Careers
Join Locke Lord
Investing your future with Locke Lord will ensure your growth as an attorney and as a person. You will work with some of the brightest legal minds in the country and have a chance to make a difference. Our firm is based on a commitment to individual creativity combined with a spirit of collaboration. Locke Lord provides a supportive and challenging atmosphere – one that separates us from the crowd and differentiates us from other big law firms.
We are diverse and come from all walks of life, but we share the common goal of doing the best we can for our many and varied clients. All lawyers create their own experiences and successes, but here you have a support team with you every step of the way.
Locke Lord's summer program is distinctive. We don’t view students as temporary guests – we see them as part of our team, with the summer program being just the first stage of your Locke Lord career. Our summer program is not just a summer job – it’s the groundwork for your career.
We have approximately 30 practice areas in our firm, but we focus on individuals, their personal interests, viewpoints and career goals. Our partners and associates work closely with summer program participants, and we stress teamwork and mentoring. Early on, you’ll learn the skills and interests you most want to develop.
Each of our offices independently interviews for and participates in our summer program. We recruit first- and second-year students from schools nationwide. We work to structure a program that meets the needs and obligations of our candidates. Law students selected are those who show the ability to succeed as permanent members of our team.
London Training Contracts
Our London office is currently recruiting Trainee Solicitors for positions starting September 2014 and September 2015.
Qualifications
We would like to hear from graduates or undergraduates of any discipline who possess the motivation, commitment and dedication to the firm’s strategy and focus. You should be able to demonstrate commercial acumen, a good understanding of client relationships and service and excellent communication skills. Candidates should be capable of achieving, or have achieved, at least an Upper Second Class Honours degree (or equivalent).
What else do we look for?
- Work Experience – some commercial exposure may assist your application. It need not be legal though this may be helpful.
- Teamwork – effective teamwork not only provides the opportunity to develop and acquire new skills but will lead to more ideas and better results for our clients. You must have an adaptable approach to the working environment.
- Interpersonal skills – An outstanding lawyer will not only have the technical and commercial skills but will be able to listen, be assertive without being aggressive, provide solutions and make decisions. You are likely to be more successful if you have good social skills.
- Extra curricular activities- activities outside of work can tell us a lot about you as an individual. A healthy work life balance is also more likely to ensure you have greater job satisfaction which in turn leads to greater productivity and success
The Training Contract
Our training contract will provide you with a broad exposure to different practice areas and offices. We believe in a “hands-on” approach, so you can expect responsibility early on and good client contact. All of this within a supportive, friendly culture, working together as a team.
Pay and Benefits
The salaries of our trainees are reviewed annually. In their first year, trainees are currently paid £35,000. You will have access to additional benefits (which in some cases you can extend to your partner and/or children), which currently includes private medical insurance, life assurance, income protection, personal pension scheme, childcare vouchers, discount dental programme and access to a season ticket loan.
Law School
We may consider offering financial assistance whether you are studying for your GDL or LPC, though this is not guaranteed. We do not offer retrospective funding to students who have already commenced or completed the GDL or LPC before accepting an offer from us.
How to apply
To apply, please send us your CV and a covering letter to Julie Cotter, Office Manager
londontrainee@lockelord.com
Non-UK applicants
Applicants should be eligible to work in the UK or EU. Unfortunately, we are unable to assist non-UK applicants with work permit applications.
Contact Us
To find out more about Locke Lord LLP and our Trainee Programme, contact our Recruiting Department.