Trainee Solicitors Programs & Career Opportunities for Qualified Lawyers in the UK & Worldwide
Clyde & Co is an international law firm which works worldwide across 120 countries. With 270 partners and 2,350 staff operating from 27 offices, the combination of two firms work is cross-border, high profile and complex. The firm is experienced in high-profile, multi-jurisdictional work, particularly in the core sectors of aviation, insurance and reinsurance, dispute resolution, International Trade and energy, and shipping.
The largest shipping practice in the world, Clyde & Co has over 170 specialist marine lawyers based in trading hubs around the globe, on call and serving clients’ requirements in all time-zones at any time of day. It provides services to shipbuilders, owners, charterers, salvors, financiers, port authorities and government, P&I clubs and insurers – and clients across the broader trade commodities and energy sector.
The UK Offices are located in London, Manchester, Oxford & Guilford and the North American offices are located at New York, New Jersey, San Francisco, Montreal and Toronto. The other international offices are located at – Abu Dhabi, Belgrade, Caracas, Dar es Salaam, Doha, Dubai, Hong Kong, Moscow, Mumbai, Nantes, New Delhi, Paris, Piraeus, Rio de Janeiro, Riyadh, San Franciso, Shanghai, Singapore, and St. Petersburg.
CLYDE & CO Career Opportunities
Trainee Solicitors
- GDL/LPC: Completing your degree is just one step towards beginning a career as a solicitor. Law graduates need to complete the Legal Practice Course (LPC) before they can start the training contract. Non-law graduates need to complete a one-year conversion course, the Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL), before completing the LPC.
- Training Contract: A two-year training contract at Clyde & Co provides trainee solicitors with hands-on experience in a broad range of business areas at a leading international firm. During your training contract, you will complete four six-month seats. Clyde & Co recruits for the firm as a whole. This means you will complete one of your seats in the London office and one seat in the Guildford office. You may then choose to complete the remainder of your training contract in London or Guildford, or complete one of the many overseas seats that all trainees are eligible for. In addition, there are also client secondments that become available from time to time. Clyde & Co is authorized to provide the Professional Skills Course in-house, which will - upon successful completion - lead to your qualification as a solicitor in England and Wales in two years' time.
- Learning and Development: As a trainee solicitor, you will be supported throughout your training contract from the day you join. The Learning and Development team will support you through the different elements of the Professional Skills Course as well as the departmental induction at the start of each seat. During each seat, you will be assigned a supervisor - either a Partner or senior Solicitor - who will be responsible for your career development. You will also have a dedicated Trainee Solicitor Manager during the two years who will meet with you on a regular basis to discuss your progress, seat options and career aims.
- Global Opportunities: Alongside the training programs in the UK, the firm also offers a number of traineeships to graduates wishing to work in Hong Kong and the Middle East. From the UK, there are also secondment opportunities to Dubai, Abu Dhabi and occasionally to Hong Kong, Piraeus and Singapore during the training contract. Likewise, trainees in Hong Kong may be able to complete a seat in one of the UK offices. Those who apply for an overseas secondment usually have the opportunity to undertake one during their training contract. Languages are useful, but not essential.
- Partnership Approach: Beyond qualification, Clyde & Co remains fully committed to supporting your learning and development at all stages of your career. The firm works with you to ensure that training reflects your needs and is focused on achieving your goals and also encourages the staff to take responsibility for their own development by working in partnership with us.
- Continuing Professional Development: In the UK, the Law Society requires all full-time practicing solicitors to complete a minimum of 16 hours of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) per year, of which at least 25% must involve participation in accredited training courses. They are generally involved in a wide range of courses, workshops and other developmental programs that reflect the diversity of people and the firm.
Qualified Lawyers
If you have strong academics, law firm experience, are looking for new challenges and more responsibility in a global team, there are several opportunities at Clyde & Co. Before you start practicing in one of the 25 offices around the globe, you may want to gain some insight into what it’s actually like to work in some of them. In Asia, the firm has considerable knowledge and experience in Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Singapore. Clyde & Co Middle East is amongst the most dynamic of practices and the largest international law firm in Dubai and also has a flourishing practice in Abu Dhabi, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.