The decision to recruit solely from a pool of vacation scheme students comes from Dechert’s desire to have trainee solicitors ‘understand the firm and its clients, and reflect the energy, ambition and business focus that our clients look for’, explains training principal Jonathan Angell. ‘We also want our future trainees to have a solid understanding of the commitment Dechert has to its people, the training we provide and our collaborative working environment. We believe the best way to do this is to participate fully in a two-week scheme at our London offices’.

It’s not only those at the top who believe that this is a superior method of recruiting trainees. Many of the firm’s juniors also extol this new approach to recruitment, deeming it an incredibly useful opportunity to develop unparalleled insight into the firm. Charles Ashie, a future trainee, explains: ‘each firm’s culture is so different and so to gain insight in terms of what the people are like – not just the lawyers, but also the receptionists, secretaries and support staff – is invaluable’.

Current trainee Kerenza Kerslake agrees, adding that ‘[by completing the Dechert vacation scheme] you get more of a feel for the work that you’d be doing as a trainee, and get to see how friendly the teams are’. Furthermore, for the candidate bent on securing a training contract offer from the firm, the two-week vacation scheme is the perfect opportunity to showcase the skills and personality traits which cannot be gleaned from an application form. As Ashie rightly notes, completing the vacation scheme means ‘you get to see more of the firm and crucially, they get to see more of you’.

With the increased importance that the Dechert vacation scheme now holds, it is no wonder the firm goes to great lengths to make the two-week placement of excellent quality. And there is no doubt that the firm is living up to the expectations of candidates who join the fold over the spring or summer seasons. The work opportunities, quality of supervision and networking opportunities are unparalleled. Echoing this sentiment, Ashie is quick to praise the excellent supervision he received whilst working in the firm’s white-collar crime department: ‘having a supervisor who is so invested in your personal development over the week was incredible – I was really appreciative of it’.

The scheme sees students spend one week each in two of Dechert’s various departments. They have numerous opportunities to ask questions and network with staff of varying levels of seniority. Candidates are assigned a trainee buddy but sit with a supervisor – usually a senior associate – who assigns trainee-like tasks and provides feedback upon completion.

Much of the work is research-based says Kerslake, who recalls having to conduct research into the people with significant control register and good faith requirements in contracts during her time in the corporate team. In an equally stimulating task, Ashie was tasked with summarising a legislative update relating to white-collar crime. Students are also enlisted to help with pro bono work, which gives candidates an opportunity to see that ‘Dechert is not only committed to providing the highest level of service to clients, but also to individuals and organisations who may not have access to legal services’, asserts Ashie.

Attending training sessions, being included on conference calls, shadowing senior associates, giving group presentations, attending talks on different practice areas and having informal lunches with trainees and supervisors is all part and parcel of the vacation scheme at Dechert. The scheme, says Kerslake, is ‘challenging’ but nevertheless ‘really enjoyable’.

‘Dechert does loads’ to facilitate socialising, says Kerslake. Social events are dotted throughout the two weeks, with everything from ‘cooking classes at [French restaurant] L’Atelier’ and champagne networking events on the London Eye, to trips to the City of London Museum with clients comprising part of the itinerary – ‘it was clear that ‘they’d put a lot of time into organising the two weeks’. Attending these various events ‘showed a more relaxed side to the associates’ says Ashie, who advises incoming recruits to seize opportunities and ‘say yes to everything’! He notes that the firm is keen to get ‘vacation scheme students involved in anything that’s going on in the seat they’re placed in which made [him] feel more welcomed and included’.

Towards the end of the placement, candidates undergo a training contract interview. In recalling the interview process, Kerslake is keen to reassure nervous interviewees that when asked a challenging question, ‘[interviewers] are not testing what you actually know about business or markets, they’re assessing your thought process. So, in asking you a difficult question, they are looking for you to ask sub-questions that will get you to the answer they’re looking for. It’s all about showing that you are interested and willing to learn new things.’

There is no doubt that attending Dechert’s two-week vacation scheme (with a view to gaining a training contract) is beneficial to both the firm and the candidate, as each will emerge in a better position to decide whether to spend two years working with each other. A decision not to be taken lightly!

To apply for Dechert’s vacation scheme, click here.

For more information on the Dechert training contract, read the firm’s full Lex 100 profile.

Simone Thomas

University: University of Birmingham

Degree: LLB for Graduates
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About me

Prior to completing my law degree in the UK, I lived in New York and attended Binghamton University. There I played NCAA college basketball and did a Bachelor of Science in Cell and Molecular Biology. Coming from a life sciences background, I was initally drawn to the legal aspects surrounding the patenting of new drugs and the regulatory issues that are associated with the shift to personalised medicine. It wasn’t long before I realised that I could not only utilise my life sciences degree in my legal career, but that it was actually highly sought after. Attending several open day events solidified my interest in pursuing a career in law.

Why Taylor Wessing?

After speaking to many trainees at various firms, it became clear to me that it is often the case that future trainees will have a very strong preference for a specific practice area. However, it is quite rare that they actually end up qualifying into that department. Although I have a strong interest in patents and life sciences and Taylor Wessing is very strong in these areas, I wanted to apply to firms that are also well rounded and have strong teams in other practice areas. Training with Taylor Wessing would allow me to learn from top experts in private client and TMT (technology, media and telecom) to name a few.

In terms of culture, I was impressed with every single interaction I had with members of the Taylor Wessing staff. I was first introduced to Taylor Wessing by a partner in the data protection team and a University of Birmingham alumnus, when he gave a talk at the school. I was surprised by his genuine willingness to help and his commitment to giving back to his alma mater. When I got the opportunity to attend an open day at the London office, the managing partner, Tim Eyles, took the time to speak to the attendees about the future of the law profession and the role of a trainee – something I’ve never experienced with any other firm. This openness and approachability can be seen throughout the firm and, combined with the quality of work, is a large part of the reason I chose to apply for a vac scheme at Taylor Wessing.

Culture

My vacation scheme lasted two weeks; I spent the first week in the tax department and the second week in the IP and media department. In both departments, all the trainees, associates and partners were very friendly and welcoming. They all made the effort to come around to the office where I was sitting and introduce themselves. This made me feel comfortable straight away and made it much easier to approach anyone with any questions I had. I also had a ‘trainee buddy’ in each department who was there to help me get assignments started on the right foot and give me little tips throughout the week.

Throughout the two weeks there were various social events we were invited to attend. During the first week, the firm treated us and some of the trainees to drinks and canapes at Flight Club, where we played darts and got to know our fellow vac schemers and the trainees better. It was a really nice way to add some friendly competition to the evening. The following week, our trainee buddies had organised a fantastic dinner for us on the rooftop terrace of the Madison. It was a great chance for us to learn from the trainees and have an informal discussion about what life as a Taylor Wessing trainee is like.

Finally, on the last evening, we had a farewell drinks reception celebrating all of our hard work and accomplishments over the last two weeks. It was at this event that I realised that I could really see myself working at Taylor Wessing and the people I met over the past two weeks could not only be co-workers but also friends.

Work

The work that I did was both interesting and challenging and gave me a good insight into the type of work that a trainee does on a day-to-day basis. I was also impressed at the variety of work that I was given. Because I met so many people within each department, I received a wide range of work from paralegals, trainees, associates, senior counsels and even partners. The type of assignments I got included proofreading, drafting brand updates for the website, summarising recent changes to the law on trade secrets and reasearching the tax implications of mixed-use properties.

Vac schemers also got the opportunity to attend the Blackfriars Settlement pro bono clinic, which is run by the trainees on a weekly rota. It was nice to see such a high level of involvement and such a deep commitment to giving back to the community.

Finally, the work you will receive on the vac scheme is not just limited to individual assignments. At the beginning of the two weeks we were also given a group project. On the final day of the placement, each group had to present our ideas on how to ensure the future success of the firm. This gave us an opportunity to showcase how well we work as a team and also gain a better understanding of the future direction of the firm – something that we all hoped to be a part of!

I highly suggest applying for a vacation scheme at Taylor Wessing. Their unique recruitment model means that there is no need to reapply for a training contract. While this may seem like there is intense pressure to perform well on the vac scheme, it also means that you get a greater opportunity to show your authentic self and learn as much as you can about the firm. Taking this approach, I met many amazing people and learned as much as I could, confirming that I would fit in well and be very happy as a trainee at Taylor Wessing.

Apply for the Taylor Wessing vacation scheme by 14 January.

That’s right, having to decide between a career in technology or law is now a thing of the past, because with IGNITE, trainees complete the necessary training required to qualify as a solicitor, whilst also gaining expertise in technology, related products and their application in the legal industry. This puts the trainees (and the firm) in a great position to deal with the technological changes and advances that continue to revolutionize the industry.

What will it be like?
On the whole, IGNITE will mirror the structure of a traditional training contract – four seats, all six months in duration, culminating in an offer to join one of CC’s six practice areas. The key difference however, is that trainees on the IGNITE programme will have time away from fee-earning tasks (in one or two seats) to devote to developing their knowledge of technology and how it applies to legal practice and client matters. They will work with the firm’s Best Delivery team members, tech advisors and other staff on live projects. They’ll also get to interact with clients to provide solutions to the challenges they face. ‘IGNITE trainees will play a pivotal role in increasing the value we add to our clients. They will use tech solutions to improve our provision of legal services in ways I can’t yet imagine’ said Laura Yeates, Head of Graduate Talent.

Why’s it been created?
Clifford Chance’s law tech training contract is the first of its kind in the industry and forms part of the firm’s long-term strategy to become the global law firm of choice. The training programme was created to address the increasing need for lawyers to be well equipped to deal with the tech-related issues faced by clients and, in addition, be in a position to provide suggestions on how workplace practices can be improved with digital innovations. Michael Bates, the firm’s regional managing partner, explained further that: ‘We know we must continually challenge ourselves to guide our clients through game-changing opportunities and risks, both now and into the future. Law tech is changing the face of our industry and we want to be at the forefront of that change. We’re committed to driving a culture that embraces digital thinking across each of our practice areas and we hope that these trainees will go to make significant change in their practice areas upon qualifying’.

Who is it for?
As far as who the ideal candidate for IGNITE is, there really is no set list of characteristics that CC is looking for. The firm is open to applications from individuals from a variety of degree disciplines and experiences. All that is a definite (and reasonable!) requirement is an interest in law and technology. You can be a computer science student or a graduate of biochemical engineering, be studying for a PhD in physics or be a non-law student/graduate that’s developed an app or learnt how to code on weekends. So long as you’ve got a genuine interest in law tech and believe you have skills that could be of benefit to the firm, the IGNITE training contract is open to you.

What else should I know?
In line with the firm’s tech-related offerings, CC has organised an open day specifically for STEM students. INTERFACE will be a day-long event on 29 November designed to give attendees an idea of what Clifford Chance is doing in the broader sphere of STEM-related activity, and naturally, there will be a focus on technology as part of that. Yeates urges those interested in applying for IGNITE to attend the INTERFACE open day prior to submitting their application, ‘that way they have really researched [how Clifford Chance is engaging with technology], and have gained the information and support that they probably need to make a great application’. For those unable to attend INTERFACE, CC will be at various campus events running sessions on law tech and discussing the various opportunities available to STEM students at the firm.

How do I apply?
To apply to attend INTERFACE and/or for the IGNITE training contact, click here.

Click here to view the IGNITE video.