Survey Results - Trainee feedback on Debevoise & Plimpton

The lowdown - Trainees (in their own words) on Debevoise & Plimpton

Why did you choose this firm over any others? ‘The top rate work across both transactional and disputes practices. The hands-on learning experiences and the incredibly smart people working across the firm’, ‘practice areas, pay, collegiality, reputation’, ‘culture and people; almost entirely does top-market work; remuneration’, ‘Quality of exposure to work as a trainee’

Best thing about the firm? ‘The quality of work and the responsibility that can be afforded to trainees’, ‘work is routinely very high quality.  Remuneration is very good’, ‘people’, ‘I enjoy my working environment: colleagues, the new office, the quality of tasks I have experienced as a trainee’, ‘quality of the work’

Worst thing about the firm? ‘Sometimes work/life balance can be affected as a result of the lean teams, but these lean teams are what grant trainees fantastic practical learning opportunities. The technology systems can be frustrating’, ‘the hours are pretty long across departments’, ‘legal technology’, ‘uncertainty around qualification and seat rotation’

Best moment? ‘Working on matters before the ICJ’, ‘receiving good feedback after a piece of challenging work’, ‘completing a complex piece of research and analysis in my tax seat’, ‘presenting independently to a pro bono client; running a closing almost independently for a credit facility accession and increase’, ‘trial experience in a litigation seat’

Worst moment? ‘Some very very busy weeks!’, ‘multiple late nights in a row’, ‘weekend work’, ‘working past midnight every night for over a week’

The Legal 500 Future Lawyers verdict on Debevoise & Plimpton

Trainees at Debevoise are trusted from the start, taking on “associate-level work as soon as you can handle it” and regularly getting “very hands-on” experience across “top-rate work” in both the transactional and disputes practices. The work is “routinely very high quality,” and many picked the firm for its “practice area fit,” “reputation,” and “collegiality,” especially given the small trainee intake. Responsibility comes fast, but so does the support: “Everyone, including partners, are very supportive and helpful,” and supervisors are praised for “making an effort” with training. Though the learning is “less structured,” it’s “still of high and effective quality,” and one trainee summed up their experience of “a far more collegiate atmosphere” than peers at other firms enjoy. The flip side of lean deal teams can be long hours — “multiple late nights in a row,” “working past midnight every night for over a week,” and “some very, very busy weeks” are part of the package. But trainees accept this as the trade-off for “fantastic practical learning opportunities.” The firm scores highly on flexibility, with a hybrid policy that’s “very good” and “calculated across the year,” allowing people to WFH when needed. Pro bono is another standout: opportunities are “fantastic,” “always going around,” and “incredibly interesting and rewarding,” led by a “great” dedicated pro bono head. Highlights include “working on matters before the ICJ,” “running a closing almost independently,” and “getting a shout out from a senior partner on an M&A deal.” For those looking for intellectually rigorous, high-calibre work in a close-knit trainee intake, Debevoise delivers.

About the firm

The firm: Debevoise is a leading international law firm. The London office works on many of the highest profile and most complex transactions in Europe and worldwide. It does this by virtue of its English and New York law expertise and its close integration with the other offices.

The clients: AfricInvest Group; AIG Inc; AXA; B&M European Value Retail S.A; Clayton, Dubilier & Rice; Credit Suisse Asset Management Limited; Park Square Capital; Rolls-Royce plc; The Ocean Foundation; United Nations Working Group on Business and Human Rights.

The deals: Advised Pantheon on an equity investment as part of the proposed £2bn public takeover by KKR of John Laing Group plc; advised Park Square Capital, one of the world’s most established credit investment firms, on its fourth subordinated debt fund, resulting in total investable capital of €2.2bn; among eight leading law firms involved in a new pro bono initiative with the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants to launch a free legal advice clinic for applications to the UK government’s Windrush Compensation Scheme; advised a satellite capacity provider in arbitration proceedings and domestic court proceedings brought by another satellite company; advised a major oil and gas company in a multijurisdictional dispute concerning the ownership of interests in a services group in Russia and the CIS.

Managing partner:  Alan Davies

Senior partner:  Lord Goldsmith KC

Other offices:    New York, San Francisco, Washington DC, Frankfurt, Paris, Luxembourg, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Tokyo.

Who we are: Debevoise is a leading international law firm. The London office works on many of the highest profile and most complex transactions in Europe and worldwide. We do this by virtue of our English and New York law expertise and our close integration with our other offices.

What we do:  In developing our practice in London we have sought to replicate the core strengths of our practice worldwide. Our focus is on private equity, insurance, international disputes and investigations, financial institutions, M&A, finance, capital markets and tax.

What we’re looking for:  Minimum qualifications – 2(1) degree in any discipline and 144 UCAS points at A-Level (or equivalent). Students whose personal qualities, academic record and other achievements demonstrate exceptional ability, motivation and potential. Applicants will make a significant contribution to our firm and thrive in our unique culture. We look for an ability to listen actively, think creatively and interact successfully. We also look for maturity and leadership qualities

What you’ll do: Each of our associates should become a ‘well-rounded’ lawyer – an effective counsellor, adviser and advocate – who can combine legal knowledge with the ability to deal with a range of situations. Trainees develop their skills through formal training and on-the-job experience. The two years are split into four six-month seats with an opportunity to gain experience in at least three distinct areas.

Perks: Bonus, private medical and dental insurance, private GP, life assurance, income protection, pension, computer allowance, cycle scheme and subsidised onsite café.

Sponsorship

SQE+ £15,000 maintenance grant per academic year.