Cooley works with some of the world’s most innovative and forward thinking businesses, regularly representing current and future leaders in technology and business. Read more about the firm’s practice specialisms and learn whether the diverse, collaborative culture at Cooley might be for you.
“Training with Cooley in London will be about a breadth of experience and opportunity – being challenged to achieve more than you may have thought possible and enhanced by being surrounded by a collaborative and brilliant team.”
Proud to be Cooley Cooley provides the opportunity to be part of a collaborative and diverse culture, representing the most innovative companies in the world. We handle game-changing deals, groundbreaking IP matters and business-critical litigation across a wide array of dynamic industries, while at the same time counseling startups and entrepreneurs poised to become the business and technology leaders of the future.
Justin Stock London managing partner
Cooley has a rich history in the US dating back to 1920, where we are renowned for our work on transformative deals, com- plex IP and regulatory matters, and high-stakes litigation, often where innovation meets the law. Cooley is known for its work with tech and life sciences companies throughout the world. In 2015, Cooley established its first European office in London, bringing a profile of legal experience supporting and protecting innovation and technology around the world. Integration and ensuring everyone understands they have a part to play are key to the continued success of the London office and the firm’s further growth.
Career opportunities We challenge our people with endless opportunities right from the start. We help build careers through formal and informal mentoring programmes that emphasise superlative legal skills, real world prob- lem-solving and the development of internal and external business relationships. We are looking for entrepreneurial individuals who are committed to serving our clients, energised by innovation and dedicated to shaping Cooley’s future. We want applicants who have thought about their career path and are attracted to being part of a small group of trainees, with the added responsibility and hands-on involvement this often brings. Cooley offers the opportunity to work on some of the highest quality matters for some of the most interesting, dynamic and forward-thinking companies in the world. About Cooley London As a global city – a centre of finance and a hub for technology, innovation and creativity – London is a natural fit for Cooley’s international clients and for its strategic global growth. The office now has more than 100 lawyers and will move to a new base at 22 Bishopsgate in 2021.
The office provides corporate legal advice to established and high-growth companies and investors on domestic and cross-border mergers and acqui- sitions, corporate finance, capital markets transactions and private equity and venture capital financings. The London office also advises on technology transactions, cyber/data/privacy, competition, intellectual property, compensation & benefits, employment and tax matters. Our London-based litigators have one of the most sought-after complex commercial litigation teams in the UK. They have considerable experience in complex domestic and cross-border litigation, international arbitration and reg- ulatory matters. They have handled litigation in all commercial divisions of the English High Court, Court of Appeal, Supreme Court and Court of Justice of the EU and represented clients in all major international arbitration proceedings. We have a wealth of experience in major international asset disputes, includ- ing advising governments on their anti-corruption agencies in seeking to trace, freeze and recover corruptly acquired assets of dishonest public officials, along with advising major private companies. Our fraud team includes a specialist white collar crime partner. The group has one of the UK’s most significant insurance and reinsurance practices, covering complex insurance and reinsurance disputes, run-off and insolvency, arbitra- tion and commercial court litigation. With a client-first approach and an uncompromising focus on the highest levels of knowledge and responsiveness, Cooley’s product compliance and liability team provides a unique level of support for product manufactur- ers navigating the rapidly changing international regulatory and liability risk landscape. Commitment to the community is an important part of our culture at Cooley. We strive to give generously of our time, talents and resources to the commu- nities in which we practice, and pro bono work is one of the primary ways we fulfill that goal. We give pro bono matters the same staffing, attention and resources as other matters. We encourage lawyers in all practice groups and at all levels of practice to be actively involved in our pro bono work.
Learn more about the London office .
Training at Cooley We believe in learning by doing, and trainees will be involved in real work from the start. Cooley trainees are often pleasantly surprised by the level of responsibility they have on the matters assigned to them. Cooley’s two-year training programme will be divided into four seats of six months each. This will likely include at least one business litigation seat, where work could involve general com- mercial, products, employment, insurance or IP matters. Other seats will be in noncontentious corporate commercial/transac- tional areas, where work could involve M&A, PE, VC, life sciences, finance matters, capital markets, compensation and benefits or technology transactions. Seat options may evolve over time and in response to Cooley’s commercial business needs, but we work to ensure trainees obtain experience in the areas of greatest interest to them. Trainees will be supervised by lawyers at var- ying levels of seniority, as the experiences can be different but equally valuable to a trainee’s development. In addition to organising and supporting trainees through the Professional Skills Course, Cooley has developed a comprehensive training programme, which will be delivered by associates, partners and the professional development team at the firm. The aim is to enable trainees to develop practice-based skills and knowledge in our key areas, in addition to professional skills covering areas such as business development and finance. The support network at Cooley is extensive – trainees have an assigned supervisor, a trainee buddy in the year above, a partner mentor, the legal talent team, professional development team and the trainee principal to help and encourage progress and growth.
Accolades
Fortune’s 100 Best Companies to Work For, 100 Best Workplaces for Women and 100 Best Workplaces for Millennials
One of the 50 Best Law Firms for Women by Working Mother Magazine
Shortlisted for City Firm of the Year at The Lawyer Awards 2020
International Firm of the Year at The Lawyer Awards 2018
Legal Week’s London Office of the Year in 2017 and 2015 at The British Legal Awards
Transatlantic Litigation Team of the Year at the 2019 Transatlantic Legal Awards
Transatlantic Capital Markets Team of the Year at the 2018 Transatlantic Legal Awards
Highly recommended in seven different categories and 15 lawyers ranked by Chambers UK
Highly Commended – US Law Firm of the Year at the Legal Business Awards 2019 and 2018
17 practice areas recommended and 37 lawyers ranked by UK Legal 500
Women in Law Empowerment Forum Gold Standard Certification
Applying to train in London Cooley has opportunities for trainees to start in late August 2023 and recruits for these positions through its summer programme. Interested applicants should apply to the 2021 programme, which will be open for applications from mid-October 2020 to 31 January 2021. Please submit your application well in advance of the deadline. Shortlisting may commence ahead of this date, but we do not assess applications on a rolling basis. Shortlisted applicants can expect to hear from the firm within three weeks of the application deadline, with all applicants being informed of their final status within a month of the deadline.
Submit applications at www.apply4law.com/cooley
“Cooley’s comprehensive onboard- ing process has made me feel welcome right from the off. Everyone seems genuinely invested in our success, and the partners have been very generous with their time. Coupled with this, every tool imaginable for personal and professional growth is being made available to us; the array of resources (human, technological or otherwise) is really quite remarkable.” Morgan McCormack First-year trainee Current seat: Business – Technology Transactions Group
“Training at Cooley has allowed me to grow and develop a great deal as a lawyer in a relatively short amount of time. The small trainee intake means lots of real responsibility from the start, but the inclusive and welcoming culture means that you’re always encouraged to ask questions, with lots of sup- port available if you are ever unsure.”
Abby Preston Second-year trainee Current seat: Business – Corporate Section
Assessment and selection process If you are successful at the initial application stage, you will then undertake an online critical thinking appraisal designed to assess your critical thinking skills. Candidates who perform most impressively will then be invited to a half-day assessment centre involving a business case study. The case study has been designed to give you the oppor- tunity to showcase a breadth of skills, including teamworking, com- mercial sense, communication skills, logic, judgement, creativity and decision-making. Those who demonstrate a high level of ability across our core compe- tency areas will be offered the opportunity to participate in a series of one-to-one interviews with lawyers at varying levels of seniority.
“Cooley has been a fantastic place to learn and develop. Partners and associates go out of their way to give context and provide clear explanations, as well as make you feel like a valued member of the Cooley family.” Monica Mylordou Associate Qualified into Business Litigation September 2020
Interviews will consist of a mix of competency and scenario-based ques- tions. In addition, there will likely be a discussion about topics designed to assess your awareness of issues affecting the work of commercial lawyers and their clients. You should be prepared to talk about your interest in Cooley, the work our firm does and the clients with whom we work. The interviews are an opportunity for us to get to know you a lit- tle better and to determine how your experiences to date have prepared you to work in a law firm environment, as well as an opportunity for you to assess whether Cooley is a match for your aspirations, so you should ask questions about what is important to you. If you receive and accept an offer to join Cooley, you will hear from the firm regularly throughout the period before formally joining us. It is important to us that you feel part of the team from the beginning.
Summer programme Cooley’s two-week programmes involve a combination of hands-on work on active matters, shadowing other trainees, dynamic skills sessions, talks, trips and social events. With the goal of involving programme participants in client work to the greatest extent possible, individuals may find themselves attending meetings, taking part in conference calls, going to hearings, assisting on deals, conducting research or taking part in project work. Our aim is to plan a programme from which you will learn and have the oppor- tunity to demonstrate your potential, while simultaneously gaining as much insight as possible into the firm, our people and the work we do.
London trainees
Neelam Atwal Second-year
Abby Preston Second-year University of Oxford Law
King’s College London English Language and Communication
Corinne Robinson Second-year University of Edinburgh Law
Dominic Taylor Second-year University of Oxford History
Victoria Barlow First-year University of Bristol Law
Max Lees First-year
“Cooley’s summer programme gets the balance just right. You come away having gained more than just an insight into the firm. The busi- ness development, negotiation and advocacy sessions leave you with valuable skills beyond that of a normal vacation scheme. The scheme’s focus remains, importantly, on ‘real life’ tasks. You are actively encouraged to pursue areas of law in which you are interested or less familiar. It is not all work. There is ample opportunity to socialise too.”
“The Cooley summer programme was action-packed from beginning to end – I almost forgot I was work- ing from home! Each day brought a new set of engaging workshops, assignments and opportunities to get involved in real work. We were encouraged to be curious and explore areas of interest within the firm, including pro bono projects. I was especially struck by how friendly and open everyone was – always willing to take time out to connect with me.” Olivia Anderson 2020 Virtual Summer Programme – starts training in August 2022
Cardiff University French & Spanish
Morgan McCormack First-year Trinity College, Dublin
European Studies & Modern Languages
Jack Eastwood 2019 Summer Programme – starts training in August 2021
Cooley’s culture Cooley is intent on maintaining its standing as one of the world’s greatest law firms, but also on keeping its reputation as a great place to work. We fundamentally believe that the two can, indeed must, go hand in hand. We know that simple things matter – like being thanked and appreciated for your hard work. We invest heavily in preserving our culture as we grow. This is reflected in our dedication to hiring the candidates who demonstrate the traits and values we have identified as central to success at Cooley, such as creativity, entre- preneurial savvy and commitment to collaboration. It is also reflected in how we create the space and time for people to come together to talk, share, celebrate or interact. In London, staff members are invited to regular catch-ups with Justin Stock, London managing partner. There have also been numerous planned and impromptu officewide socials, including summer and winter events, a festive quiz, monthly relax and unwind time, in addition to tennis, netball and football matches.
Diversity, equity and inclusion at Cooley Cooley’s commitment to attracting, mentoring and retaining an excep- tional team of lawyers from as many backgrounds as possible is embedded in our culture. We are dedicated to maintaining a truly diverse workplace that values and celebrates differences – from the way we relate to and support each other to the way we work together to meet our clients’ needs. We have several affinity groups at Cooley with active membership in our London office, including our Minority Associates Group, LGBTQ+ Affinity Group, Black Attorney Affinity Group, Asian Pacific Islander Attorney Affinity Group, Women’s Initiative and Caregivers Attorney Affinity Group. Our affinity groups provide resources and networks to support the retention and inclusion of our lawyers. Additionally, a London partner and associate sit on Cooley’s diversity committee, a firmwide committee that meets bimonthly to strategise ways to maintain and strengthen a culture of equity and inclusivity across Cooley. In 2018, London business litigation partner Sascha Grimm, who is a co-chair of our firmwide Women’s Initiative, was listed in The Lawyer magazine as one of the “Hot 100” lawyers in the UK. Sascha is a found- ing member of Women in Law London, a legal networking organisation focused on the retention of women in the legal sector. We’re proud of our annual commitment to Pathways to Law, which provides legal work experience to academically able, A-level students from underrepresented backgrounds. In addition, we review summer programme applications on a name-blind basis and conduct behavioural interviewer and unconscious bias training for all our lawyers, directors and managers. We also implement the Rare Contextual Recruitment System as part of our application system. We are excited about what lies ahead in continuing to attract, develop and retain diverse talent. Learn more about diversity, equity and inclusion at Cooley.
Are you Cooley? Cooley lawyers are stimulated by solving business and legal challenges. The work we do is complex, so our lawyers must relish developing the intellectual and analytical mastery needed to find difficult answers to thorny questions. We are seeking candidates who share this passion, as well as an appreciation of how to develop effective business and working relationships. In addition, applicants should be able to demonstrate the following:
Meet Cooley events In addition to attending a number of university and national virtual law fairs, we will be hosting our annual Meet Cooley event, virtually, on 9 December 2020. This event is aimed at those who are planning on applying for our 2021 summer pro- gramme before the 31 January 2021 deadline and who want to learn more about our practice areas and culture. Priority will be given to those who have reached at least their penultimate year of a law degree or the final year of a non-law degree. We will also be running a smaller meet and greet event in spring 2021. Priority for this event will be given to those who haven’t applied for the summer programme/periods of recognised training at Cooley in the current 2020/21 recruitment cycle and may be at an earlier point in their academic pathway. This event will be a great opportunity to learn more about the firm and to gain a greater understanding of life as a Cooley trainee. Applications to attend these events can be made via our online system from mid-October 2020. Applications to attend the December event should be made by 23 November 2020. Applications to attend the meet and greet event in spring 2021 will be dealt with on a rolling basis, but the last date to submit will be 28 February 2021.
• Motivation and initiative • Communication skills and leadership • Service orientation and work ethic
• Superior judgement and problem-solving skills • Commitment, enthusiasm and team spirit • Professionalism
www.cooley.com/uktrainee
Academic requirements Cooley’s academic requirements are a minimum 2.1 at degree level for any discipline and 128 UCAS points (ABB at A Level) or equiv- alent, not to include points from AS levels or general studies. We will accept applications from individuals who do not meet these requirements where an individual has clear and valid mitigating circumstances and has otherwise demonstrated excellence at another point in their academic or professional history.
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Trainee salaries and key benefits
• Starting salary £50,000, rising to £55,000 in second year of training • Newly qualified salary: £120,000 • 25 days holiday per year • Gym membership subsidy • Season ticket loan • Critical illness insurance
• Private medical insurance • Life assurance • Pension scheme and firm contribution
• Childcare vouchers • Sports, social and celebratory events
Legal talent contacts
• Subsidised onsite cafe • Wellbeing programme
Sarah Warnes Trainee recruitment & legal talent manager (London) Claire Temple Special counsel & training principal
Cooley (UK) LLP Dashwood
Law school support For those who secure a training place prior to the start of law school, Cooley will pay the fees for the GDL and/or LPC and will also provide a living allowance of £8,000 per annum for those residing inside London or £7,500 per annum for those residing elsewhere.
69 Old Broad Street London EC2M 1QS +44 (0) 20 7583 4055
uktrainee@cooley.com
© 2020 Cooley (UK) LLP, Dashwood, 69 Old Broad Street, London, EC2M 1QS www.cooley.com
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