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Ahead of her appearance at this month’s virtual student event, Slaughter and May partner Jane Edwarde discusses the firm’s focus on creating a supportive and welcoming culture and its new social mobility targets

Slaughter and May’s Jane Edwarde trained and qualified in Scotland before making the switch to the bright lights of London in 2001 — a change she thought would only be short-term at the time.

 Fast-forward to today and Edwarde wears several hats at the Magic Circle firm. She is involved in trainee recruitment, is a diversity and inclusion partner, as well as a sponsoring partner for Collaborate, Slaughter and May’s legal tech programme. “I don’t think I would find other jobs or firms that are as interesting”, notes Edwarde, who on top of all this also heads up the firm’s busy real estate team.

As one of the firm’s two diversity and inclusion (D&I) partners, Edwarde says that her role entails responsibility for the firm’s overall D&I strategy, working closely with a dedicated team to implement this. “A very important part of this is to understand the data within the firm and track our initiatives against the targets we have set for ourselves”, she explains.

With Slaughter and May having announced social mobility targets in July 2023, aiming to boost representation of individuals from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, I asked Edwarde for her thoughts on this. “We set partnership targets for gender and ethnic minority promotions some time ago — but the social mobility targets are different in that they’re not just partnership promotion targets. Looking solely at these numbers is too small a slice, so what we needed was a more holistic approach which applies to the firm as a whole,” explains Edwarde.

Expanding on this further, she notes that most of the initiatives revolve around recruitment. “We don’t do a lot of lateral recruitment of lawyers, either for associates or partners, so we very much rely on our trainee intakes every year to produce many of our future partners”, Edwarde says.

Applications for Slaughter and May’s 2023 Winter Workshop close on 13 October 2023

“There’s a lot of focus around how we recruit and how the universities themselves are doing in terms of social mobility,” she continues. “We’re thinking about how we can work more closely with each of the universities we recruit from, to ensure we reach as wide a talent pool as possible and to make sure we are speaking with the right teams who understand their data and what can be done to increase diversity.”

“At the end of the day, we’re all pushing in the same direction. It’s just a question of linking up with the right people at the universities, so that we are coordinated,” Edwarde says.

Slaughter and May will track social mobility as defined by the government test of parental occupation at age 14. However, it will collect more data than this and endeavour to recruit diverse talent in a wider sense. The firm has a long-standing relationship with diversity organisation Rare Recruitment. “They are excellent. They flag diverse candidates on a much wider basis than the ‘parental occupation at 14’ test, and it’s a great way for us to attract good quality candidates. As exclusive sponsors of their Law Springboard programme, we also work very closely with upReach to improve access to the legal sector for high potential undergraduates from less-advantaged backgrounds.”

So what is it actually like to work at Slaughter and May? “I always think that the culture of every firm is different, but it’s very difficult to assess this from just reading the websites.” She goes on to offer tips on how students can go about evaluating what the culture is likely to be like.

Applications for Slaughter and May’s 2024 summer vacation scheme close on 8 December 2023

“The most telling way to do this is to look at some of the key strategic decisions the firm has taken. For example, if it’s got a heavy billable hours culture, then it’s likely to be a bit more competitive,” Edwarde suggests. As for Slaughter and May, she notes that it “does not have billable hours targets that drive remuneration or performance reviews” and as a result, “it’s very collegiate and people are genuinely happy to share, help and have open doors”.

With a unique international strategy, the firm sends trainees on secondment to both its offices and market-leading law firms it works with overseas. “This is a different experience for trainees, to see what it’s like at a thriving, independent firm with its own culture and reputation”, Edwarde says.

Another standout of Slaughter and May’s culture for Edwarde is the firm’s training programme. “We’re a firm that invests very highly in training — our learning and development is of the highest quality, and part of this is the series of diversity awareness programmes we run,” she says. “A firm’s investment into these initiatives as part of its training is also a symbol of its culture, and tells students about what is a priority for the firm.”

Edwarde also emphasises that Slaughter and May seeks “multi-specialist, rather than highly-specialised lawyers”. This provides the opportunity to build closer relationships with clients, according to Edwarde, “as you don’t need a team of twenty lawyers to advise on a matter — instead, there is the expectation that you will become a client’s highly-trusted advisor”.

Applications for Slaughter and May’s 2024 spring scheme open on 2 October 2023

“There’s a huge range of personalities at Slaughter and May”, says Edwarde pointing to the firm’s 50-50 split (roughly) intake in law and non-law grads. “We have students coming in with a wide range of degrees from many different universities, and this makes us very educationally diverse. “This isn’t just important for the culture of the firm – but it’s also crucial to what clients want, since they are coming from a range of different sectors and want varied expertise and perspectives.”

So what does Edwarde’s day-to-day in the real estate team look like? “It’s a really nice mix of work. Development work is my favourite area, because it is so tangible. But I also like the fast pace of buying and selling investment properties, and leasing and occupational strategy work too. I am currently working on some interesting real estate financing deals which are complex and new”, she says.

She tells me about her current work acting for the developer of a thermal spa resort, Therme. With operating resorts elsewhere in Europe, they are looking to open their first UK resort in Manchester. “We’ve done all the legal work for assembling the site, negotiating a lease with the landowner, as well as development advice regarding the planning permission and procurement of the works — it’s been a really interesting project to work on,” sums up Edwarde.

Offering her advice to those hoping to secure a training contract, Edwarde’s top tip is to “be authentic”. She suggests doing this by taking the time to “think about how you can express your interest and enthusiasm most truthfully”. This is central, she believes, to being able to articulate at interview why you will find the job interesting. “You need to understand the job first, and ensure that it is going to suit you. This involves talking to family and friends about your strengths and challenges, and thinking about whether the role will suit you temperamentally,” advises Edwarde.

Jane Edwarde will be speaking at ‘What does a world of difference look like – with Slaughter and May’, a virtual student event taking place on 19 September 2023. Apply now.

Applications are now open for Slaughter and May’s 2026/27 Training Contract Programme

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Legal Cheek and The University of Law (ULaw)’s Summer Virtual Vacation Scheme and Law Fair took place over a week this month.

Over 1,650 students took part in the Scheme, which explored different practice areas including legal tech, insurance, fraud and ESG, among others. Here’s our day-by-day account of the Scheme, which featured a series of short talks, workshops and Q&As, with case studies set by ULaw, alongside an Employability Expo, Law Fair and networking with future trainees.

Day 1

Session 1: Deals

The speakers:

• Daniel Burnand, senior associate at Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner
• Adam Hill, associate at Fried Frank
• Chris Carlisle, ULaw tutor and former lawyer at firms including Wedlake Bell, Charles Russell Speechlys and Dentons

What students learnt:

The aim of the first day of the scheme was to explore the two different types of legal work lawyers do: deals and disputes.

This first session focused on deals and the participants heard from current and former transactional lawyers at Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner, Fried Frank and ULaw.

The panel reflected on their career journeys and shared insights into their day-to-day, the interesting deals they’ve worked on as well as the process involved from start to finish. They also shared advice to those considering a career on this side of legal practice as well as the skills that make a good deals lawyer, which include being “organised” and able to manage lots at once.

They also opened up about some of the challenging aspects of their job. Daniel Burnand and Chris Carlisle spoke about work/life balance and the challenges associated with the unpredictable, yet enjoyable, nature of the work. Adam Hill, meanwhile, discussed his challenge of dealing with dyspraxia and advised students with a disability to speak with firms they apply to and seek adjustments where available.

Session 2: Disputes

The speakers:

• Kristjana Nikolls, associate at Willkie Farr & Gallagher
• Harry Buchanan, trainee solicitor at Willkie Farr & Gallagher

What students learnt:

In the afternoon session on day one of the scheme attention turned to disputes and we heard from two Willkie Farr lawyers based in the US firm’s London office: Kristjana Nikolls, an associate in the litigation team, and Harry Buchanan, a current trainee.

The pair discussed the different tasks undertaken by partners, associates and trainees during the litigation process. A partner, for example, will manage the client and fees as well as make wider strategic decisions relating to the case. Associates will cover the day-to-day running of the matter while trainees will review disclosure, complete first draft witness statements and build and maintain bundles.

Nikolls and Buchanan also took students through the various stages of the litigation process, from particulars of claims through to disclosure and witness statements and, if required, a trial at court.

During the Q&A the pair looked at some of the motivators for wanting to work in disputes — as opposed to non-contentious areas such as deals. They also cited high-quality training and work as just two of the reasons they chose to be lawyers at Willkie, which recruits around six trainees each year.

The session concluded with a brief discussion of the case study. This involved a dispute between a restaurateur and a wholesale spice delivery company experiencing global supply chain issues.

Day 2

Session 3: Legal tech

The speakers:

• Matt Walker, partner at Gowling WLG
• Umesh Kumar, innovation manager at Gowling WLG
• Patrick Grant, ULaw tutor and project director for legal tech and innovation (for Q&A)

What students learnt:

In this session, the Gowling WLG speakers delivered a joint presentation exploring the themes of technology and innovation within law firms. They started off by shedding light on Gowling WLG and the firm’s CoLab innovation spaces, which allow for increased collaboration between clients, lawyers and teams.

The presenters then discussed the booming legal tech market and touched upon the importance of technology in law firms for tasks like billing, record keeping and accounting. They also shared their thoughts on developing an innovation mindset, which included tips such as acting in a human-centered way and embracing uncertainty. The speakers rounded off the session by describing what a typical day at work looks like for them.

At the end of the workshop, we were joined by ULaw’s Patrick Grant, who shared his experience with artificial intelligence (AI) in the legal education space. The panel also discussed their thoughts on the case study designed by scheme partner ULaw, which was all about the deployment of neural network-based tools, and posed topical questions on AI explainability and data privacy.

Session 4: Employability Expo

Rounding off day two of the scheme was an Expo run by members of ULaw’s employability team. The team delivered four presentations, and here’s what they discussed:

Firm research and applications

• Chloe Warsop, senior student recruitment manager at ULaw

ULaw senior student recruitment manager Chloe Warsop stressed the importance of law firm research and how this separates candidates simply looking to secure a training contract from those looking to build a career with a particular firm.

Key considerations when selecting firms include practice area focus, size of firm, training contract structure and firm values and culture. Warsop also pointed to The Legal Cheek Firms Most List as a useful resource when it comes to undertaking research.

Interviews

• John McKeown, careers consultant at ULaw

ULaw careers consultant John McKeown shared his top tips for tackling both virtual and in-person interviews, including the different types of questions that interviewees should anticipate, as well as some useful techniques to practise in advance.

The fundamentals of the SQE

• Daniel Cowan, SQE1 lead at ULaw

ULaw SQE1 lead Daniel Cowan discussed the new two-part Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE) including content and how it is examined. He also went through some mock questions as well as their answers and explained how ULaw’s new SQE revision app can help students.

Social media skills

• Tim Carter, supervising solicitor & pro bono coordinator at ULaw

ULaw supervising solicitor & pro bono coordinator Tim Carter gave students an insight into the opportunities and potential pitfalls of social media platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. He shared how to create meaningful content and connections through these platforms and emphasised the importance of considering your posts from the perspective of your target audience.

Day 3

Session 5: Risk and insurance

The speakers:

• Dianne Worthington, trainee solicitor at Clyde & Co
• Tad Adamek, trainee solicitor at Clyde & Co
• Neide Lemos, trainee solicitor at Clyde & Co
• Sarah Brice, trainee solicitor at Clyde & Co

What students learnt:

During the morning session on day three of the scheme, Legal Cheek hosted a panel of trainee solicitors from Clyde & Co. The panel discussed their roles and responsibilities within the insurance sector.

Dianne Worthington kicked the session off with an animated presentation charting her career journey from the bar to her training contract, reminding students of the importance of finding the right work for them.

Tad Adamek’s talk outlined his seats so far and gave insight into construction professional indemnity and corporate insurance, before comparing and contrasting his experiences in these areas.

Then we heard from Neide Lemos and Sarah Brice, who are also career changers. Lemos described her experience in two insurance-related seats: financial institutions and property recovery. Then Brice told us how she leveraged ten years of previous experience as a claims handler for Lloyds into a training contract with Clyde & Co.

The session concluded with a brief discussion of the case study, debating the validity of an insurance claim where previous disclosure was limited.

Session 6: Law Fair

Halfway through the Scheme students took part in a virtual Law Fair in which they met with lawyers and graduate recruitment teams from 40 law firms, including the Magic Circle, US and international law firms.

Day 4

Session 7: Understanding the relationship between in-house and private practice

The speakers:

• Simone Goligorsky, partner at Reed Smith
• Scott Hyndman, associate general counsel at Shell
• Emily McKinnell, legal counsel at Shell
• Terry Prempeh, associate at Reed Smith

What students learnt:

In this session, lawyers from Reed Smith and Shell explained the key differences between working in private practice at a law firm and in a legal team at a large company, and explored the relationship between them.

Shell’s Scott Hyndman said that, in contrast to private practice, when working in-house your only client is the company that you’re working for. In practice, this means providing more strategic advice to the business at the inception of a deal, his colleague, Emily McKinnell, added.

Reed Smith partner Simone Goligorsky highlighted the importance of building informal connections with clients, getting to know them on a personal basis, while Terry Prempeh, an associate at the firm, said that by consistently doing your best work, you are improving the rapport that your firm builds with its clients.

Session 8: ESG

The speakers:

• David Watkins, partner at Slaughter and May
• Helena Cameron, associate at Slaughter and May
• Gareth Bramley, ULaw senior tutor

What students learnt:

Slaughter and May partner David Watkins kicked off the Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) session by delivering a presentation alongside associate Helena Cameron. This offered a brief introduction to the ESG framework and how it impacts the work they do. They also discussed the key ESG topics that businesses are thinking about in 2023, including greenwashing claims, supply chain due-diligence and corporate reporting.

The case study for this session looked at ESG considerations in relation to wider economic trends such as rising interest rates and energy costs. Gareth Bramley, senior tutor at ULaw, who joined the panel for this part of the session, reflected on whether businesses — including law firms– will lessen their focus on ESG credentials and operate in a way that facilitates businesses to deliver goods and services without creating additional obstacles. However, Bramley noted ESG credentials are likely to remain important in attracting and retaining junior lawyers.

Day 5

Session 9: Fraud

The speakers:

• Robert Hunter, former Allen & Overy and Herbert Smith Freehills partner and founder of City Disabilities

In this session former Magic and Silver Circle partner Robert Hunter reflected on his 35-year career as a civil fraud and asset tracing lawyer.

Hunter came to specialise in this area as a result of going profoundly deaf, which forced him to go out and build his own practice independently. He primarily acted for claimants against professional fraudsters, and shared numerous anecdotes from his time in practice. During his talk, Hunter outlined the different types of injunction orders which could be sought from a court to prevent a defendant fraudster from improperly dealing with money.

Hunter’s presentation was followed by a discussion of the case study exercise, which required students to outline the relevant UK legislation in relation to fraud and asset tracing, and research the growing nature of cyber enabled fraud.

Session 10: The history of corporate law business

The speakers:

• Alan Paul, former Allen & Overy partner, freelance consultant and professional coach
• Alex Aldridge, publisher and founder of Legal Cheek

Former Allen & Overy partner Alan Paul looked back on how corporate law firms had evolved over the last 40 years in a conversation with Legal Cheek publisher Alex Aldridge.

Paul, one of the most renowned legal dealmakers of his generation, took the audience on a whistle-stop tour of how the world has changed since he qualified as a solicitor in 1980.

Among the major developments covered were Thatcher’s 1986 Big Bang of City of London deregulation, the recession of the early 1990s, the dotcom bubble, the collapse of investment bank Lehman Brothers and the post-financial crisis era of low interest rates that has recently begun to unwind.

Networking: Meet the ULaw future trainees

The networkers:

• Rachel Chow, ULaw student and future trainee at White & Case
• Katie Toolan, ULaw student and future trainee at Pinsent Masons
• Apolloniya Vlasova, ULaw student and future trainee at Mishcon de Reya
• Darren Broad, ULaw student and future trainee at Clyde & Co

For this final networking session, attendees spoke to four future trainees, who are also current students and student ambassadors at ULaw, across two networking booths.

They answered the students’ questions about studying at ULaw, advice for applications, interviews and vacation schemes, as well as what they can do to help them secure training contracts with top law firms.

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It’s no secret that stress, anxiety and burnout are rife within the legal profession. This is particularly the case in corporate law where the hours are long, the work is high stakes and often involves juggling workloads with competing deadlines for demanding clients.

This week is Mental Health Awareness Week and the theme is anxiety. Earlier in the week LawCare encouraged the legal community to speak about their struggles with anxiety, having found over two-thirds of lawyers have experienced mental ill-health. Now we’ve spoken to law firm leaders on what more they think can be done to protect the wellbeing of their most vulnerable staff. Here’s what they had to say.

Sally Davies, senior partner at Mayer Brown

“Most law firms have work environments where there is a culture of high performance, high pressure and intense workloads, along with that generally comes self-imposed pressure and a fear of failure. Society has thankfully become more open in its discussions around mental health, wellbeing and particularly anxiety.

“I am glad this has become a key issue at work. Colleagues need to know it’s ok to speak about challenges and mental health issues they may be facing. As a leader, I want colleagues to know that we care. Help is at hand for those who need support. A particular focus of mine is trying to create an environment to prevent some of those issues from ever arising. In the dark ages when I was a trainee, if I felt overwhelmed, out of my depth or anxious (I did at times), I didn’t show it or talk about it. I ‘cracked on’ which is what everyone else did. I have now learnt that being open and showing vulnerability, as a leader is, in fact, a sign of strength. We are all human!

“Thankfully the legal sector has matured and with the help of mental health first aiders, in-house GPs, counsellors, mentoring and coaching systems and other support, I believe we are building an environment of trust and openness. It is vital we look out for each other. The sector is known for long hours. It is probably a sad reality that we spend more time with colleagues than with friends or family. Although, post-pandemic, a more flexible work environment has improved this.

“Small things matter, look people in the eye, take an interest in the people and, most importantly, listen. Show empathy, build trust and watch for signs of stress. Be prepared, when you ask the question, ‘How are you today?’ to react when the answer is: ‘Actually, I am not feeling great’.”

Adrian Cartwright, global senior partner at Clifford Chance

“When it comes to mental health and wellbeing, as an industry, we should strive to be more open. I’m not afraid of admitting that we don’t have all the answers, and we remain serious about continuously listening and improving. We want to encourage honest conversations where people feel empowered to speak up, an open door culture, and be ever more transparent about the reality of a career in law. Being more open is one step towards a healthier work life, with strengthened connections, greater collaboration and more fun too!”

Deborah Finkler, managing partner at Slaughter and May

“It is vital that the sector continues to prioritise an open culture to talk about mental health and wellbeing, backed by practical support. Sharing stories of how people at all levels have coped with mental health is very powerful and reassuring, particularly for new colleagues. In our case, the firm focuses on creating a culture of openness around these issues as well as reviewing and introducing new benefits and support. The working practices code we launched last year is an example of an initiative to drive practical and behavioural change to support our trainees and associates after the challenging years of the pandemic.

“Partners and senior members of teams have a leadership role in day-to-day discussions, raising awareness, and around practical steps like work allocation and the piloting of new ways of working. We also have in place an internal network of mental health first aiders and listeners, as well as resources and benefits dedicated to giving our people the support they need both in and out of work. This, combined with engagement through Thrive, our employee network, and our Forums for both associate and business services colleagues are all important components of a holistic approach.”

Penny Angell, UK managing partner at Hogan Lovells

“Thanks to greater profile, awareness and understanding of mental health over the last few years, providing people with meaningful resources and tools to support their mental wellbeing has become business as usual for any successful law firm, including ours. We are currently celebrating Wellbeing month with various activities extending to support physical and financial wellbeing too, continuing to encourage in-person connection and collaboration. Everyone across the firm is able to access these, regardless of level or location. Ollie Ollerton (SAS: Who Dares Wins) shared his experiences of mental health and tips for managing personal wellbeing this week, in a highlight of our event programme.”

Helen Burton, London managing partner at Ashurst

“The wider profession can help by not shying away from the topic of mental health and being honest about mental health struggles. The industry is moving forward, with charities like LawCare, but there is still a sense of taboo that we need to overcome. I suffered from stress and anxiety when I first became a partner — to the extent it was impacting my sleep and quality of life. I had counselling and learnt techniques (principally CBT) to help me manage this. I am still susceptible, but now I recognise the warning signs, usually an inability to sleep, and then work to take action quickly, either using the techniques I have learnt or even talking to a counsellor. Personally I know it’s hard to share these stories but I also know they can be helpful to anybody struggling — it helped me to hear that some of the successful lawyers I admired had also struggled at times. While there is no quick fix, we must keep having an open dialogue to ensure that mental wellbeing remains a priority.

“We need to ensure lawyers coming through the ranks know that to build a sustainable career in the legal profession it is important to take care of both our physical and mental health — and we need to ensure that the tools are available to achieve that. We need to keep the conversation going to encourage a healthier industry going forward. It’s also not good enough to just say it — we need to take actions, lead by example and ensure that our lawyers are taking time for themselves.

“This year’s Mental Health Awareness Week theme is anxiety. If any colleagues, junior or senior, might be experiencing anxiety, then I want them to know that they aren’t alone — your mental health should be a top priority. There are things that you can do to help manage anxiety — the key thing is to spot the triggers and take action promptly.”

Alexandra Gower, partner and training principal at Osborne Clarke

“Mentoring tops my priorities list, and we support those starting out in their careers with both senior and junior mentors. This is alongside service line supervisors, and from a pastoral care perspective, our Trainee and Apprenticeship Leadership Group Partners have oversight. Support networks, whether that’s for apprentices or the recently launched Junior Women in Law network for example, are also helpful so juniors can swap stories and build connections with contacts at similar career stages both internally, with clients and across the sector. And ultimately an open-door culture is key. I think our firm is great at understanding people’s situations, educating our senior lawyers on mental health and how to deal with it, demonstrating good behaviours and supporting our people to thrive.”

Struggling with anxiety? Contact LawCare via its helpline or live chat

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Elite law firm Slaughter and May is keeping salaries for newly qualified (NQ) associates at £115,000 for the time being, despite rivals Allen & Overy and Linklaters both upping pay earlier this month.

Slaughters conducts pay reviews every six months, the most recent of which is understood to have taken place last month. NQ rates were kept the same but eligible associates shifted up through the post-qualification pay bands as normal.

The decision comes as both A&O and Links recently increased to £125,000, matching similar moves by Freshfields and Clifford Chance in spring 2022.

The Legal Cheek Firms Most List 2023 shows that as things stand, Slaughters is now the only member of the Magic Circle not to offer the £125k rate. It last upped junior lawyer pay in April 2022, a 7% bump from £107,500.

Slaughters recruits around 95 trainees each year, with TC pay set at £50,000 in year one, rising to £55,000 in year two.

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As women around the world unite in celebration of International Women’s Day, Legal Cheek has sought out advice from top female partners at the helm of City law firms.

Whilst women outnumber men at law school, studies show these levels peter out the higher up the ranks they go.

So we asked those who have been through the process and gone on to enjoy high-flying legal careers what advice they would give to aspiring female lawyers who are looking to secure training contracts. Here’s what they had to say:

Georgia Dawson, senior partner at Freshfields

“I would encourage women seeking a career in law to be brave and seize opportunities as they present themselves. The profession has made progress with representation, but we know there is still much to do; a major part of that stems from younger generations driving the momentum. Be an ally and support each other. What’s helped me over the years were my family and mentors, both male and female, who gave me the confidence to take on new roles. Everyone faces challenges throughout their career. For me, moving to different countries seemed daunting but ultimately provided the chance to learn, develop and build relationships along the way. So if at first you don’t succeed — do keep trying — the setbacks only make you stronger and more informed for the next opportunity.”

Deborah Finkler, managing partner at Slaughter and May

“It’s almost impossible to know what it’s like to be a lawyer until you are one, so keep an open mind and try to get as much experience as possible across all sorts of things — it will all ultimately make you a better and more well-rounded lawyer.

“Remember that you get all sorts of opportunities at different points in your career, too. I didn’t train at Slaughter and May; that opportunity came along later, so if the first thing you try doesn’t work out, or if you didn’t initially get what you really want, keep trying!”

Rebecca Maslen-Stannage, chair and senior partner at Herbert Smith Freehills

“My big three tips are: 1. Be your real self and show your personality; 2. See your career as something you are driving, taking active control of it rather than seeing it as something beyond your control that just happens to you; 3. Don’t stress too much.

In an interview, it really is important to be yourself. We are not looking for someone who fits a cookie cutter, we value diverse perspectives. If you show your personality, authentic self and ideas in the interview, it’s much easier to establish rapport, put your best foot forward and secure that training contract!”

Penny Angell, UK managing partner at Hogan Lovells

“Confidence and authenticity are key in landing your dream role. Everyone going for these contracts will have great academic grades so be brave in sharing a bit more about who you are and the qualities that set you apart. Being ambitious is important but don’t overlook the importance of culture and enjoying the people you work with. Follow your heart and values when choosing a law firm, it could be your forever firm.”

Sally Davies, senior partner at Mayer Brown, London and a member of the firm’s global management committee

“As women lawyers it is easy to fall into the trap of thinking you have to be something you are not. Why do some practitioners think arrogance, a sense of entitlement and being generally condescending are essential qualities of being an effective lawyer? My advice is be yourself in any interview, as well as at work, have fun, show your personality, but don’t write anything in an email that you wouldn’t want to be read by a grandparent, or your old head teacher, and maintain your dignity. I think the best client relationships are built from personal relationships, trust and interesting personalities. Surround yourself with people who give you energy and who radiate warmth and empathy. I always say ‘stick near radiators not drains’!

We spend a large proportion of our lives at work, so live your work life as you would want to live your personal life. Find friends at work who will make you laugh, have your back, grow and develop with you, share your passion for excellence and make sure you reciprocate. Also — can everyone stop pretending they know everything? Most people make it up as they go along! Asking for help shows a high level of personal confidence that I really admire in people. Seek help from all quarters — keep your eyes and ears open. You might be out and about and see a waiter who appears to have a knack of engaging with everyone he or she meets. Be inquisitive, ask where they learnt to do that. Be open minded about people and opportunities. Don’t forget your business services team — the greatest most untapped source of wisdom, support, experience and creative ideas in the workplace. Don’t over analyse things and don’t reinvent the wheel. Be decisive. Take risks. Decisions are rarely terminal and risk-taking stretches and excites! Most importantly, focus on health not wealth.”

Laura Cameron, incoming global managing partner at Pinsent Masons

“Keeping an open mind and embracing new experiences helps you thrive in your career. While it can be daunting, pushing yourself out of your comfort zone regularly will broaden your horizons and enable you to hone your skills. Seek out the people you know have different views from you to avoid working in an echo chamber — it’s positive to be challenged.

When you face a disappointment allow yourself a little time to feel sorry for yourself — but only a little. Be prepared to dust yourself down, pick yourself back up and work out what you could have done better. We all face disappointment from time-to-time. Your reaction to failure or your response to a setback in your career, indeed in life in general, are critically important to your future success.”

Carolena Gordon, senior partner at Clyde & Co

“My advice to women who want a career in law is to show your passion and determination throughout the process. It’s obviously important to demonstrate academic achievement and an ability to learn but what law firms are often looking for, in all candidates, whatever the level, is the passion and determination that will be required to learn the skills you will need to excel with your clients and help your firm succeed. Law firms want people who know what they want and are committed to building a long-term career at their firm, so do your homework and think about what type of law you want to practise, and what type of firm you want to work at. And don’t forget to try things so you learn what you like and what you are good at.

Building a career is also about getting to know yourself so that you can direct your career. Good organisations want people to contribute a diverse range of ideas and perspectives, so you should not fear being yourself in the process too. Like all things in life, don’t go in half hearted; if a role excites you then go for it and give it your very best.”

Do you have any advice for aspiring female lawyers? Share your tips and experiences in the comments below!

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A number of City firms are offering financial support to those impacted by the devastating earthquakes in Turkey and Syria.

Simmons & Simmons has made a donation of £75,000 to Save the Children, to support its crisis appeal. The firm is also encouraging internal fundraising activities across its offices.

The deadly earthquake struck southern and central Turkey, and northern and western Syria at the start of February, causing widespread damage and tens of thousands of fatalities. A further earthquake struck yesterday evening close to the city of Antakya near the border with Syria.

Other firms fundraising in response to the disaster include Clyde & Co, Kennedys and Osborne Clarke.

Clyde & Co told Legal Cheek that it has made a donation to humanitarian aid organisation UNICEF as well as set-up a JustGiving page to streamline employee donations. Additionally, the firm has pledged to match employee donations up to £5,000, a figure that has already been exceeded as these donations near £7,000.

Kennedys, meanwhile, has donated £40,000 towards emergency and is also matching employee donations. “Our thoughts and prayers are with those affected by this dreadful disaster,” managing partner Suzanne Liversidge said.

Similarly, Osborne Clarke has made a donation of £20,000 to the Disasters Emergency Appeal and donated clothes and other essential items through its charity committee.

The likes of Allen & Overy, Clifford Chance, CMS, Freshfields, Linklaters, Pinsent Masons and Slaughter and May have also made financial contributions.

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Magic Circle law firm Slaughter and May has confirmed it will be keeping all 47 of its final seat trainees due to qualify this spring. All are on permeant deals.

The Legal Cheek Firms Most List 2023 shows Slaughters recruits around 95 trainees each year across two intakes and provides newly qualified (NQ) associates with a base salary of £115,000.

The result is an upgrade on the firm’s spring 2022 rate when it kept hold of 85% (33 out of 39).

Slaughters is the fourth member of the Magic Circle to publish its spring figure, with only Allen & Overy still to announce. Linklaters and Freshfields posted rates of 94% (48 out of 51, plus one a fixed term deal) and 97% (33 out of 34) respectively, while Clifford Chance scored 69% (29 out of 42).

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Slaughter and May has rolled out ‘Bring your Dog to Work Day’ on a permanent basis after a successful trial last summer.

The traditional law firm shook things up in June 2022 by permitting lawyers and staff to bring their beloved pet pooches to work for the first time in an effort to boost morale and alleviate stress. It also put in place a series of guidelines in recognition that not everyone is comfortable or able to be around dogs.

A firm spokesperson has now confirmed it will be continuing to allow dogs in the office for one day a month.

“I have long been an advocate of having our dogs in the office,” Slaughters’ managing partner Deborah Finkler said at the time of the trial. “The benefits of all animals and especially dogs to mental health, morale and alleviating stress are widely recognised.”

Slaughters isn’t the first major City player to open its doors to our four-legged friends, with the likes of Gowling WLG, Norton Rose Fulbright and Eversheds Sutherland all previously running similar days as part of their wider wellbeing efforts.

News of the permanent ‘dog day’ comes just months after the Slaughters launched a new ‘Working Practices Code’ that stipulates lawyers are not required to check emails between 10pm and 8am on a working day, “unless you are working on a matter/s where you consider that to be necessary”.

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