Survey Results - Trainee feedback on Latham & Watkins
Survey Results - Trainee feedback on
The lowdown - Trainees (in their own words) on Latham & Watkins
Why did you choose to join this firm? ‘Good training, good job prospects, good quality work, international exposure, good salary’, primarily, the culture; the firm’s commitment to creating a diverse workplace and the excellence of work’, ‘I liked the people when I did my vac scheme and was excited by the quality of work’, ‘the corporate practice; culture and personality of lawyers’, ‘the compensation and prestige’, ‘best of both US and UK firm traits; mid-sized cohort, lean teams, good range of practice areas’
What is the best thing about the firm? ‘Learning and working with some of the best lawyers in the market’, ‘the quality of work’, ‘the salary’, ‘the mentoring budgets’, ‘the people are at the top of their game and are highly-dedicated to their craft, which I find infectious’, ‘the work and culture’, ‘ability to take responsibility across different levels’, ‘the compensation’, ‘the other trainees in my cohort’, ‘the market-leading work and the positive culture’, ‘working with some of the best lawyers in the market!’
What could the firm do to improve? ‘Better work-life balance’, ‘increase the annual leave offering and pension contributions’, ‘improve work-life balance across all levels, better distribution of work, clarify expectations of trainees in advance of the training contract’, ‘our current office isn’t the best, but we are moving very soon!’, ‘have a barber in the new office!’, ‘better staffing in some departments’, ‘improve diversity in some teams’
What has been the best moment of your training? ‘Being thanked by name (alongside the four other deal team members) by the head of legal of the client after the largest ever equity financing of a UK company’, ‘leading matters and working solely with a partner’, ‘completing deals’, ‘receiving very good feedback from a partner’, the first time I took responsibility of a workstream and felt like I was progressing in confidence’, ‘having direct contact with clients and receiving positive feedback from them directly’
What has been the most challenging moment of your training? ‘Balancing the competing demands at work’, ‘working consistently late hours’, ‘being staffed on a matter within the first week and working unprecedented hours whilst also having to be in the office the next day for training sessions’, ‘a pro bono matter with sensitive subject matter’, ‘there was a very intense period where two large deals on compressed timelines coincided’, ‘two months when I was working very long hours due to a challenging deal’
The Legal 500 Future Lawyers verdict on Latham & Watkins
With world-renowned strengths across corporate and finance, plus a host of notable specialist teams, Latham & Watkins appeals to trainees seeking ‘high-level transactional work’, ‘international deals’ and lawyers ‘at the top of their game’. Recruits are drawn by the US firm’s ‘quality of work’, Legal 500 rankings and ‘proactivity-driven training contract’ in lean teams where responsibility comes early.
For many, the best thing about Latham is the combination of market-leading work and strong people culture. Trainees praise the ‘high-level clients’, the ‘never-ending amounts of good work to do’, and the firm’s ‘collaborative and dynamic culture’. One adds that ‘everyone is very nice and supportive of juniors’.
The work is meaningful, too. Highlights include ‘drafting submissions that were ultimately used as arguments’, taking on ‘high levels of responsibility on a cutting-edge AI M&A deal’, and enjoying ‘the amount of autonomy I am given to run with things’. Another respondent described their time in the litigation & trial team as ‘one of the best experiences of my life’.
Latham’s intensity is not ignored by juniors. Work-life balance is the recurring challenge, with endless calls for ‘better work-life balance’ and ‘better distribution of work’ throughout the feedback. One trainee pointed to ‘two 80-85 hour consecutive weeks’ as a low point; others cited ‘working five days straight on a signing’ or being staffed on matters ‘without as much guidance’ as they would have liked. Benefits, pension contributions, annual leave, diversity in some teams and seat allocation transparency also attract varying levels of criticism.
The overall picture is of a firm that asks a lot of trainees because it gives them a lot in return: ‘serious work, serious clients and serious responsibility’, within a culture many find supportive, ambitious and energising. If that sounds like an environment in which you’d thrive, research Latham & Watkins.
Q&A with...
Emma Bunting, Trainee
What first attracted you to Latham?
I was initially attracted to the firm’s strong sense of community, which I experienced first-hand when I attended a graduate open day. Everyone was warm and welcoming, and I learned that Latham’s many affinity groups provide support and help to foster a culture of inclusivity. This sense of community, combined with the firm’s deep expertise across my areas of interest, solidified that Latham would offer the perfect environment for personal and professional growth.
What have you enjoyed most about your training contract?
I have particularly enjoyed the international nature of all the work I have done at Latham, and the fact that I get to work in diverse teams and take on great responsibility. For example, I helped to co-ordinate teams in several European jurisdictions as part of a large cross-border private equity transaction, and more recently, I was part of the team that prepared for an international arbitration hearing at the International Dispute Resolution Centre. I find the work both challenging and highly rewarding.
I have also enjoyed all the moments shared with my cohort, from casual chats and snack breaks in the office, to karaoke nights and birthday parties. I really value that we’re such a close group.
What has surprised you most about your training contract?
I have been surprised by the range of impactful pro bono projects that I have had the opportunity to work on. For example, I am assisting an individual in applying to the government’s compensation scheme, as part of the firm’s participation in a coalition of UK law firms helping Greater Manchester Immigration Aid Unit to support people impacted by the Windrush Scandal. Latham lawyers value giving back, so there are a number of opportunities to become involved in meaningful initiatives. I am thrilled to use my legal skills in the service of people in need in our community.
What advice would you give to students applying to Latham’s vacation scheme?
I would encourage students to attend Latham’s in-person graduate events, which are always really engaging and informative. For instance, last year the firm hosted a student event in collaboration with PureGym. Events like these provide great insight into the firm and the life of a trainee. They’re also a great way to connect with Latham lawyers in person, which could potentially lead to natural mentoring relationships further down the line.
I would also recommend taking some time to reflect on your true motivations for becoming a lawyer. When you have clarity on the reasons you want to enter the profession, and learn how to communicate those reasons in a concise way, it becomes easier to feel confident throughout the application process and allow your authentic self to shine through. Training with Latham & Watkins opens up a world of opportunity. Follow London trainee Emma Bunting on her training contract journey.
About the firm
The firm: A career at Latham & Watkins will give you the opportunity to do some of the best work of your life. With more than 3,500 lawyers across our offices in Europe, the US, the Middle East and Asia, the opportunities are boundless. Over 70% of the firm’s transactions involve five or more offices; our diversity fuels our understanding and innovation.
Latham provides the perfect balance of entrepreneurial spirit and career development support. The firm offers world-class training, where graduates and trainees can follow their intellectual curiosity to explore the firm’s market-leading practices before choosing a department, practice or industry focus.
It is our unique collegiate and non-hierarchical culture that sets us apart. Our associates committee – boasting equal numbers of associates and partners – manages associate reviews, bonuses, and promotion to partnership and counsel, which leads to a remarkably transparent environment.
We are proud to be a world-leading pro bono law firm. The firm gives billable hour credit for pro bono work, and doesn’t cap the number of pro bono hours that can be applied towards the billable hour target. Here, you are encouraged to bring your own unique perspective, and supported to take on pro bono matters of personal interest.
A career at Latham is an investment in your development and your future. It begins with you.
Senior partner: Richard Trobman
Managing partner: Edward Barnett
Other offices: Austin, Beijing, Boston, Brussels, Century City, Chicago, Dubai, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Hong Kong, Houston, Los Angeles, Madrid, Milan, Munich, New York, Orange County, Paris, Riyadh, San Diego, San Francisco, Seoul, Silicon Valley, Singapore, Tokyo, Washington DC.
Who we are: Latham & Watkins has more than 3,500 lawyers globally. Its non-hierarchical, collegiate management style and ‘one firm’ culture make Latham a unique place to work. Over 70% of the firm’s transactions involve five or more Latham offices and the collaborative atmosphere is strengthened by the firm’s diversity.
What we do: Our award-winning London office is home to nearly 500 lawyers and is known for its work advising some of the world’s leading corporates, financial institutions and private equity firms on market-shaping transactions, disputes and regulatory matters.
Our leading finance practice has earned an exceptional reputation in the market, regularly advising on all types of leveraged, acquisition and project finance work. We have market-leading experience in M&A, debt and equity financing, high yield, restructurings, recapitalisations, divestitures, data privacy and cyber security, and outsourcing. We also offer comprehensive tax and environmental advice for complex multi-jurisdictional transactions and disputes. With nearly 900 litigators located in 25 major business centres globally, we are one of the few firms capable of providing clients with immediate, high-quality legal expertise anywhere in the world, whether our clients’ needs are local or international.
We are committed to giving back to the communities where we live and work, with a longstanding pro bono programme as well as many community service initiatives.
Over the last two decades, our lawyers have provided more than 4m pro bono hours in free legal services to underserved individuals and families and the nonprofit sector.
What we’re looking for: Latham & Watkins recruits students with incredible legal minds who are also incredible people; the firm values transparency, respect, innovation, collaboration and diversity. As a meritocracy, Latham seeks out candidates who have demonstrated they can contribute to the firm’s culture through their initiative, communication skills, complex thinking, willingness to assume responsibility, resilience and judgement.
What you’ll do: A Latham training contract combines real responsibility on global matters with supervision from world-class lawyers who foster professional development. In addition to a sophisticated training programme, our trainees also benefit from a core three-week trainee foundation designed to bridge the gap between law schools and practice, as well as training in each seat. After induction, trainees complete four six-month seats – two of which will be in corporate and finance. Trainees have the opportunity to apply for a secondment on either their third or fourth seat.
Perks: Life assurance, private health and dental insurance, pension scheme, season ticket loan for transport, cycle to work scheme, restaurant on site, discounted gym membership.
Sponsorship
PGDL and SQE fees and a maintenance grant of £20,0000 per year. For future trainees who have already completed the PGDL and/or LPC/SQE, the firm will reimburse those fees in full.
Seat options
Corporate – corporate (ECM/M&A/PE/VC/EC/ PE Real Estate), data and technology transactions, debt capital markets, UK derivatives; entertainment, sport and media; environment, land and resources; emerging companies and growth, FinTech; financial regulatory; investment funds; real estate.
Finance – banking; infrastructure finance; project development and finance; real estate finance; restructuring and special situations; structured finance.
Litigation – competition, litigation and trial.
Tax – executive compensation, employment and benefits, transactional tax.
Tips from the recruiter
Structure and formatting: Keep your application form clear and concise. A well-structured application helps us understand your qualifications and experiences at a glance.
Attention to detail: Proofread your application multiple times to avoid errors. Attention to detail is a fundamental skill for all lawyers, so it is very important that your application is free from mistakes.
Take a personal approach: When crafting your application, it’s essential to personalise your content to stand out from the crowd. It’s easy to tell when an applicant has made an effort to tailor their application – it will be more detailed and will tell their own story.