Sullivan & Cromwell LLP

The Legal 500 Future Lawyers verdict on Sullivan & Cromwell LLP

Sullivan & Cromwell attracts trainees with its reputation for “cutting-edge work” and the chance to make a meaningful impact early on. The promise of “blockbuster deals,” “option to do both client and international secondment” and a focus on “making you into a generalist rather than a specialist” also draws candidates, along with “really good partner and client interaction.” The training is described as “very good – ad hoc, but responsive and proves very useful.” Unlike some City peers, “partners at S&C are far more involved with you and regularly give you 1-2-1 feedback and work.” This hands-on approach translates into early responsibility: “You take on a lot more responsibility on deals. You are really well looked after.” The “quality of work, even at the trainee level” stands out as the firm’s biggest selling point, alongside “the team and people.” Inevitably, the demands are steep. The “work-life balance” is cited as the main downside, with one trainee pointing to the reality of “being staffed on consecutive closings, without an opportunity for a break.” More minor frustrations include the occasional “slow IT.” Career highlights are impressive. One trainee recalls “closing a public takeover, on which I worked extensively,” while another reflects on “working on a UK/US deal that I started on my client secondment and closed in the New York S&C office whilst on secondment.” International placements are described as “amazing – really enjoyed it and got pushed with really high-level work.” Lowlights, however, can be punishing, such as “staying up until 2am preparing signature packs for every party … because I didn’t read the associate’s email instructions carefully enough.” On hybrid working, trainees are positive: “the policy is good and flexible, and lawyers are trusted not to abuse the system.” For those seeking blockbuster deals, hands-on experience, and international secondments, Sullivan & Cromwell delivers.

Why I chose Sullivan & Cromwell Chloe Keung, second-year trainee, Sullivan & Cromwell

Departments to date: M&A, Finance and restructuring, Capital markets

University: King's College London

Degree: Law

The opportunities: What initially drew me to S&C was the breadth of opportunities, which is something that has continued to hold true. S&C’s global reputation and position attract clients and deals of the highest level. This gives me unmatched work experience and top-tier quality of training. These are things I deeply value and look for in my training. The deals I have been involved in during my vacation scheme, and now M&A and finance seats so far, have all been high-value, market-leading, complex and highly varied. There are always new things to learn from each deal, which makes my training experience ever so enlightening and rewarding.

The international exposure S&C provides is also crucial to me given my international background. A year into my training contract, every single deal I have worked on has been truly cross-border and I constantly work with high-profile international clients, counterparties and teams. Together with S&C’s promise of secondment opportunities, training at S&C furthers my background and aspirations.

S&C adopts a generalist approach in its corporate practice areas upon qualification. Its emphasis on growing well-rounded corporate lawyers allows me to gain a wide variety of experience before having to specialise. This breadth does not come at the expense of depth; trainees at S&C are given substantive responsibilities from the outset and are expected and treated as meaningful members of lean deal teams. The level of hands-on experience in deals, together with the structured training programmes, gives solid training and professional growth.

The culture: The smaller trainee cohort not only means that we get to know each other well, but there are also adequate opportunities for everyone (such as in terms of secondments, seat allocations) and there is no need for any competition for places. This really helps to foster a truly wholesome and collaborative culture among trainees and generally in the office.

The smaller cohort also means that seniors pay a lot of attention to training us, giving us lots of learning opportunities. The seniors I work with, from associates to partners, are approachable and friendly and they are willing to go out of their way to explain things and impart their knowledge and skills to us. Learning directly from these top industry experts is such an invaluable opportunity and is something not as common at firms with much larger trainee cohorts.

S&C has lean deal teams, which means trainees are very often entrusted with a high level of responsibility from early on. That said, there has never been a moment where I felt unsupported and unready for a task because support and guidance are often provided. Seniors are also willing to let us take on work which would otherwise be associates’ tasks at other firms and learn from hands-on experience. Just a few weeks into my training contract, a partner told me after a closing that I was doing the same work as an associate on the other side of the deal, which was so motivating for a first-seater!

About the firm

The firm: Sullivan & Cromwell LLP provides the highest quality legal advice and representation to clients around the world. The results the firm achieves have set it apart for more than 140 years and have become a model for the modern practice of law. See below for more information about what sets S&C apart.

Administrative partner: Craig Jones

Managing partners: Kon Asimacopoulos and John Horsfield-Bradbury

Other offices: Beijing, Brussels, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, Los Angeles, Melbourne, New York, Palo Alto, Paris, Sydney, Tokyo, Washington, DC.

Who we are: Today, S&C is a leader in each of its core practice areas and in each of its geographic markets, illustrated by our regular top rankings in independent surveys.

With more than 900 lawyers across an international network of 13 offices on four continents, S&C has maintained an international reach by developing offices to serve client needs and staffing them primarily with lawyers who have been with S&C for their entire careers.

Sullivan & Cromwell’s London office, established in 1972, is the second-largest office of the firm. It serves as a natural focal point for English law advice, as well as for cross-border European and cross-continental transactions.

There are 85 lawyers and trainees working in the office across a number of practice areas, including: M&A and private equity; capital markets; project development and finance; credit, leveraged and acquisition finance; financial services; competition; and tax.

What we do: The London office serves major corporate, financial institution, investment banking, private equity, government, sovereign wealth, individual and family clients throughout Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Gulf regions and Central Asia, as well as our clients from outside these regions with interests there. S&C London is unique in the scale, complexity and significance of the work carried out in an office of its size.

S&C’s position in the market means that the firm gives cutting‐edge advice on the issues of the future. The firm is keenly engaged in environment and social governance (ESG) matters, including green and sustainability‐linked financings and in transactions involving clean technology and renewable energy.

What we’re looking for in a trainee: S&C’s goal is to employ the brightest minds, regardless of subject studied at university. The firm seeks trainees who have strong academic credentials and an excellent prior academic record. Most important, however, candidates should also have intellectual curiosity, integrity, common sense, commercial awareness and an ambition to succeed as a lawyer at one of the world’s leading law firms. Strong interpersonal skills will also be important: S&C is looking for team players.

While S&C expects most of its applicants to be penultimate‐year law students and final‐year non‐law students, graduates and postgraduates are also eligible.

What you’ll do: Training contracts with S&C are divided into two six‐month seats during your first year of training, and three four-month seats during your second year of training, covering at least three practice areas. The firm distinguishes its trainee programme by offering genuine mentoring from partners and senior lawyers who take a keen interest in their trainees’ career development. Trainees are, in each seat, supervised by a partner who is a leader in their field and by other senior lawyers, who guide the trainees through their work and help ensure that they are engaged and challenged. These partners and senior lawyers ensure that the trainees see a range of outstanding work and receive guidance to help make the transition from academic study to legal practice.

The trainee solicitor programme is overseen by S&C London partners Ben Perry and Jon Hannan and is part of the firm’s integrated, global approach to recruiting, associate development and client service. In this regard, S&C differs from many of its competitors in that it is truly one law firm and one partnership worldwide, fostering a strong culture of teamwork and collaboration between offices.

Perks: Private health insurance; dental insurance; life insurance; income protection insurance, a group personal pension scheme with the option to contribute via salary sacrifice; paid maternity, paternity and adoption leave plans; a subsidised gym membership; and a health cash plan, which offers annual health screening, PMI excess cover, complementary and alternative therapies, prescriptions, inoculations and flu jabs.

Sponsorship

We cover SQE course fees in full for prospective trainees who accept our offer of a training contract. We also pay a maintenance grant, which is currently £20,000, payable in two equal instalments.

Seat options

Mergers and acquisitions, private equity, capital markets, finance and restructuring, project development and finance, financial services, competition, and tax.

Tips from the recruiter

1. Conduct thorough research to understand S&C’s culture, practice areas and clients, incorporating these insights into your application and cover letter.
2. Showcase your passions – discuss your genuine interests and passions, along with any transferable skills gained from them.
3. Spell check! Beware of deadlines!

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