Corporate Associate (Former Kirkland Trainee) Holly Donovan Graduate in Law, Oxford University
“My final seat was corporate – a secondment to our New York office. I worked on wholly US deals, as well as international ones, and gained fresh perspectives that really helped once I returned to working in London.”
As a trainee you’re exposed to interesting projects and collaborate on deals involving household names. One I worked on made headline news. My final seat was corporate – I went on secondment to the New York office. It was a fantastic experience to spend six months living and working in Manhattan. I worked on wholly US deals, as well as international ones, and gained fresh perspectives that really helped once I returned to working in London. It was noticeable on qualification how ready I was to fulfil my responsibilities. Because you learn on the job at Kirkland & Ellis, you gain great experience. Plus, because the intake is small – it was ten in my year – you’re given responsibility for important work straightaway. Your supervisor helps you navigate how much work you have on and what you’re ready for, but you can put yourself forward for new work as well. It’s a hard-working, committed environment and people are extremely motivated to be involved in deals.
Everyone is very supportive and the close team environment really works. The lack of hierarchy and open access to associates and partners, makes Kirkland & Ellis a friendly and sociable place to be as a trainee. By the end of your four seats, you’ll pretty much know everyone in the office, both lawyers and support staff, and whether you fancy a quick drink after work or decide to take on a charity triathlon (a few of us did recently), you’ll find people who are enthusiastic about joining in. Knowing people across the firm is one of the best things about training at Kirkland & Ellis. It’s another way that the transition from trainee to associate is made easier. You’re already familiar with the people and teams, and how things are done, and they know what you can do.
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