Bristows | training contract | vacation scheme | Law Careers

• Bristows

  London based Bristows, founded in 1837, is an independent, full-service commercial law firm with a client base that includes some of the world’s leading companies. The firm’s biggest practice area is its world-renowned IP practice – one of the largest IP practices in Europe - populated by a large proportion of lawyers with science and engineering backgrounds.

  Consequently, Bristows is particularly well-known for its representation of clients with significant IP and technology assets, such as clients in the Life Sciences and Technology, Media & Telecoms (TMT) sectors. As a full-service firm, it is able to serve all the legal needs of businesses within these sectors with its reputable pragmatic legal and commercial advice.

  Some of Bristows major clients include AstraZeneca, Barclays, BBC, Diageo, Dolby Laboratories, CapGemini, Freeview, Gap, Google, Honda, L’Oreal, Nomura Phase4 Ventures, Novartis and Sony to name but a small selection.

  The firm compromises of about 190 people, including over 80 lawyers and 30 partners.

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  The firm’s image has evolved dramatically in recent times, partly as a result of its move to stunning new City offices opposite the Thames River and the firm’s award winning re-brand. Bristows is solely based in London but, throughout its long history, it has had a substantial overseas-headquartered client base. The firm has a vast array of overseas clients, particularly in the US, Europe and important Asian markets, generating nearly 80% of its income from abroad.

  It has an extensive network of independent law firms in other jurisdictions with which it has maintained long, collaborative relationships, thereby enabling it to support the needs of its clients around the globe. Consequently, the firm is committed to developing its overseas business yet further.

  Bristows is a unique place to work, the firm’s fee earners, for example, are not given billing targets, which has a significant impact on the atmosphere of the firm, fostering a supportive environment where the focus is on quality rather than quantity. The firm is genuinely encouraging and supportive of its lawyers and support personnel.

  Historically, Bristows’ IP practice was focused on IP Litigation (for which the firm is consistently ranked in the top league by the directories), and that remains an extremely successful core practice area.

  Over recent years, the firm has committed itself to a strategy of preserving but also carefully expanding beyond this core practice area by developing its Commercial IP & IT, Data Privacy, Corporate, Regulatory and Commercial Disputes practice areas. This strategy of growing the IP practice around a world-class IP brand is delivering tangible results: the client base and the partnership have expanded and revenues have increased.

  Bristows looks for both law and non-law graduates for its trainee programme and vacation schemes. The firm doesn't just look for super-bright graduates with all the right letters after their name - personality is important too. Due to its small intake, Bristows can afford to be extremely selective as each future trainee will make a huge impact upon joining.

  Like most firms, Bristows looks for candidates who have, or are predicted, a 2:1 degree or above, however, the firm doesn’t set filters on its application programme so each application is reviewed fairly and assessed on individual merit.

  Each year Bristows asks up to ten graduates to join their team. The firm is extremely selective because they’re looking for the people who will eventually be their future partners.  As part of a small and high calibre intake, you'll have every chance to impress and will be given responsibility earlier than you might expect.

  During the two years' training, you'll spend time in each of Bristows’ main practice groups, with at least one 3 month seat in IP Litigation. You'll also work closely with the partners, something which is guaranteed to speed up the learning process.

  Part of the training may also involve a secondment to one of a number of leading clients for 3 months. 

  For more information on the Bristows Graduate Scheme, further details are available via this link

  Bristows provides students and graduates the chance to gain some work experience at the firm during the Winter, Spring or Summer holiday periods. Over Winter and Spring, the firm has three separate one-week placements and over the Summer they have six separate one-week placements, for up to four attendees per week. 

  Whichever scheme you join, you'll work with a partner or associate and conduct a case study in each of their Intellectual Property, Corporate and Employment practice areas. The kind of things you'll find yourself doing will include research, drafting documents, attending meetings and you may even have the chance to attend a court hearing.

  Also during the week, the firm provides you with an informal lunch with partners and lawyers, a great opportunity to meet everyone, and there’s a social evening organised with their current trainees.

  Successful applicants who attend a scheme will be paid £250 per week.

  All Bristows trainees receive sponsorship through the GDL and LPC.  Sponsorship includes tuition fees as well as a generous maintenance grant of £7,000 for both the GDL and LPC.
   
  Their salaries as of September 2009 are:
  
  1st year trainee                  £33,000
  2nd year trainee                 £36,000
   
  On completion of your training contract, if you are offered a permanent position as a newly qualified lawyer, your salary will jump to £53,500

  The firm also offers a wide range of benefits including up to 25 days holiday, a personal pension plan, private medical insurance and season ticket loans plus a whole host of discounts, schemes and incentives, plus a range of social and sporting activities everybody can get involved in.

  Bristows holds training contract interviews twice a year for a September intake, recruiting candidates who are able to commence a training contract two years after the initial process. The firm welcomes training contract applications from law students in the penultimate year of their degree, non-law students in their final year and graduates. When applying, candidates may choose which time they would prefer to be interviewed - either in February or August.

  The deadline for applications for an interview in February is around the penultimate week of January and for an August interview, applicants must apply by the penultimate week of July.

  To apply for a place on a Winter vacation scheme, applications must be submitted by mid-November and to apply for a place on a Spring or Summer scheme you must apply no later than the end of February.

  Vacation scheme dates will change slightly each year therefore deadline dates are subject to change. For more information on dates and to apply for a vacation scheme and/or a training contract, you can visit the firm’s graduate recruitment website http://training.bristows.com

  For more general information on the firm, go to www.bristows.com or alternatively, if you have any queries, the HR team can contacted at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

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