent overnight. These usually include updates on ongoing matters, market developments and internal communications. I also often check the virtual data rooms (VDR) for the deals I am working on for newly uploaded documents, so I can flag these to the wider team. I also take time to update signing and document trackers or VDR indices— keeping everything organised and up to date is key in a transactional seat, where members of the team often rely on trainees to provide status updates and keep track of email correspondence.

09:30 – We have a monthly team meeting, where we discuss developments on current deals within the practice group, new trends in the market, as well as potential new projects, clients and business development updates. It is always interesting to see what other members of the team have been working on, and ask how I can be involved. I also have a catch-up with my supervisor, which is a great opportunity to discuss priorities for the day, current projects, any interesting market or firm news and managing my workload. I also use this as an opportunity to ask questions about work I have done throughout the week, which is a great learning opportunity. After this, I usually make a to do list to stay on top of my tasks throughout the day.

10:00 – Throughout the morning, I usually send follow-up emails to clients and colleagues in relation to my different workstreams, update associates on any changes to trackers, and circulate dial-in details for any upcoming meetings. This is always good practice to ensure nothing is missed, and everyone has the
appropriate holds in their calendars.

10:30 – I then move on to drafting any corporate ancillary documents which I have been assigned. This might include corporate authorisations such as board and shareholder resolutions, powers of attorney, or directors’ resignation letters. These documents ensure transactions are properly authorised in accordance with UK company law and are a great way to properly understand the mechanics of any deals I am working on. Once I have finished drafting, I print out and review my work to ensure there are no errors.

12:30 – I usually have lunch with the other trainees; we like to catch up on what everyone is working on, as well as having some time to socialise.

13:30 – I return to my desk and begin some further drafting tasks, which can include updating documents with comments from the client and opposing counsel. For example, the main documents in the corporate team are due diligence reports, share purchase agreements (SPAs) and disclosure letters.
To ensure any changes are correctly reflected in the documents, I also run comparisons of the original and modified document – I have found this to be a great way to review my work and pick up anything I have missed before I send work off.

15:15 – I take some time to respond to emails from the team and clients, clarify any queries, file any new emails and update my to-do list. This helps me manage my workload and ensures I have time to complete all the work requested of me.

16:30 – I join a call with the client and my supervisor, taking detailed notes to be circulated to the deal team afterwards. Important information for progressing documents and various workstreams is often shared on these calls, so it is always a good idea to keep a record of what has been discussed, and action tasks accordingly.

17:30 – I send out any final emails for the day, respond to follow-ups and save down any documents that have been circulated. This helps me to stay organised and ensures I know the status of all the matters I am working on, so I can pick up accurately the next day. Before I log off for the day, I also have a quick debrief with my supervisor, file or address any new emails and complete any remaining admin tasks.

18:30 – I leave the office, but keep an eye out for any emails or tasks that may need actioning over the course of the evening.

About the firm

Introductory paragraph about the firm:
Akin is a global law firm with more than 900 lawyers and advisors who pride themselves on dedication to their clients and their communities. With 17 offices worldwide, they are renowned for numerous market-leading practices; their strengths are in complex private capital transactions, financings and
restructurings, high-stakes litigation, and public policy and regulatory matters; and the unyielding pro bono commitment.

Driven by a forward-thinking leadership, Akin has built a strong culture of innovation and collaboration as well as a talented workforce committed to the success of clients and each other. Fostering a workplace focused on opportunity & inclusion, all employees are supported and given the tools to
succeed. The organization is focused on recruiting and nurturing the next generation of exceptional legal talent and is proud that its recruitment and professional development efforts are recognized as among the best in the industry.

List of clients: Apollo, Bain Capital, Barings, Carlyle, Coller Capital, Elliott, Endava, Ericsson, GIC, Helios, ICG, LetterOne, Mubadala, Nexperia, Oaktree, Olin Corporation, PGIM, Taconic, VEON, Vivo Energy and Vitol.

List of deals/cases in which the firm has been recently involved: Acted for the successful appellants in the landmark Court of Appeal case which overturned the High Court’s decision sanctioning the Adler restructuring plan; advising Mubadala Capital on its acquisition of a majority stake in Bugaboo Group; advised Intrum AB on its agreement to sell a material portion of its investment portfolio to affiliates of Cerberus Capital Management LP for more than €1bn; advised Energy Equation Partners and Stonepeak in their 2.5 billion acquisition of a majority interest in JET from Phillips 66; advised Coller Capital in its backing of Corsair Capital’s $600 million GP-led secondaries fund; advised Carlyle on an €800 million strategic investment in Your.World.
Managing partner: Sebastian Rice Other offices: Abu Dhabi, Boston, Dallas, Dubai, Fort Worth, Geneva, Hong Kong, Houston, Irvine, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, San Antonio, San Francisco, Singapore, Washington DC.

Who we are: Our London office is the hub for the firm’s international practice and its third largest office. The firm’s strategy in London has always been to grow practices that complement its core strengths globally. The fully integrated nature of the office within the broader firm means that the firm’s London lawyers work closely with their counterparts around the globe.

What we do: Market-leading practices include financial restructuring, corporate transactions (including mergers and acquisitions and joint ventures), private equity, finance (including debt finance and project finance), energy including renewables, debt and equity capital markets, financial services regulatory, disputes, employment, international arbitration, investment funds (including hedge and private equity funds and secondaries transactions), international trade – including in relation to the new National Security & Investment Act – as well as EU/UK competition, intellectual property, share incentives, technology and tax.

What we’re looking for in a trainee: We seek team players who demonstrate enthusiasm and an interest in the commercial world, as well as intellectual curiosity and a focus on solutions. We recruit up to eight trainees every year, so you’ll be integral to the team from day one. To succeed, you’ll enjoy deep thinking in an immersive learning model and be keen to take on early responsibility within a fastpaced business law environment.

What you’ll do: You’ll experience on-the-job experiential learning which will allow you to develop a keen commercial awareness and to take on responsibility and ownership of tasks for each practice area you work in. Examples of tasks you may be involved in during your training include, but are not restricted to, legal research, preparing client communications, attending client meetings, organising deal closing checklists and preparing trial bundles. You’ll receive supportive supervision from England and Wales-qualified practitioners with valuable ongoing feedback and two substantive evaluations during each seat.
You will attend regular practice group and office-wide training on relevant areas of law and practical skills. You will also join webinars and training sessions run by external consultants to aid your professional development throughout your two-year training programme and beyond.
Akin prides itself on a friendly, approachable culture and a strong support network. Our trainee development team and dedicated development partners will coach and guide you throughout the two years. We also have a buddy system, providing you with a peer mentor who can tell you things that formal training can’t and junior associate mentors to support you within each practice area. We have an in-house ‘Be Well’ counselling service which offers unlimited one-on-one support, as well as regular group training sessions.

Perks: Season ticket loan, health insurance, critical illness insurance, life insurance, travel insurance, dental insurance, pension, annual eye exam, employee assistance programme, onsite mental health services, Lexxic support, cycle scheme, discounted ClassPass, Peloton and gym rates, fitness & wellbeing reimbursement programme, discounts platform, financial training sessions, corporate mortgage scheme, support for parents & caregivers, virtual clinic service.

Sponsorship

Successful applicants will be required to complete the PGDL (if applicable) and LLM Legal Practice (SQE1&2) to equip them with essential skills prior to starting their qualifying work experience. Our legal education provider is The University of Law and studies will be funded by the firm. We provide a maintenance grant of £20,000 per year of study to our future trainees.

Seat options

Corporate/M&A; finance; financial restructuring; litigation; financial regulation; competition; international trade; investment funds; tax/incentives; some international and client secondment opportunities.

Overseas seats
• Dubai
• Hong Kong

Tips from the recruiter

1. Do your research: candidates should attend our events, read our recruitment brochure, watch our videos, listen to our podcasts and read our client alerts and press. We want to see genuine interest in the firm and evidence that a candidate has been proactive in finding that information beyond the graduate recruitment website.
2. Attend online application and interview workshops: for more details and to register, please visit the ‘Meet Us’ page of our graduate recruitment website.
3. Attention to detail: your application form is your first opportunity to make a strong impression, so it’s essential that you proofread it multiple times to avoid errors – attention to detail is a core skill for all lawyers, and your application should reflect that from the outset.