Lovells | training contract | vacation scheme

• Hogan Lovells

  Created from a merger of Lovells LLP and Hogan & Hartson LLP, Hogan Lovells International LLP is an international law firm operating out of 44 offices in Europe, the USA, the Middle East and Asia; employing over 5,000 staff, including over 2,500 lawyers.

  The pre-merger firms of Lovells in the United Kingdom and Hogan & Hartson in the United States have an illustrious history which goes back to over a century and the merger resulted in one of the largest law firms in the world.

• • Off the Record

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  • Training Contract

  • Vacation Scheme

  • Rewards

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  If you want to work in a large City firm with a diverse range of practice areas and client base, then you don’t need to look further than Hogan Lovells.

  A comprehensive training and development policy, backed by ample resources and facilities; competitive rewards and benefits; and career growth based on merit and performance, are all good reasons to work with this firm.

  Over 50% of the current partners in the London office started as trainee solicitors and have experienced personal and professional growth and success within a span of six to eight years post qualification.

  The firm recruits employees with a long-term perspective; the recruitment policy and process is to look for future partners and leaders, not just trainee solicitors to fill the next intake.

  There are also numerous opportunities and outlets for employees to indulge in social and sporting activities at Hogan Lovells, including a winning ladies’ five-a-side football team, “The Lovellies”.

  The firm’s practice is divided into five core groups—corporate; finance; litigation, arbitration and employment; intellectual property and government and regulatory. Each of these groups is further sub-divided into individual departments, covering the entire spectrum of legal services—contentious and non-contentious.

  12 industry sectors have been identified by the firm, where it has developed specialist expertise over a period of time. These include:

  - Defence, Aerospace and Government Services;

  - Consumer and Retail;

  - Automotive;

  - Education;

  - Financial Institutions;

  - Energy and Natural Resources;

  - Infrastructure;

  - Healthcare and Biosciences;

  - Real Estate;

  - Technology, Media and Telecommunications;

  - Sports, Leisure and Recreational Facilities;

  - Transportation.

  Hogan Lovells is interested in individuals who combine intellectual excellence with ambition and professionalism and use specialist knowledge gained during the study of law and the training contract to further the firm’s business objectives and growth.

  Applicants must have a consistent history of high-level academic achievements from GCSE studies to completion of a degree. A 2:1 grade or class throughout university is the minimum expected.

  Candidates, who can work well in solo roles as well as teams, apply logic and analytical thinking to problem-solving and are detail-oriented, fit the Hogan Lovells ideal employee profile. A sample critical reasoning test is included on the graduate website for self-assessment and to get an idea of the assessment centre, which shortlisted candidates can expect to face.

  The graduate entry programme at Hogan Lovells begins a year before the start date of the training contract with the LPC. Trainee solicitors are required to study the LPC at BPP Law School in London.

  The bespoke LPC programme has been specifically developed to provide accelerated learning for trainee solicitors from Hogan Lovells and four other City firms. The duration of the course has been shortened to seven and a half months from the ten months it otherwise takes to complete the LPC.

  The training contract is divided into four seats of six months each; seat allocation is based on trainee preferences, SRA regulations and the business needs of the firm.

  A two week induction programme is held before the first seat; this covers research skills and systems/process training and familiarisation with the facilities and resources used in day-to-day work.

  Each trainee is assigned a dedicated resource from the trainee development team, who helps the former with seat planning and identifying specific training programmes during the training contract period. Apart from on-the-job training, practice-specific programmes and the PSC, Hogan Lovells has an e-learning tool—TransAct—simulation of a corporate transaction with cross-border implications and the process of lawyers from different locations working together to close the deal. A

  lso available are comprehensive e-learning programmes for different practice areas where trainees are likely to work and/or train.

  All trainee solicitors are required to undergo 120 hours of training during the training contract period. A mentor-partner who is not a direct seat supervisor is assigned to every trainee and two trainees in every batch are elected to the Trainee Solicitor Liaison Committee who meet with the trainee development team on a quarterly basis to discuss feedback and plan for future events.

  Trainees can also undertake client secondments for a period of six months in the second year; the client list where secondments are assigned include Citibank, John Lewis, ExxonMobil, Barclays and Prudential, among others.

  Overseas placements to a Hogan Lovells office or international client instead of domestic client secondments are also offered in the second year.

  The firm conducts two summer vacation placement programmes and a series of open days throughout the year to give students interested in the legal profession an idea of what is involved in becoming and working as a lawyer.

  Vacation scheme students spend time in three of the firm's practice areas. They are given real work with real clients, attend lectures and workshops on different practice areas, participate in an advocacy and a corporate workshop, prepare a group presentation, learn presentation techniques and how to conduct meetings and meet with current trainees, solicitors and partners of the firm in formal and informal settings.

  A series of two day open events are held for final year non-law students and graduates throughout the academic year.

  These events cover a preview of the firm and its work; students attend presentations and interactive workshops and shadow a current trainee through their daily work.

  First year law students can apply to attend an Easter vacation scheme and two open days every year, where they learn about the requirements and preparation to become a lawyer and securing a vacation placement and training contract with Hogan Lovells.

  All these dates and application deadlines for these can be found on the Hogan Lovells graduate recruitment site.

  Hogan Lovells pays the course and other fees for the GDL and LPC for candidates who’ve yet to begin these courses and have accepted a training contract.

  The firm also pays a living allowance of £7,000 for the LPC; £8,000 for the GDL taken in London and £7,000 for GDL studied outside London. However, no retrospective payment of fees or allowance is made for those who’ve already completed or are studying these courses at the time of accepting the training contract offer.

  First year trainees receive a salary of £38,000 which rises to £43,000 in the second year. Summer interns receive a weekly allowance of £300.

  Trainees also receive certain benefits during their LPC year—an award of £500 for obtaining a first class undergraduate degree; interest-free season ticket loan for commuting and a company discount card which can be used at local service providers with whom the firm has a tie-up.

  Annual benefits are split into two categories—core and lifestyle. Core benefits include 25-day annual vacation; season ticket loan; group income protection plan; associate membership in the London Trainee Solicitors’ Group; life insurance; permanent health and private medical insurance.

  Lifestyle benefits provided are: staff restaurant; in-house gym; dental check-up at special corporate rates; private GP service; physiotherapy and chiropody services; concierge services for laundry; cycle-2-work scheme; beauty therapy and massage service; and discount rates at local retailers.

  Hogan Lovells inducts 75 trainee solicitors each year in two batches—August and February. Applications from penultimate law students should be submitted by 31 July and non-law students in their final year must submit applications in the first quarter of the final year and by 30 March at the latest.

  Interviews for shortlisted candidates are held in August (law students) and between January and April for non-law students.

  Applications for the summer placement programmes must be submitted by 31 January. The firm conducts two batches of this programme and up to 50 positions are available each year.

  The online application form can be accessed at http://ig5.igrasp.com/fe/tpl_hoganlovells02.asp. Any queries on recruitment can be sent via email to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or by telephone at 0207 296 2000.

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