{"id":14592,"date":"2026-08-19T10:21:03","date_gmt":"2026-08-19T10:21:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/my.legal500.com\/future-lawyers\/?post_type=profiles&#038;p=14592"},"modified":"2026-09-23T09:22:52","modified_gmt":"2026-09-23T09:22:52","slug":"covington-burling","status":"publish","type":"profiles","link":"https:\/\/my.legal500.com\/future-lawyers\/profiles\/covington-burling\/","title":{"rendered":"Covington &amp; Burling"},"content":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"template":"","jurisdictions":[],"countries":[],"cities":[],"firms_companies":[],"universities_colleges":[],"lex_survey_questions":[],"publications":[828],"tc_location":[],"class_list":["post-14592","profiles","type-profiles","status-publish","hentry","publications-future-lawyers-2026-27"],"acf":[],"featured_image_urls":{},"appp_media":null,"appp":{"post_list":{"below_title":"<div class=\"lex-profile-list-intro\"><div class=\"letterhead\">\n            \n\t\t\t<h1 class=\"styled\">Covington &amp; Burling<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t<img class=\"firm-logo\" height=\"200\" width=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/my.legal500.com\/future-lawyers\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/09\/Covington-Burling.gif\" alt=\"Covington &amp; Burling law firm logo\" \/>\n\t<meta class=\"swiftype\" name=\"image\" data-type=\"enum\" content=\"https:\/\/my.legal500.com\/future-lawyers\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/09\/Covington-Burling.gif\" \/>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"contact-box\">\n<div class=\"address contact\"><i class=\"fa fa-building\"><\/i> 22 Bishopsgate, London EC2N 4BQ<\/div><div class=\"web contact\"><i class=\"fa fa-globe\"><\/i> <a class=\"firm-website\" target=\"_blank\"  href=\"https:\/\/www.cov.com\/en\">Visit website<\/a><\/div><div class=\"email contact\"><i class=\"fa fa-envelope\"><\/i> <a class=\"firm-email\" href=\"mailto: graduate@cov.com?subject=Enquiry via lex100.com\">E-mail firm<\/a><\/div><div class=\"phone contact\"><i class=\"fa fa-phone\"><\/i> 0207 067 2000<\/div><div class=\"linkedin contact\"><i class=\"fa fa-linkedin\"><\/i> <a class=\"firm-linkedin\" target=\"_blank\"  href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/covington-&amp;-burling\">LinkedIn<\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"badges\"><i class='fa fa-trophy' aria-hidden='true'><\/i> Covington &amp; Burling is a The Legal 500 Future Lawyers Winner in 2 categories: <a href='\/future-lawyers\/survey\/future-lawyers-winners\/my-experience-with-pro-bono-and-or-csr-opportunities-at-the-firm-has-been-valuable\/' target='_blank'> Pro bono<\/a>,<a href='\/future-lawyers\/survey\/future-lawyers-winners\/your-firm-is-committed-to-creating-a-diverse-and-inclusive-workplace\/' target='_blank'> Inclusiveness<\/a><\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"apply-buttons\">\n<div class=\"grad_web\"><button class=\"grad-rec\" style=\"position:relative; height: 56px;\"><a style=\"padding-top: 15px; position: absolute; top: 0; right: 0; bottom: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; color: #fff;\" class=\"firm-grad-site\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cov.com\/en\/careers\/lawyers\/london\">Visit Graduate Recruitment Site<\/a><\/button><\/div><div class=\"apply_link\"><button class=\"apply-now\" style=\"position:relative; height: 56px;\"><a style=\"padding-top: 15px; position: absolute; top: 0; right: 0; bottom: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; color: #fff;\" class=\"firm-apply-link\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cov.com\/en\/careers\/lawyers\/london\">Apply Now<\/a><\/button><\/div><\/div>\n\n                    \n        <\/div><span class=\"profile-link\">View Profile<\/span><\/div>"},"post_detail":{"below_title":"<div class=\"letterhead\"><div class=\"letterhead\">\n            \n\t\t\t<h1 class=\"styled\">Covington &amp; Burling<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t<img class=\"firm-logo\" height=\"200\" width=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/my.legal500.com\/future-lawyers\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/09\/Covington-Burling.gif\" alt=\"Covington &amp; Burling law firm logo\" \/>\n\t<meta class=\"swiftype\" name=\"image\" data-type=\"enum\" content=\"https:\/\/my.legal500.com\/future-lawyers\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/09\/Covington-Burling.gif\" \/>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"contact-box\">\n<div class=\"address contact\"><i class=\"fa fa-building\"><\/i> 22 Bishopsgate, London EC2N 4BQ<\/div><div class=\"web contact\"><i class=\"fa fa-globe\"><\/i> <a class=\"firm-website\" target=\"_blank\"  href=\"https:\/\/www.cov.com\/en\">Visit website<\/a><\/div><div class=\"email contact\"><i class=\"fa fa-envelope\"><\/i> <a class=\"firm-email\" href=\"mailto: graduate@cov.com?subject=Enquiry via lex100.com\">E-mail firm<\/a><\/div><div class=\"phone contact\"><i class=\"fa fa-phone\"><\/i> 0207 067 2000<\/div><div class=\"linkedin contact\"><i class=\"fa fa-linkedin\"><\/i> <a class=\"firm-linkedin\" target=\"_blank\"  href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/covington-&amp;-burling\">LinkedIn<\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"badges\"><i class='fa fa-trophy' aria-hidden='true'><\/i> Covington &amp; Burling is a The Legal 500 Future Lawyers Winner in 2 categories: <a href='\/future-lawyers\/survey\/future-lawyers-winners\/my-experience-with-pro-bono-and-or-csr-opportunities-at-the-firm-has-been-valuable\/' target='_blank'> Pro bono<\/a>,<a href='\/future-lawyers\/survey\/future-lawyers-winners\/your-firm-is-committed-to-creating-a-diverse-and-inclusive-workplace\/' target='_blank'> Inclusiveness<\/a><\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"apply-buttons\">\n<div class=\"grad_web\"><button class=\"grad-rec\" style=\"position:relative; height: 56px;\"><a style=\"padding-top: 15px; position: absolute; top: 0; right: 0; bottom: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; color: #fff;\" class=\"firm-grad-site\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cov.com\/en\/careers\/lawyers\/london\">Visit Graduate Recruitment Site<\/a><\/button><\/div><div class=\"apply_link\"><button class=\"apply-now\" style=\"position:relative; height: 56px;\"><a style=\"padding-top: 15px; position: absolute; top: 0; right: 0; bottom: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; color: #fff;\" class=\"firm-apply-link\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cov.com\/en\/careers\/lawyers\/london\">Apply Now<\/a><\/button><\/div><\/div>\n\n                    \n        <\/div><\/div><div class=\"survey-scores\"><h2 style=\"color: #111;\">Trainee Feedback<\/h2>\r\n<ul style=\"list-type:none; color: #111;\">\r\n<li style=\"width:82.3%\">82.3<span class=\"score-title\">Work quality<\/span><\/li><li style=\"width:73.5%\">73.5<span class=\"score-title\">Client contact<\/span><\/li><li style=\"width:%\">87.2<span class=\"score-title\">Vac. Scheme<\/span><\/li><li style=\"width:82.3%\">82.3<span class=\"score-title\">Inclusiveness<\/span><\/li><li style=\"width:73.5%\">73.5<span class=\"score-title\">Approachability<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ul><\/div><div class=\"profile-content-1\"> \n<article id=\"post-14592\" class=\"post-14592 profiles type-profiles status-publish hentry publications-future-lawyers-2026-27\">\n\t\n\t<header class=\"entry-header\">\n\t\t\n\t<\/header><!-- .entry-header -->\n\n\t<div class=\"entry-content\">\n\n<div class=\"survey-results tab-listing\">  \n   \n        \n<h2>Survey Results - Trainee feedback on <span class=\"highlight-firm\">Covington &amp; Burling<\/span><\/h2>\n\n           <style>\n#chartdiv {\n  width: 100%;\n  height: 800px;\n}\n\n<\/style>\n            \n  <!-- Resources -->\n<script src=\"https:\/\/www.amcharts.com\/lib\/4\/core.js\"><\/script>\n<script src=\"https:\/\/www.amcharts.com\/lib\/4\/charts.js\"><\/script>\n<script src=\"https:\/\/www.amcharts.com\/lib\/4\/themes\/animated.js\"><\/script>\n            \n<!-- HTML -->\n<div id=\"chartdiv\"><\/div>\n        \n<!-- Chart code -->\n<script>\n\/\/ Themes begin\nam4core.useTheme(am4themes_animated);\n\/\/ Themes end\n\n\/\/ Create chart instance\nvar chart = am4core.create(\"chartdiv\", am4charts.XYChart3D);\n\n\/\/ Add data\nchart.data = [{\n  \"question\": \"Satisfaction\",\n  \"result\": \"\",\n  \"explanation\": \"How would you rate your overall job satisfaction?\" \n},{\n  \"question\": \"Expectations\",\n  \"result\": \"\",\n  \"explanation\": \"How far has the firm lived up to your expectations?\" \n},{\n  \"question\": \"Work quality\",\n  \"result\": \"82.3\",\n  \"explanation\": \"How would you rate the quality of work you are given?\" \n},{\n  \"question\": \"Client contact\",\n  \"result\": \"73.5\",\n  \"explanation\": \"How would you rate your amount of client contact?\" \n},{\n  \"question\": \"Work\/life\",\n  \"result\": \"\",\n  \"explanation\": \"How happy are you with your work\/life balance?\" \n},{\n  \"question\": \"Social life\",\n  \"result\": \"\",\n  \"explanation\": \"How good is your firm\u2019s social life?\" \n},\n\n\n\n{\n  \"question\": \"Vac. Scheme\",\n  \"result\": \"87.2\",\n  \"explanation\": \"If you did a vacation scheme with your firm, how would you rate it?\" \n},\n\n\n\n{\n  \"question\": \"Confidence\",\n  \"result\": \"\",\n  \"explanation\": \"How confident are you that you will be kept on at the end of your training contract?\" \n},{\n  \"question\": \"Remuneration\",\n  \"result\": \"\",\n  \"explanation\": \"How satisfied are you with your financial remuneration?\" \n},{\n  \"question\": \"Inclusiveness\",\n  \"result\": \"82.3\",\n  \"explanation\": \"How would you rate the inclusiveness of your workplace environment?\" \n},\n\n\n{\n  \"question\": \"Approachability\",\n  \"result\": \"73.5\",\n  \"explanation\": \"How approachable are your supervisors?\" \n}];\n\n\/\/ Create axes\nvar categoryAxis = chart.yAxes.push(new am4charts.CategoryAxis());\ncategoryAxis.dataFields.category = \"question\";\ncategoryAxis.numberFormatter.numberFormat = \"#\";\ncategoryAxis.renderer.inversed = true;\n\nvar valueAxis = chart.xAxes.push(new am4charts.ValueAxis()); \n\nvalueAxis.title.text = \"Survey Score (\/100)\";\nvalueAxis.min = 0;\nvalueAxis.max = 100;\n\n\/\/ Create series\nvar series = chart.series.push(new am4charts.ColumnSeries3D());\nseries.dataFields.valueX = \"result\";\nseries.dataFields.categoryY = \"question\";\nseries.name = \"Income\";\nseries.columns.template.propertyFields.fill = \"color\";\nseries.columns.template.tooltipText = \"{explanation} {valueX}\";\nseries.columns.template.column3D.stroke = am4core.color(\"#fff\");\nseries.columns.template.column3D.strokeOpacity = 0.2;\n<\/script>\n\n\n<\/div>        \n        \n           \n\t\t\n\t\t    <h2 class=\"tab-listing\">The lowdown - Trainees (in their own words) on <span class=\"highlight-firm\">Covington &amp; Burling<\/span><\/h2>\n        <p><p><strong>Why did you choose to join this firm?\u00a0<\/strong>\u2018It has a well-known collaborative and encouraging culture with the expectation that trainees will be heavily involved in projects and cases\u2019, \u2018culture, practice area specialisms, pay\/benefits to hours ratio\u2019, \u2018nice people, interesting work, academic nature of work, life sciences\/tech\u2019, \u2018(1) pro bono; (2) US style of training; and (3) culture\u2019, \u2018expertise in regulatory sectors and public policy\u2019, &#8216;its nexus to policy and politics&#8217;<\/p>\n<p><strong>What is the best thing about the firm?\u00a0<\/strong>\u2018Variety of seat choices\u2019, \u2018the members of the team are encouraging and helpful, and the pro bono opportunities, particularly for trainees, are varied and exciting\u2019, \u2018the quality of work\u2019, \u2018the people, clients, and the view!\u2019, \u2018culture\u2019, \u2018innovation\u2019, \u2018the office itself is very nice. It&#8217;s a nice working environment\u2019<\/p>\n<p><strong>What could the firm do to improve?\u00a0<\/strong>\u2018Associate remuneration could track more closely with peer US firms\u2019, \u2018the salary is slightly lower than market rate and the work-life balance can be difficult in certain teams\u2019, \u2018more consistency of workload and responsibility across trainees and practice areas\u2019, \u2018the training is not always prioritised\u2019, \u2018some practice areas are lagging in terms of trainee support, \u2018more social events\u2019<\/p>\n<p><strong>What has been the best moment of your training?\u00a0<\/strong>\u2018Closing deals after months of hard work\u2019, \u2018attending various court hearings\u2019, \u2018hearing my research referenced in court in barrister arguments\u2019, \u2018high levels of responsibility, client contact and transaction management\u2019, \u2018attending a final-merits arbitration hearing overseas\u2019<\/p>\n<p><strong>What has been the most challenging moment of your training?\u00a0<\/strong>\u2018Taking on complex work that was completely new to me with set deadlines\u2019, \u2018logistics of filing preparation\u2019, \u2018managing my work-life balance during certain peak times in my seats\u2019, \u2018the long hours\u2019, \u2018the hours and some of the culture\u2019, \u2018being launched into matters halfway through with little context\u2019<\/p>\n<\/p>\n                \n               \n      <h2 class=\"tab-listing\" id=\"verdict\">The Lex 100 verdict on <span class=\"highlight-firm\">Covington &amp; Burling<\/span><\/h2>\n       \n        \n      \n             \n        <p>    \n\t<p>Covington &amp; Burling\u2019s distinctive mix of regulatory expertise, public policy work, white-collar investigations, and life sciences and tech specialisms gives it a genuinely unique offering. A \u201chigh-responsibility environment\u201d, \u201chigh-quality work\u201d and \u201cgenuinely collaborative culture\u201d are major draws, as is the small trainee intake, which promises close working relationships and early exposure to substantive matters.<\/p>\n<p>The best thing about Covington is, for many, the \u201cfriendliness within teams\u201d and the \u201chands-on responsibility given to juniors\u201d. Trainees praise the quality and variety of work, the \u201cencouraging and helpful\u201d teams, as well as the chance to get involved in varied and exciting pro bono matters. Standout moments include \u201chearing my research referenced in court\u201d, attending court hearings and overseas arbitration proceedings, closing deals after months of work, and taking on \u201ctransaction management\u201d and client contact at an early stage.<\/p>\n<p>That responsibility, however, comes with pressure. Trainees cite long hours, a difficult work-life balance during busy periods and being \u201claunched into matters halfway through with little context\u201d as some of the more challenging aspects of training.<\/p>\n<p>Respondents feel that there is room for improvement around consistency of workload and supervision, with some noting that training is \u201cnot always prioritised\u201d, and that certain teams could offer better trainee support. Associate remuneration &#8211; which some consider to be \u2018slightly lower than market rate \u2019- and international seat opportunities were also mentioned as areas where Covington could do more.<\/p>\n<p>For trainees seeking intellectually demanding work, an international platform and meaningful early responsibility within a supportive environment, Covington offers a training contract with real substance.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n        \n             \n                \n        \t\t<p>        \n              \n\n\n           \n        \n         \t\t \n\t\t <h2 id=\"ditl\">Reflections on the transition from a trainee to a newly qualified solicitor - A journey of challenges and milestones Mimi Al Khalifa, Associate<\/h2>\n\t\t <p><img height=\"200\" width=\"200\" alt=\"Mimi Al Khalifa, Covington &amp; Burling\" class=\"ditl-photo\" src=\"https:\/\/my.legal500.com\/future-lawyers\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/Mimi-Al-Khalifa-1-1.jpg\"\/>\t\t <p><strong>Departments to date:<\/strong> Corporate<\/p>         \n\t\t \t\t <p><strong>University: <\/strong>\n\t\t \t\t UCL\t\t \t\t <\/p>\n\t\t         \n\t\t <p><strong>Degree:<\/strong> LLB<\/p>    <\/p>  \n\t\t <p><p>I am a junior associate in the corporate team at Covington &amp; Burling, having qualified last year. Whilst I had a difficult time deciding whether I wanted to be an arbitration lawyer or a corporate one, I am now confident I have made the right decision &#8211; the fast pace of deals is exciting, and the team is very keen for you to grow. Of course, I avoid talking to any disputes lawyers for fear of feeling regret.<\/p>\n<p>This past year, I have had M&amp;A, PE, restructuring and venture capital experience, largely for technology and life sciences clients. That is quite typical for a corporate junior at Covington, who is expected to take on a breadth of matters and will not specialise until a few years have passed. The broad exposure is an element of the experience for which I am particularly grateful, as dealing with different clients on a wider range of matters broadens your skillset.<\/p>\n<p>I think Covington is a wonderful place to be a junior because you get supportive partners and a lot of responsibility, which makes hard work feel rewarding. If you happen to be on a Vacation Scheme or Open Day here, please do swing by my office!<\/p>\n<p><strong>DAY IN THE LIFE OF A JUNIOR CORPORATE ASSOCIATE <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>7am &#8211; I check emails and provide initial responses to anything where it is necessary or helpful. As a corporate associate, you are the conduit between many parties, including specialist lawyers and clients, and it is therefore very important to constantly triage and make sure every piece of work is exactly where it needs to be. A piece of advice I got early was &#8220;it is not enough for things to be in control, you need to make people feel like you have things in control&#8221; &#8211; one easy way of doing this is by being responsive.<\/p>\n<p>8am &#8211; I am in the office building, where we have a gym downstairs. I like to start my day with either a Pilates class or some other kind of movement. This is also a nice way of catching up with friends, who I victimise into joining me when I can. Today, I&#8217;ll be doing a Pilates class with friend I met at university. Her and I grab a coffee together after.<\/p>\n<p>9.30am &#8211; I am at my desk preparing for an all parties status update call on an active M&amp;A deal. I remind the partner of the status of a few items and any outstanding points we need to iron out on the call. We chat with a tax and incentives specialist here about the nature of an issue. I spend the morning dealing with this matter, with a few small pauses to address items on a venture capital investment that crop up. The call goes well and we&#8217;re making good progress.<\/p>\n<p>1pm &#8211; I have lunch at my desk updating corporate templates for a pro bono client. In addition to being a good way of using your legal skills for very worthy charities or causes, pro bono work is a great way of exposing yourself to more corporate work. I am working on a template NDA, which is a basic corporate document, but I try to think about how to tailor it for what our client needs rather than an M&amp;A deal, for example.<\/p>\n<p>1:30pm &#8211; ancillary documents on a VC deal have landed. I review the disclosure letter against the disclosure bundle, marking up any points I feel are non-responsive or otherwise should change, I review the resolutions and other consents against any operative or governing documents, and send a senior associate a marked-up set of ancillaries and an email setting out my thoughts. Covington has a Monday-Thursday in office policy, so she swings by my desk to discuss various points relating to the ancillary documentation.<\/p>\n<p>5:30pm: some documents have been uploaded into the data room on the M&amp;A deal. These are corporate documents relating to a share buyback. I diligence these documents by checking that (i) the company had the requisite authority and that the buyback otherwise occurred in accordance with the Companies Act and any governing documents, and (ii) the documents appear in order.<\/p>\n<p>7:30pm &#8211; I have dinner with a contact I met at a networking event. He is also at a more junior stage in his career working at a listed investor. We trade thoughts about work and movie recommendations. One thing that changes from being a trainee lawyer to an associate is the expectation that you will contribute to business development initiatives, which is an incredibly fun part of the job.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n\t\t \n        \n                <h2 id=\"about\">About the firm<\/h2>\n        <p><p>In an increasingly regulated world, we have an exceptional ability to help clients navigate their most complex business problems, deals and disputes. From our 14 international offices we practice as one firm, holding closely to core values that start with a deep commitment to our clients and the quality of our work.<\/p>\n<p>What sets us apart is our ability to combine the tremendous strength in our litigation, investigations and corporate practices with deep knowledge of policy and policymakers, and one of the world\u2019s leading regulatory practices.<\/p>\n<p>Our trainees tell us that they were attracted to Covington because we provide the responsibility and opportunity of a close-knit office, combined with the resources and prestige of a leading international firm. Above all, though, we recognise the importance of a great firm culture. At Covington you will find a firm with values of collegiality, high standards of lawyering, respect for others, a dedication to public service and a commitment to diversity, equality and inclusion. We have some of the best lawyers in the world because we understand that excellence in legal practice involves effective teamwork, clear and shared values, and generosity to colleagues and clients, as well as preeminent legal skills.<\/p>\n<p>The clients: Our clients include technology giants Microsoft and Meta, and we represent leaders in life sciences including AstraZeneca and Oxford Biomedica. We have advised pharmaceutical manufacturers in relation to the manufacture and supply of Covid-19 vaccines, acted for ACWA Power on the world\u2019s most ambitious regenerative tourism project in Saudi Arabia, and we engage in cutting-edge pro bono matters, such as representing Ukraine against the Russian Federation at the ICJ.<\/p>\n<p><strong>London office Managing partner:<\/strong>\u00a0 James Halstead<\/p>\n<p><strong>Management committee chair:<\/strong>\u202f\u00a0 Doug Gibson<\/p>\n<p><strong>Other offices:<\/strong>\u00a0Boston, Los Angeles, New York, Palo Alto, San Francisco, Washington, Brussels, Frankfurt, Dubai, Johannesburg, Beijing, Seoul, Shanghai.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Who we are:<\/strong>\u00a0 From our offices in Beijing, Boston, Brussels, Dubai, Frankfurt, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, New York, Palo Alto, San Francisco, Seoul, Shanghai and Washington, we practise as one firm, holding closely to core values that start with a deep commitment to our clients and the quality of our work on their behalf, and that include an emphasis on teamwork among our lawyers and other professionals and a belief in the obligation of lawyers to make legal services available to all who need them.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What we do:\u00a0<\/strong> Covington has an unusual combination of strengths in regulatory policy combined with high-end litigation and corporate practices. This breadth of capabilities offers unique opportunities to trainees to become involved in multi-dimensional matters across several practice areas.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What we&#8217;re looking for:\u00a0<\/strong> There is no set mould for a Covington trainee; our trainees are enthusiastic about the law, hardworking and keen to be part of our collaborative culture.<\/p>\n<p>The candidates we choose are sharp, articulate and quick thinking. They have confidence and composure, but also honesty and humour. We look for candidates to be on track for a 2:1 degree with a strong academic record.<\/p>\n<p><strong>We also like to see:\u202f\u00a0<\/strong> Energy and enthusiasm;\u202fteam spirit;\u202fa range of interests outside the law (extra-curricular activities, voluntary or paid work);\u202findependent thought;\u202fcommunication and influencing skills;\u202fcommercial awareness;\u202fresolve and judgement;\u202fa creative approach to problem solving;\u202fand resilience under pressure.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What you\u2019ll do:\u00a0<\/strong> As a trainee at Covington you will have early responsibility and exposure. Working within small teams and playing a significant role in complex substantive work, our trainees work closely with senior lawyers and partners and have a chance to make a real impact.<\/p>\n<p>During your two years as a trainee solicitor, you will spend time in a variety of practice areas (seats).<\/p>\n<p>To ensure you get the best experience from your time our professional development team will work closely with you to design a training programme which best suits your preferences (and the business needs).<\/p>\n<p>As a trainee you will also have the chance to apply for an international or client secondment, which is an excellent opportunity to develop an understanding of the global nature of our work and to experience working in a different cultural environment.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Perks:\u00a0<\/strong>Private medical insurance, fertility benefits, dental insurance, employee assistance programme, mental wellbeing platform, eye tests, flu vaccine, group income protection and life assurance schemes, season ticket loan.<\/p>\n<\/p>         \n              \n      <h2 class=\"tab-listing\" id=\"other\">Diversity, Equity and Inclusion<\/h2>\n\t  \n      <div id=\"diversity\"><p><strong>I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong><strong>Our Values<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>At Covington, we recognize the differences among us as an asset and a source of strength. Covington lawyers bring a wide variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and life experiences to our practice, and this contributes to the firm&#8217;s ability to provide excellence in the practice of law. By recruiting, retaining, developing, and promoting a widely diverse group of lawyers, we advance the interests of our clients, our practice, and our entire profession. Learn more at <a href=\"http:\/\/Cov.com\/Inclusion\">Cov.com\/<\/a><u>Inclusion.<\/u><\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"color: #222222\"><span style=\"background-color: #d5d5d5\">I<\/span><\/span>I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong><strong>Billable Credit Hours<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>At Covington, we support and encourage all colleagues to participate in programming focused on advancing our values, including contributing to our efforts to be a diverse and inclusive firm. Associates and counsel may count up to 50 hours toward bonus eligibility for these activities.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>III.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong><strong>Office DEI Committees and Firm Resource Groups<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>DEI committees in each of our Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) and Asia offices are focused on local and regional efforts to foster inclusion among their colleagues.<\/p>\n<p>All colleagues are invited to join Covington\u2019s Firm Resource Groups. These groups facilitate community-building and member connections, promote firm education and awareness on the experiences of their members, and advance practices that enrich our inclusive culture.<\/p>\n<p><strong>IV.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong><strong>Feedback Opportunities<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Covington integrates insights from surveys, listening sessions, and town halls to directly inform the firm\u2019s inclusion initiatives, programs, and policies. Notably, Firm Resource Group dialogues with leadership have been instrumental in improving collaboration, strengthening connections, and cultivating trust among firm colleagues.<\/p>\n<p><strong>V.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong><strong>Inclusive Leader Workshops<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>We offer interactive workshops that help senior leaders strengthen inclusive leadership practices within their teams. Through real-world scenarios and discussion, participants examine the impact of inclusive leadership, develop key behaviours, and learn practical strategies to help expand fair access to opportunities for all colleagues.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>VI.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong><strong>Trainee Program<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Covington prioritizes the career development of its lawyers from the first day they join the firm. We offer a trainee program that provides an introduction to the firm, helping to prepare participants for success in their respective practice groups. The program includes a mix of skills programs, legal fundamentals, and resilience sessions, and offers the opportunity to work on complex projects for key clients and engage in cutting-edge pro bono matters.<\/p>\n<p><strong>VII. <\/strong><strong>Awards &amp; Honors<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>We have been recognized for our efforts to foster a diverse and inclusive firm through the following <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cov.com\/en\/diversity-equity-and-inclusion\/leader-in-diversity\">awards, honors, and pledges<\/a>:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>com International <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cov.com\/en\/news-and-insights\/news\/2024\/12\/covington-ranks-first--on-law-coms-uk-a-list\">UK A-List<\/a>\u2014This list recognizes law firms based on factors including revenue per lawyer, pro bono commitment, associate satisfaction, racial diversity, and gender diversity (the percentage of equity partners who are women). Covington has ranked 1st among the 20 firms listed since 2024.<\/li>\n<li>Signed the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.socialmobilitypledge.org\/about\">Social Mobility Pledge<\/a>, representing our commitment to providing outreach, access, and recruitment opportunities to promote equality of opportunity<\/li>\n<li>Covington\u2019s Frankfurt office signed the Charta der Vielfalt, affirming our commitment to fostering a working environment that is free of prejudice and where all our colleagues feel valuedWe are a founding member of the Legal Diversity &amp; Inclusion Alliance (LDIA), a collective effort by several law firms in Belgium that supports creating a diverse and inclusive work environment by exchanging good practices on diversity and inclusion and raising awareness of non-discrimination and diversity issues<\/li>\n<li>Covington achieved \u201cMansfield Certification Plus\u201d for eight consecutive years.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n            \n      \n            \n                 \n            \n              \n       \n                 \n        \t<\/div><!-- .entry-content -->\n\n\t\n<\/article><!-- #post-## --><\/div><div class=\"profile-content-2\">   \r\n\r\n<div id=\"profile-contents\">\r\n\r\n<h2 class=\"widget-title\">Contents<\/h2>\r\n\r\n<ul class=\"contents\">\r\n<li><a href=\"#verdict\">The verdict<\/a><\/li> <li><a href=\"#ditl\">Reflections on the transition from a trainee to a newly qualified solicitor - A journey of challenges and milestones<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#about\">About us<\/a><\/li>  <li><a href=\"#diversity\">Diversity, Equity and Inclusion<\/a><\/li>          \r\n<li><a href=\"#facts\">Facts and figures<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\r\n        \r\n<\/div> \r\n\r\n\r\n<div id=\"application-process\">\r\n \r\n<h2 class=\"widget-title\">Application process for Covington &amp; Burling<\/h2>\r\n<p><strong>How:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/cov.grad.allhires.com\/\">Online application<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>What&#8217;s involved in application: Online application; assessment centre comprising of an interview and group exercise; successful candidates are then invited to a vacation scheme. We recruit exclusively from our vacation schemes.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Person in charge of recruitment:<\/strong> The Graduate Recruitment Team.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Mentoring: <\/strong>5 November (apply by 16 October 2026)<\/p>\n<p>[<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cov.com\/en\/careers\/lawyers\/london\/our-opportunities\/mentoring-programme\">Mentoring Programme | Covington &amp; Burling LLP<\/a>] https:\/\/www.cov.com\/en\/careers\/lawyers\/london\/our-opportunities\/mentoring-programme<\/p>\n<p>[<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cov.com\/en\/careers\/lawyers\/london\/our-opportunities\/covington-insight-series\">CovInsights | Covington &amp; Burling LLP<\/a>] https:\/\/www.cov.com\/en\/careers\/lawyers\/london\/our-opportunities\/covinsights<\/p>\n<p>[<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cov.com\/en\/careers\/lawyers\/london\/our-opportunities\/vacation-schemes\">Vacation Schemes | Covington &amp; Burling LLP<\/a>] https:\/\/www.cov.com\/en\/careers\/lawyers\/london\/our-opportunities\/vacation-schemes<\/p>\n<p>[<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cov.com\/en\/careers\/lawyers\/london\/our-opportunities\/covington-insight-series\">Covington: Behind the Scenes| Covington &amp; Burling LLP<\/a>] https:\/\/www.cov.com\/en\/careers\/lawyers\/london\/our-opportunities\/covington-behind-the-scenes<\/p>\n<p>[<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cov.com\/en\/careers\/lawyers\/london\/our-opportunities\/legal-horizons\">Legal Horizons | Covington &amp; Burling LLP<\/a>] https:\/\/www.cov.com\/en\/careers\/lawyers\/london\/our-opportunities\/legal-horizons<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n <div id=\"vacation-schemes\">\r\n  \r\n <h2 class=\"widget-title\">Vacation schemes at Covington &amp; Burling<\/h2>\r\n<p><strong>Summer vacation scheme:<\/strong> 28 June-9 July 2027 (apply by 15 January 2027)<\/p>\r\n  <p><strong>CovInsights:<\/strong> 7-8 April 2027  (apply by 12 March 2027)<\/p>\r\n  <p><strong>Legal Horizons:<\/strong> 20 October 2026 (apply by 9 October 2026)<\/p>\r\n    \r\n    \r\n<div id=\"salary\"> \r\n \r\n  <h2 class=\"widget-title\">Salary at Covington &amp; Burling<\/h2>\r\n  <p><strong>First year salary:<\/strong> \u00a360,000<\/p>  <p><strong>Second year salary:<\/strong> \u00a365,000<\/p>  <p><strong>Newly qualified salary:<\/strong> \u00a3165,000<\/p>\r\n\r\n\t\t<\/div>\r\n \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n <div id=\"facts-figures\">\r\n \r\n  <h2 id=\"facts\" class=\"widget-title\">Facts and figures<\/h2>\r\n  <p><p><strong>Total partners:<\/strong> 38<\/p>\n<p><strong>Associates:<\/strong> 72<\/p>\n<p><strong>Counsels:<\/strong> 37<\/p>\n<p><strong>Total trainees:<\/strong> 16<\/p>\n<\/p>\r\n  \r\n<\/div>\r\n \r\n      \r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<!--\t  \r\n\r\n    \r\n<h2 class=\"widget-title\">If  were a fictional character it would be\u2026<\/h2>\r\n        \t\t\r\n<br><\/br>\r\n<br><\/br> -->\r\n\r\n   \r\n\r\n<div id=\"videos\">\r\n\r\n       \r\n\r\n        \r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<div style=\"position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; overflow: hidden; margin-bottom: 20px;\"><iframe src=\"\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"auto\" width=\"100%\" height=\"100%\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" style=\"position: absolute;\"><\/iframe><\/div>\r\n\r\n<div style=\"position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; overflow: hidden; margin-bottom: 20px;\"><iframe src=\"\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"auto\" width=\"100%\" height=\"100%\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" style=\"position: absolute;\"><\/iframe><\/div>\r\n\r\n<div style=\"position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; overflow: hidden; margin-bottom: 20px;\"><iframe src=\"\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"auto\" width=\"100%\" height=\"100%\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" style=\"position: absolute;\"><\/iframe><\/div>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n<!-- <div id=\"twitter-feed\">\r\n<a class=\"twitter-timeline\" data-height=\"550\" data-theme=\"light\" href=\"\"><\/a><script async src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\r\n<\/div>  -->\r\n\r\n\r\n  \r\n\r\n\t\r\n<\/div>"}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/my.legal500.com\/future-lawyers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/profiles\/14592","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/my.legal500.com\/future-lawyers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/profiles"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/my.legal500.com\/future-lawyers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/profiles"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/my.legal500.com\/future-lawyers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14592"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"jurisdictions","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/my.legal500.com\/future-lawyers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/jurisdictions?post=14592"},{"taxonomy":"countries","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/my.legal500.com\/future-lawyers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/countries?post=14592"},{"taxonomy":"cities","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/my.legal500.com\/future-lawyers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cities?post=14592"},{"taxonomy":"firms_companies","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/my.legal500.com\/future-lawyers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/firms_companies?post=14592"},{"taxonomy":"universities_colleges","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/my.legal500.com\/future-lawyers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/universities_colleges?post=14592"},{"taxonomy":"lex_survey_questions","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/my.legal500.com\/future-lawyers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/lex_survey_questions?post=14592"},{"taxonomy":"publications","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/my.legal500.com\/future-lawyers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/publications?post=14592"},{"taxonomy":"tc_location","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/my.legal500.com\/future-lawyers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tc_location?post=14592"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}