Practice areas

You will have four six-month seats in different practice areas during your training contract. We often find that our trainees develop a strong interest in one or two of these areas, but you never know – you may like everything.

We’ll do our very best to ensure that you qualify in the area that interests you. Because of our size, the opportunities on offer are extensive.

Our main areas of practice are:

Corporate

This attracts people who get a buzz from making big deals, involving big figures, happen. Our UK corporate practice advises on deals across multiple jurisdictions. If you joined the team you could find yourself working on complex projects that span national borders. Prepare for a few late nights and takeaway pizzas. But also prepare for lots of adrenalin. 

Employment, pensions and benefits

Many are attracted to employment and pensions law due to the very human issues that are involved. Your work can have a direct effect on people’s lives and the success of your clients’ business. It’s an area that is constantly changing so you’ll need to keep on your toes. It’s also varied and you’re likely to find a specialism that suits you. You’d be joining one of the largest teams in the UK and working with household names as well as smaller organisations.

Finance and projects

We don’t have to tell you that the world’s financial system has been under a lot of scrutiny recently. With one of the UK’s leading practices for finance and projects you will be at the very heart of the action. We cover a number of crucial areas that directly influence the wealth of countries and individuals such as investment, insurance and retail banking. It’s an area that requires great relationship skills with clients.

Intellectual property and technology

This area gets to the very heart of business activity: contracts, agreements, inventions, innovations, marketing and reputations. We carry out complex transactions and high value project work, frequently spanning multiple jurisdictions. You could find yourself advising on the issues surrounding a technological breakthrough or even a famous sports star’s sponsorship agreement. You’ll need a good commercial brain and an eye for detail. 

Litigation and regulatory

When people think of lawyers they usually think of litigation lawyers. This fascinating area isn’t just about going to court. It’s about trying to solve complex arguments in a way that gets the best outcome for your clients, using the many tools available such as arbitration or mediation. It’s also about helping your clients avoid disputes in the first place. Working with one of the country’s largest teams you’re bound to get involved with some of most interesting cases around. 

Real estate

Real estate work can have a visible impact on society. Through your advice you can help provide places for people to live, shop, work, play and eat. As well as huge projects there are many interesting issues to tackle such as landlord/tenant relationships and regeneration. You’ll find yourself working for clients with visions for the future and getting the inside track on the growth of your region. 

Restructuring

Restructuring lawyers are often called in when businesses are failing or require serious adjustments. You can help to save jobs and make your clients profitable. The projects are often fascinating, with many complex elements. And because you’ll be working for one of the world’s largest law firms, you’ll also be working on some of the world’s largest restructurings.

For full details of the dozens of practice areas on which we advise clients, please browse 'local services' on our corporate UK site.