Survey Results - Trainee feedback on K&L Gates
Survey Results - Trainee feedback on
The lowdown - Trainees (in their own words) on K&L Gates
Why did you choose this firm over any others? ‘K&L Gates seemed to provide an environment that would challenge me, improve my skillset, offer a broad range of work opportunities, whilst supporting my progression’, ‘international work; small trainee intake’, ‘I wanted to join a full-service international law firm with a strong reputation in the market’, ‘small training contract cohort; contact time with partners’
Best thing about the firm? ‘The culture’, ‘quality of work whilst maintaining a healthier work-life balance’, ‘there is a genuinely supportive and collaborative culture’, ‘close knit supportive atmosphere that are useful to assist in the learning process’
Worst thing about the firm? ‘Departments feel siloed from each other at associate level, meaning there is not a great firm-wide social scene or culture (should be said that improvements have been made in the last 6 months)’, ‘due to the office being relatively small with, therefore, fewer ongoing matters than in larger offices, the variety of work that you are given in a seat can fluctuate heavily depending on the status of the matters’
Best moment? ‘Being given the responsibility to instruct an expert. I felt that this was a sign of trust in my abilities that I was given this responsibility so early in my career’, ‘leading a call with a large international client’, ‘working directly for office-wide heads of department’
Worst moment? ‘At the beginning of seats it can be uncomfortable getting to grips with a new practice area, but it just takes time to readjust and learn’, ‘moving seats and starting again from square one is always challenging’, ‘unclear directions and feeling very lost with task’
The Legal 500 Future Lawyers verdict on K&L Gates
K&L Gates offers “a genuinely supportive and collaborative culture” in a setting where trainees are “challenged, supported and exposed to a broad range of work”. The global firm’s small London intake means “more contact time with partners” and “a good level of responsibility” from day one. Recruits appreciated the firm’s “focus on work-life balance, unusual for a US firm”, with one trainee drawn to the combination of “international work and a small trainee intake”. The quality of training is high. Supervisors are “approachable” and highly skilled, so “most of your queries will be answered by an industry expert”. One respondent explained: “I have far more contact with the senior members of the firm than trainees at other firms seem to have”. Others praised the autonomy to “shape our contract” and the encouragement to “get involved in as much as we can”. The culture is a clear highlight: “close-knit”, “supportive” and conducive to learning. Trainees recalled standout moments like “leading a call with a large international client”, “working directly for office-wide heads of department” and “being given the responsibility to instruct an expert”. There are a few drawbacks. Some noted that departments “feel siloed”, limiting the firm-wide social scene, and that “the variety of work in a seat can fluctuate” due to the smaller office size. The process of seat rotation and retention could also be clearer. Still, the hybrid-working policy is flexible and fair, and pro bono is taken seriously — “highly encouraged” and “easy to get involved with”. If you’re looking for high-level international work in a friendly, compact team where you’ll be trusted and supported, K&L Gates is worth strong consideration.
A day in the life of...
Anna Carter , Second Year Trainee
Departments to date: Corporate Department
7:50 AM: I head to the tube station, and my commute takes around 40 minutes.
8:30 AM: Once I’m at my desk, I grab a coffee from the canteen, swap my shoes, and open my emails. I check for anything that’s come in overnight – being part of an international law firm often means other offices have progressed matters while we were offline, ready for us to pick up first thing in the morning. I then spend the next couple of hours working through urgent tasks and emails and setting out my to-do list for the day.
I divide my to-do list into three categories (1) tasks for me to complete, with deadlines; (2) work sent out to clients or team members, so I can follow up if needed (3) long-term pieces of work with a deadline not falling within the next two weeks. This system helps me prioritise effectively and maintain a long-term view of my workload.
9:30 AM: I chat with my supervisor, one of the partners in the team. As trainees, we share an office with a partner, which is a fantastic opportunity. Sitting with a partner allows us to ask questions and receive feedback easily. It helps us develop not only the technical skills of being a lawyer but also the softer skills, such as client relationship management.
10:30 AM: My supervisor and I have a meeting with a long-standing client of the firm to discuss upcoming projects. You get great client exposure at this firm – I’ve sat in countless client meetings, attended events and have liaised with clients directly throughout my training contract.
12:30 PM: I usually bring lunch from home, but on days I don’t have time (like today), I either grab something from our chef or pop out to one of the many nearby lunch spots – we’re spoilt for choice but today I went for sushi. When the weather is good, trainees often have lunch on the firm’s terrace, which offers one of the best views in London of St Paul’s Cathedral.
2:00 PM: We have a kick-off call with the corporate team for a potential new deal. We’re acting for the buyer and will be conducting a due diligence exercise, which involves reviewing documents provided by the target company. The call covers how the work will be split, the depth of the review, and the deadlines. After the call, the partner kindly explains the structure and mechanics of the acquisition to me and the other trainee.
2:45 PM: I grab a coffee with a couple of other trainees. We all studied the SQE together, and since we’re a small cohort, we’re a close-knit group. It’s nice to check in and support each other.
3:15 PM: Back at my desk, I focus on a couple of pro bono matters. The firm has many great pro bono initiatives, and trainees are encouraged to get involved. I’ve been working on two large international projects, which have involved liaising with local counsel in different jurisdictions.
4:30 PM: More emails come in, along with a few ad hoc tasks from different team members. I work through these for the rest of the afternoon.
6:15 PM: I finalise my billing for the day, check in with members of the team to see if I can help with anything else before I head home, update my to-do list for tomorrow, and log off.
7:00 PM: Once I’m home, I drop off my bags and head out for a walk. I try to do this every evening to get some steps in before cooking dinner.
About the firm
Introductory paragraph about the firm: K&L Gates is one of the largest law firms in the world with more than 40 offices located in key capital cities and world commercial and financial centres across five continents. At K&L Gates, we foster an inclusive and collaborative environment across our fully integrated global platform that enables us to diligently combine the knowledge and expertise of our lawyers and policy professionals to create teams that provide exceptional client solutions. We marry process with vision, success with dedication, and method with passion.
Managing partner: Paul Callegari, London Managing Partner.
Other offices: Austin, Beijing, Berlin, Boston, Brisbane, Brussels, Charleston, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, Doha, Dubai, Dublin, Fort Worth, Frankfurt, Harrisburg, Hong Kong, Houston, Kansas City, London, Los Angeles, Luxembourg, Melbourne, Miami, Milan, Munich, Nashville, Newark, New York, Orange County, Palo Alto, Paris, Perth, Pittsburgh, Portland, Raleigh, Research Triangle Park, San Francisco, São Paulo, Seattle, Seoul, Shanghai, Singapore, Sydney, Taipei, Tokyo, Washington DC, Wilmington.
Who we are: K&L Gates fosters an inclusive and collaborative environment across its fully integrated global platform.
What we do: K&L Gates is active in the areas of corporate/M&A, capital markets, private equity, restructuring and insolvency, banking and asset finance, structured finance, derivatives, aviation, debt capital markets, Islamic finance, funds, financial services regulation, antitrust, competition and trade regulation, public policy, real estate, intellectual property, technology transactions, construction, energy, infrastructure and resources, insurance coverage, regulatory, tax, employment, litigation, international arbitration, investigations, enforcement and white-collar crime, plus other forms of dispute resolution.
What we’re looking for in a trainee: We are looking for highly motivated, intellectually curious individuals with an interest in commercial law, looking for comprehensive training.
What you’ll do: A thorough induction scheme: emphasis is placed on early responsibility and client contact. Pro bono and CSR activities are encouraged.
Perks : Life assurance scheme, group income protection, gym membership, group pension plan, season ticket loan, private GP service, employee assistance program, cycle to work, eye test, language learning tool and fertility support.
Sponsorship
SQE sponsorship of £13,000
Seat options
Corporate; asset management and investment funds; white-collar crime; intellectual property; antitrust, competition and trade regulation; energy, infrastructure and resources; construction and infrastructure; employment; real estate; planning and environment; finance; litigation and dispute resolution.
Tips from the recruiter
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- Be clear and concise in your application form. Consider what a law firm is looking for and tailor your responses accordingly. Share your interests, hobbies and skills to help us gain a genuine sense of who you are.
- Take time to ensure your answers are thoughtful and well-structured. Use specific examples to illustrate your points and provide evidence to support your responses.
- Show that you understand the role of a law firm and why you aspire to become a solicitor in London. Demonstrate awareness and curiosity for current affairs.
Diversity and Inclusion
Percentage of female associates: 52%
Percentage of female partners: 17.8%
Percentage of BAME associates: 24.7%
Percentage of BAME partners: 2.6%
Our commitment to equal employment opportunity and a culture of excellence, where we understand and value the vibrancy of our community, is a core value that motivates and inspires our team.
As a global law firm with more than 45 offices on five continents, we have built a workplace whose success lies in the skills and talents of its people and their unique experiences. These help to foster a robust community where everyone has the opportunity to contribute value. One of our greatest strengths is that these individuals encompass a variety of globe-spanning cultural backgrounds, as well as different lived and learned experiences. This diversity allows us to develop truly meaningful relationships with our clients and across our firm, beautifully marrying experience with the ability to provide excellent, well-rounded service. We believe we build better teams, forge better client relationships, and provide better service because of our collaborative team of professionals who possess a vast array of perspectives and ideas, leading to greater depth and creativity of thought and innovation.
We will continue to listen, learn, and work together to build a culture where everyone is welcome, included, and has the opportunity to demonstrate their skills.
A firm’s culture is directly influenced by its leadership. Our leadership remains committed to fostering a culture of excellence, where different perspectives and ideas contribute to deeper levels of thought and understanding, helping to provide positive outcomes for our clients and within our firm community.
Our people around the world contribute to the inclusive culture we strive to continue building. As a firm that promotes a culture of excellence and growth, we encourage everyone to continue to learn about each other and the communities we serve, focusing on respectful curiosity and engagement that lends itself to our individual and collective development as a team of professionals. We also recognise the important work our people contribute around the world and have instilled the Global Diversity Hours Policy to offer non-billable, credited hours to all lawyers for their time spent towards Opportunity and Inclusion. The policy encourages our lawyers to have meaningful participation in Opportunity and Inclusion efforts both within and outside the firm for the benefit of K&L Gates, its clients, and all of our local communities.
We regularly partner with clients and external organisations to offer a wide variety of mentoring programmes for our lawyers. We also offer our own formal and informal mentoring and coaching programmes to help lawyers advance into partnership and leadership roles at the firm.
One of K&L Gates’ Opportunity and Inclusion goals is to build a stronger, diverse community at the firm. Across the global platform, our Women in the Profession Committee, Opportunity & Inclusion Committee, LGBTQ+ Subcommittee, Disability Inclusion Taskforce, and Veterans Taskforce refine and create new programmes and policies that reinforce our commitment to equal employment opportunity and inclusion. All are welcome on these committees. Our firmwide and local committees, subcommittees, and taskforces partner with offices across the firm to celebrate and honour the varied cultural backgrounds and heritages of our colleagues and friends each year. For example, our London Opportunity and Inclusion committees meet quarterly to implement our firm’s strategic goals, plan events, and share and communicate for each group, as well as come up with ideas and office initiatives. Everyone in the committee, from junior employees to partners, has a voice at the table. The London Opportunity and Inclusion committee is composed of champions who spearhead various internal communities for the office, including Women in the Profession, Wellbeing, LGBTQ+, Disability, New Parents, and Multicultural Society groups. Our Multicultural Society group organises and participates in several initiatives focused on educating and celebrating our culturally diverse workforce. Some of our notable efforts include recognising and honouring cultural days, collaborating with RARE to implement a tracking system for social mobility, and collecting contextualised data for consideration as part of the recruitment process.
In 2024, our firm was recognised as a Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion by Disability:IN for the second consecutive year. We have continued to prioritise Opportunity and Inclusion initiatives across the firm, obtaining Mansfield Rule certification for the past three consecutive years. The firm has also been recognised by the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity, Women in Law Empowerment Forum, and Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s Corporate Equality Index, as well as maintained key partnerships including, but not limited to, the National Association of Women Lawyers, National Asian Pacific American Bar Association, National LGBTQ+ Bar Association, National Hispanic Bar Association, Diversity Council Australia, and American Bar Association’s Commission on Disability Rights.
K&L Gates also fosters a range of internal Opportunity and Inclusion programmes, including its mentoring programme, firmwide speaker series, and Power of Partnership recruiting programme. In 2020, our Opportunity and Inclusion and Pro Bono committees launched K&L Gates for Equal Justice, a joint initiative harnessing legal skills to promote unity and equal justice.”