Kirkland & Ellis | training contract | vacation scheme

• Kirkland & Ellis International LLP

  Kirkland & Ellis International LLP is a 1,500-attorney law firm representing global clients in offices around the world; in Chicago, Hong Kong, London, Los Angeles, Munich, New York, Palo Alto, San Francisco, Shanghai, Washington, D.C.

  For 100 years, major national and international clients have called upon Kirkland & Ellis to provide superior legal advice and client services.  Our London office has been the hub of European operations since 1994. Here, approximately 80 lawyers’ offer detailed expertise to a wide range of UK and international clients.

• • Off the Record

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  • Requirements

  • Training Contract

  • Vacation Scheme

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  Interesting views come as standard at Kirkland & Ellis.  Based at the heart of the City in the Gherkin, they are an international law firm with a refreshing way of looking at everything from client relationships to career planning.

  Kirkland & Ellis believe that people learn best by doing, not watching.  That’s why they hand you real responsibilities and client work from the word go.  As a result, you’ll quickly feel like a valued member of the team, giving you the confidence to excel right from the start of your career as a lawyer. 

  Kirkland & Ellis focuses on the full spectrum of corporate transactions important to global businesses, including private equity, M & A, fund formations, tax, capital markets and banking.  Their private equity practice in particular is recognised and respected as a leading global player.

  Kirkland & Ellis acts for all major stakeholders in all aspects of complex multi-jurisdictional restructurings and insolvency proceedings.  This is a practice that has earned a distinguished national and international reputation for innovative solutions and market-leading advice.

  They represent multinational corporations, governments and government-owned entities in international arbitration and litigation cases around the world.  Their lawyers are also renowned for their experience in the conduct of white-collar crime investigations on a global basis.

  Kirkland & Ellis advises some of the world’s leading technology companies on all areas of IP, patent litigation, competition law, trademark matters, joint venture agreements and outsourcing, licensing, distribution, biotechnology, data protection and e-commerce issues. 

  Confident, inquisitive, entrepreneurial and keenly ambitious, our lawyers certainly know how to express themselves.  And while they may be a varied group of people working in a highly diverse firm, they’re united by their determination to be truly outstanding in their field.

  To join them, you’ll need to share that confidence with the presence and people skills to make an instant and lasting impact.  You’ll have the initiative, the drive and the work ethic to thrive in our meritocratic culture.  Crucially, you should already have decided that you aim to build your career in one of our practice areas, and so come to us with an understanding of the work undertaken in our London office.

  Your academic record will be excellent, probably culminating in an expected or achieved 2.1 in any discipline.  And while most of our applications come from penultimate-year law students and final-year non-law students, graduates and postgraduates are also eligible.

  You can look forward to more personal attention and tailored career development on a Kirkland & Ellis training contract.  Part of that is to do with their Firmwide approach to career planning.  But it’s also because Kirkland & Ellis only take on a select number of trainees every year, meaning they can train and develop each one as an individual.

  The programme is based around four six-month seats, during which you’ll learn about all of our core practice areas.  As corporate law - specifically private equity and M&A - provides a key focus for their London office, this will be central to your training too.  There will also be opportunities to undertake a secondment in an overseas office.

  Throughout it all, you’ll have plenty of resources behind you, from the senior associate or partner who supervises your work to an allocated mentor and the graduate team who are always on hand to offer general advice and guidance.

  Your on the job training will be actively supported by an extensive education programme, carefully tailored to meet your needs.

  For two weeks over the summer, Kirkland & Ellis vacation schemes provide the perfect introduction to life in our London office.  Through a combination of real work and practice overview presentations, and with the guidance and support of a supervisor and mentor, you’ll get a strong feel for their working culture.  Plus you’ll get to meet partners and associates in a more informal setting at a number of different social events.  And on top of some truly invaluable experience, you’ll receive £350 a week to help with expenses. 

  Kirkland & Ellis claims to offer a package to attract and retain the very best.  They aim to encourage and incentivise strong performance throughout the Firm which is why they have created a cooperative, inclusive workplace in which initiative thrives and individual talent flourishes.

  On top of a first-year salary of £40,000, rising to £43,000 in the second, they offer private medical, travel and life insurance, pension scheme, employee assistance plan and corporate rate gym membership.  Kirkland and Ellis also pays your GDL and/or LPC course fees and provide a maintenance grant of £7,500.

  You can apply for both programmes by emailing them your CV (including all academic results) and a covering letter.  Email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) by 31st July 2010 to apply for a 2012 training contract.  For a place on our 2010 summer vacation schemes, you’ll need to get your application to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) by 31st January 2010. 

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