Cooley’s slick brochure is packed with detail on what it’s like to train at this innovative, international firm of the future.
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.
“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.”
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, complex IP and regulatory matters and high-stakes litigation, often where innovation meets the law. 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. Our London office has worked hard to build on the excep- tional success of the firm in the US. Key to the continued success of London and further growth is integration and ensuring everyone understands they have a part to play in building that success.
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 problem-solving, and the development of internal and external business relationships. We are looking for entrepreneurial indi- viduals 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. As a global city, a centre of finance and a hub for technology, inno- vation and creativity, London is a natural fit for Cooley’s interna- tional clients and for its strategic global growth. The office provides corporate legal advice to established and high- growth companies and investors in domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, securities transac- tions and private equity and venture capital financings. The transactional team in London also engages in matters involv- ing intellectual property, technology transactions, data protection and privacy, employment, and insolvency. Our London competition team advises companies on all aspects of EU and UK competition law, including merger control, regulatory investigations, distribution and pricing issues, general compliance and competition litigation. About Cooley London
Cooley’s London-based litigators have one of the most sought after complex commercial litigation teams in the UK. They have consid- erable experience in complex domestic and cross-border litigation, international arbitration and regulatory 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, including advising governments on their anti-corruption agencies in seeking to trace, freeze and recover corruptly acquired assets of dis- honest 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, arbitration and commercial court litigation. With a client-first approach and an uncompromising focus on the highest levels of expertise and responsiveness, Cooley’s product compliance and liability team provides a unique level of support for product manufacturers navigating the rapidly changing interna- tional regulatory and liability risk landscape.
Accolades
Fortune magazine’s “100 Best Companies to Work For” and “100 Best Workplaces for Women”
One of the “50 Best Law Firms for Women” by Working Mother magazine
International Law Firm Innovation at the Legal Week Innovation Awards 2016
“Standout” for Dispute Resolution and “commended” in Innovation in Technology and Data Analytics by FT Innovative Lawyers Europe
Highly recommended in six different categories and 16 lawyers are ranked by Chambers UK
Legal Week’s “London Office of the Year” in 2015
Twenty-one practice areas recommended and 38 lawyers ranked by UK Legal 500
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 busi- ness litigation seat where work could involve general commercial, employment, insurance or IP-related matters. Other seats will be in non-contentious corporate commercial/transactional areas where work could involve M&A, PE, VC, life sciences, finance matters 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 varying 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 trainee training programme, which will be delivered by associates and partners 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 and the trainee principal, all there to help and encourage progress and growth.
Applying to train in London
Cooley has opportunities for trainees to start in late August 2020 and recruits for these positions through its summer programme. Interested applicants should apply to the 2018 programme, which will be open for applications from 23 October 2017 to 31 January 2018. 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 two weeks of the application deadline, with all applicants being informed of their final status within a month of the deadline.
Submit applications at https://www.apply4law.com/cooley
“Everyone at Cooley has been so welcoming, which made me feel like I was already part of a team when I arrived on day one. My contributions are valued and I have been given a lot of respon- sibility from the start, whilst also being supported by people across all departments. I know that I can ask questions and everyone will make time to help me to under- stand the case or transaction we are working on, even during the busiest periods.”
“You are made to feel part of the Cooley team before you even join, as future trainees are regularly invited to social events. This is a great way to meet your future colleagues and build relationships with them before starting your training. The great culture at Cooley means that once you do start, all of the partners and associates want to help you with your training and develop- ment from day one.”
Julia Maskell First-year trainee Current seat: Business Litigation
Oliver McGlashan First-year trainee Current seat: Business Litigation
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 impres- sively 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 opportunity to showcase a breadth of skills including team-working, commercial sense, communication skills, logic, judgement, creativity and decision-making. You will also have the opportunity to meet and speak with a variety of Cooley lawyers and trainees over lunch. 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 culture is a very real thing. From first being given my training contract through to my first day in the office, and beyond, Cooley has ensured that I was included and made to feel a valued part of the firmwide team. The support I’ve been given and the responsi- bility I’ve been trusted with has been amazing. Being surrounded by exceptional and driven lawyers who take an active interest in your development really encourages you to up your game!” Ben Sharrock First-year trainee Current seat: Business Litigation/ Insurance & Reinsurance
Interviews will consist of a mix of competency and scenario-based questions. 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 little 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, students 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 opportunity to demonstrate your potential, while simultaneously gaining as much insight as possible into the firm, our people and the work we do.
“Overall, the two-weeks at Cooley were an invaluable
“I was a little bit nervous coming to the summer programme as an interna- tional student with no real experience in commercial law, but I felt right at home quickly – Cooley is such a lovely, support- ive and diverse environment. Everyone was so welcoming and seemed genu- inely interested in making sure I learned about all the aspects of their work and got my questions answered.”
experience. The opportunity to wade a little deeper into the legal profession was made eas- ier and much more informative by the inclusive and develop- ment-focused nature at Cooley. It was a fantastic learning and working environment!” Alicia Johnson-Cole 2016 summer programme – starts training in August 2018
Abigail Preston 2017 summer programme – starts training in August 2019
London trainees
Ross Keeble Second-year University of Nottingham History
Oliver McGlashan First-year University of Durham Law
Charlotte Lennon Second-year University of Oxford Classical Archaeology and Ancient History
Daniel Millard First-year University of Cardiff Law
Andrew Love Second-year University of Warwick Chemistry with Medicinal Chemistry
Ben Sharrock First-year University of Oxford Ancient and Modern History
Julia Maskell First-year University of Nottingham Law with Spanish Law
Cooley’s culture Cooley is intent on maintaining its standing as one of the world’s greatest law firms, but also on maintaining 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 demon- strate the traits and values we have identified as central to success at Cooley, like creativity, entrepreneurial 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 a regular informal lunch with Justin Stock, London managing partner. There have also been numerous planned and impromptu office-wide socials, including summer events, a masquerade ball, monthly ‘Cooley Cocktails’, tennis, netball and football matches.
Diversity at Cooley Cooley’s commitment to attracting, mentoring and retaining an exceptional 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 the needs of our clients. Employment partner Ann Bevitt and technology transactions associate Leo Spicer-Phelps are the London office representatives on Cooley’s diversity committee. They, along with 30 colleagues from around the firm, meet bi-monthly to formulate and implement initiatives aimed at strengthening a culture of inclusivity across Cooley. Our London office features a chapter of the Minority Associates Group (MAG) led by Prina Patel, an associate in business litigation. Additional resource groups include our African American Affinity Group, Asian Pacific Islander Affinity Group, and LGBTQ Affinity Group. London business litigation associate Sascha Grimm, who was listed in City AM’s 2016 Power 100 Women, is a founding member and chair of Women in Law London (WILL), a legal networking organisation focused on the retention of women in the legal sector. Sascha is also a committee representative for Cooley’s Women’s Initiative, alongside technology trans- actions partner Sarah Pearce and business litigation associate Joanne Elieli. Our annual commitment to ‘Pathways to Law’ provides legal work experience to academically able, ‘A’ level students from non- privileged backgrounds. 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. To help us find the best talent from a range of backgrounds, we implement the Rare Contextual Recruitment System as part of our application system. We are excited about what lies ahead in continuing to attract and retain diverse talent.
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 accomplish finding 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:
• motivation and initiative • communication skills and leadership • service orientation and work ethic
• superior judgment and problem solving skills • commitment, enthusiasm and team spirit • professionalism
www.cooley.com/uktrainee
‘Meet Cooley’ events In addition to attending a number of university law fairs, we will be hosting our annual ‘Meet Cooley’ open event on 13 December 2017. This event is aimed at those who are planning on applying for our 2018 summer programme before the 31 January 2018 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 few smaller ‘Meet and Greet’ events early in 2018. These events are a chance to come into the firm for an office tour and an informal chat with a few of our current trainees. Priority for these events will be given to those who haven’t applied for the summer programme/periods of recognised training at Cooley in the current 2017/18 recruitment cycle and maybe at an earlier point in their academic pathway.
These events are a great opportunity to learn more about the firm and to gain a greater understanding into life as a Cooley trainee.
Applications to attend these events can be made via our online system from 23 October 2017. Applications to attend the December event should be made by 26 November 2017. Applications to attend the ‘Meet and Greet’ events in early 2018 will be dealt with on a rolling basis, but the last date to submit for one of these will be 28 February 2018.
Academic requirements Cooley’s academic requirements are a minimum 2.1 at degree level for any discipline and 320 UCAS points or equivalent, not to include points from AS levels or General Studies (128 points under the new 2017 UCAS Tariff). 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.
Trainee salaries & key benefits
• Starting salary £44,000 rising to £48,000 in second year of training • newly qualified salary: £100,000 • 25 days holiday per year • gym membership subsidy • season ticket loan
• private medical insurance • life assurance • pension scheme and firm contribution • childcare vouchers • sports, social and celebratory events • subsidised on-site café
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 pro- vide a living allowance of £8,000 (per annum) for those residing inside London, or £7,500 (per annum) for those residing elsewhere.
Legal talent contacts
Sarah Warnes Trainee Recruitment & Legal Talent Manager (London) Charlline Thanasingham Legal Talent & Professional Development Coordinator (London)
Cooley (UK) LLP Dashwood
69 Old Broad Street London EC2M 1QS +44 (0) 20 7583 4055
uktrainee@cooley.com
@cooleyllp
@cooleycareers
facebook.com/cooleyllp linkedin.com/company/cooleyllp youtube.com/user/cooleyllp
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