That inclusivity enhances our business performance. Instead of repeating the same type of transaction many times over, you will develop profound relationships with clients that are enriched over time as you get to know their businesses better. LGBTQ+ awareness in particular has increased in recent months, with regular seminars hosted by external speakers: Weve got a talk coming up about the annulment of Section 377, the law that banned same-sex relations in India. We also heard theres a very good mentoring scheme for the firms female lawyers, run by women partners: Whether youre a trainee or senior associate, those avenues are there.. They listen to the nuances of the ask and respond accordingly., Laura Houston is simply excellent. Not only does this make the work itself more interesting, you also get to see how a wide range of lawyers approach matters differently., Newbies rank their first seat preferences halfway through the LPC. 2023 Legalease Ltd. All rights reserved, Registered company in England & Wales No. Many people believe that, at the highest end of commercial law, you can only be an expert in one very specific area. This is hard work but our lawyers say it makes for a far more fulfilling career. This commitment, combined with our in-depth knowledge and experience across their industries, allows us to deliver the highest level of service. Visit the firm's graduate recruitment page. It's hard work. On home soil, Slaughter has picked up 32 rankings for everything from pensions and construction to life sciences and real estate. Advised SC Ventures on a number of its strategic partnerships, to further the development of digital assets and platforms. Advising on high-profile and often landmark international transactions. Many people believe that, at the highest end of commercial law, you can only be an expert in one very specific area. Advised Derwent London plc on its inaugural green bond on the Main Market and the Sustainability Market of the London Stock Exchange. The contentious portion sees newbies handle internal investigations. The firm is a trusted adviser to some of the largest companies in the world, advising on complex cross-border deals every single day. We put the needs of our clients centre stage and are client, rather than product, focused. While talking about clocks, it's worth mentioning that, as at all City law firms, now and then there are periods of intense effort that's the nature of the job. Halfway through the final seat, newbies meet with HR and rank their top two choices. In a corporate group, for example, one month you could help guide a client through the defence of a hostile takeover and the next you could be advising that same client on an equity issue. Here's an article on The Gateway's website about it. the ability to relate to others Advising Deutsche Bank against claims brought in the Commercial Court against various financial institutions by the US Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. He learned his craft from people who were practicingwhen corporation tax and capital gains tax were introduced in 1965. Advised Fortress on their negotiations with the trustees of the 6bn Morrisons pension schemes to reach agreement on a package of funding measures supporting the pension schemes to buyout, in the context of the contested bid process for Morrisons. Shortly after joining the firm you will be allocated a continuity partner. We offer: a distinctive culture - the absence of billing and time-recorded targets means that our lawyers are always willing to support each other and share expertise: the atmosphere here is friendly, not competitive. Advising S&P Global on international filings for its proposed $44bn merger with IHS Markit. on cross-border investigations in relation to alleged misconduct in the G10 spot FX market and defending subsequent civil claims in the High Court and Competition Appeals Tribunal. Advised Virgin Group in respect of the restructuring of the financial and leasehold liabilities of Virgin Actives Europe and APAC business, implemented by way of restructuring plans under Part 26A of the Companies Act 2006. Irrespective of the secondment location, trainees check in with a supervisor back at Slaughter every month. The team is supported by Tom Inker, who has particular expertise with large-scale projects and infrastructure sales and acquisitions, and Chloe Halloran, who has experience with development projects and fit-out works. The partner will be someone from a group outside of the seats you are due to sit in during your training contract, who will support you during your time as a trainee solicitor. A partner in your group will regularly meet with you to discuss your progress and your supervisor will give you a full review at the end of each seat. His, Partner; Hywel has advised on a wide range of corporate and commercial, Partner; Paul has a broad practice covering a range of corporate and, Partner; Alex advises on a broad range of corporate and commercial transactions,, Senior Consultant; Steve, who qualified with Slaughter and May in 1975, acts, Partner; Jane is head of the real estate team. We dont have to do interviews., Trainees had a mixed feelings about the firms approach to wellbeing, but noted that diversity and inclusion is a growing focus. Try surviving without one. This versatility enables us to field fewer people for each matter, which gives clients a single point of contact with whom they can build a close working relationship. FEATURES What Slaughter and May's Latest Departure Means For its Future The exit to Weil Gotshal is viewed as a. This enables for complex and time sensitive activities to be completed quickly, accurately and where required innovatively., The teams global network is valuable and their global partners provide very similar service levels., Phillipa OMalley has been exceptional at delivering commercial solutions that involve high levels of change and complexity. It was the biggest listing in Europe since 2011 and one of the most complex demergers ever, which drew in huge swathes of the firm. Whilst some firms may be reluctant to let newbies take part in major deals like this, Slaughter is the exception. Advised Vodafone and GSK on the European Commissions State aid investigation into the group financing exemption from the UKs CFC rules. They are also a pleasure to deal with., Efstathios Michael is a truly class act he approaches even the most difficult, complex insurance and reinsurance disputes with good humour, excellent commercial judgement and an incisive legal mind. Advised rsted on its disposal to Norges Bank Investment Management of a 50% interest in the 752 MW Borssele 1 & 2 Offshore Wind Farm, the largest operational offshore wind farm in the Netherlands and the second largest operational offshore wind farm in the world. Advice is easy to understand and relevant for the business. The majority of our work is cross-border in nature and we work across the globe. Spain, Norway, Sweden, Singapore, and Hong Kong. Practices and Sectors - Slaughter and May It was fascinating to work on a project where there was no precedent. Teams are often made up of lawyers from across the firms London, Brussels and Hong Kong offices; they cover competition litigation, antitrust work, merger control issues and state aid matters. We advise on high-profile and often landmark international transactions. There are many benefits to broadening your horizons. This level of insight can make the world of difference for both parties: you'll play a guiding role in changing commercial and legal times. Their openness to input from the client and to leverage any insights the client can add 3. Firstly, our way of working, we are multi-specialists performing a wider range of transactions. Advised Tata Steel on a c.500 million partial buy-in transaction with Legal & General for the British Steel Pension Scheme. The differentiator is that they dont just tell you the law, they can tell you how regulators and market players will behave in practice. Our lawyers are multi-specialists, equipped to handle a broad range of legal matters. Excellent communication and draw out key points for non-specialists. Advised on the amendment of Paratus five legacy securitisations to reflect the transition from LIBOR to SONIA/SOFR, including the drafting of updated swap confirmations for various hedges. independent thought and curiosity Other offices: Beijing, Brussels, Hong Kong. This country-specific Q&A provides an A sense of humour. Slaughter and May: graduate employer profile - targetjobs a sharp intellect I have a very high degree of interaction with. For me, one of the attractions of Slaughter and May is its multi-specialist approach, which means that your career is always evolving and things are never dull. We disagree. You should also include any other information which you think may be relevant to your application. Defending BHP Group against claims involving over 200,000 claimants arising out of the collapse of the Fundo dam in Brazil. He is worldly but grounded, and its very useful have someone like Bertrand who understands the political dimension of a transaction., Slaughter and May are just the best. Trainees are also encouraged to understand advances in the legal industry, and possibly even help to shape them, by joining our Innovation Network which now has over 250 members. Slaughter and May is a leading international law firm with a worldwide corporate, commercial and financing practice. In order to offer the best possible service for our clients, we harness the latest market developments in legal technology and innovation. The practice holds a strong reputation in the sports and leisure sector, advising on large stadia matters. Understanding, anticipating and satisfying their individual legal needs is, for us, a priority. Peter Wickham: newly made partner and deservingly so., Slaughter and May has a legendary tax team with an excellent reputation spanning many decades., This is an exceptional team with outstanding legal ability and analysis and a huge range of experience of all areas of tax and industry., Unrivalled technical expertise, knowledge and confidence in backing own position., Always on and commitment to deliver results on time., A deep knowledge of tax and client care that is second to none: they leave me feeling I am in safe hands and even the most intractable problem can be resolved., Steve Edge is a living legend in the UK tax world. Advised Derwent London on the 214.6m acquisition of two West End properties and the establishment of a new 120m property joint venture with Lazari Investments in relation to sites at Baker Street, London W1. But with our collegiate approach, the support is always there. We like people with: Places like New York, Germany, Sydney, Spain and Hong Kong all come up. Johnny Cotton is also superb., Highly regarded expert team that can offer all the assistance clients need, The Regulatory Investigations & Corporate Crime at Slaughter & May are excellent. Of particular note amongst the other partners are the brilliant tactician Damian Taylor, the formidable strategist Holly Ware and the excellent litigator Jonathan Clark; Camilla Sanger is building a large practice in this area and senior counsel Liz Jordan is a future star to watch out for., The competition litigation team at Slaughters is unique for the sheer quality of its lawyers across the board. Advised Just Group plc on its recent tender offer for its existing 9.375% Reset Perpetual Restricted Tier 1 Contingent Convertible Notes for cash, and the issuance of new 325m 5.000% Reset Perpetual Restricted Tier 1 Contingent Convertible Notes. His breadth of experience is unparalleled. thegatewayonline.com Multi-talented lawyers He understands the banking industry and has an extremely commercial approach focused on the practical objectives of the client. Applications should be submitted using the online form, which can be accessed via the link below: www.slaughterandmay.com/careers/trainee-solicitors. Advising INEOS E&P A/S on Project Greensand, Europes first full-chain carbon capture and storage pilot project. Advising John Wood Group plc in relation to successful resolution of an investigation by the SFO into alleged bribery. I have been particularly impressed by the intellectual clarity and structure which underpins their legal analysis and advice. Advised Derwent London plc, a leading London focused real estate investment trust and FTSE 250 constituent, on its inaugural green bond on the Main Market and the Sustainability Market of the London Stock Exchange. Their meticulous approach and eye for detail marks them out in the largest fraud cases, in my experience. Advised GlaxoSmithKline plc on the planned demerger of its Consumer Healthcare business into a separately listed group. In the short term, this will enable you to make a more informed decision about which practice group you should join on qualification. Through the multi-specialist approach, I have gained a range of experience in just one seat, making the work interesting, varied and exciting. They understand our needs, always respond in a timely fashion and sometimes refer us to other helpful contact in other jurisdictions., An excellent real estate team with significant experience of acting for tenants on major lettings and complex pre-let developments in London., John Nevin and Simon Bartle are an excellent team who compliment each other extremely well in their advice to clients., The team are the most commercially-minded occupier team I have dealt with in the UK market. Advised various entities in the Ineos group on their entry into a range of derivative transactions, including FX, interest rates and commodities hedging. He is calm, confident and a delight to work with., Richard McDonnell has an astute eye for contentious IP and litigation strategy., Richard Jeens is particularly knowledgeable in F1., Mark Zerdin is a principled lawyer with a remarkably creative mind, an impeccable attention to detail and tactical nous that has never proved wrong. Advised South32 on a $1.4bn sustainability-linked credit facility. Advised The African Union on all aspects of its program to procure COVID-19 vaccines, over and above the vaccines they are securing through the COVAX Investments Limited facility. From a client perspective, he is extremely straightforward to deal with, and has a very firm grasp of both the details and the strategic big picture. It also has a good practical focus and the team bring lots of real-life examples to help make the advice more applicable., Excellent quality of people. Availability., Extremely diligent, very knowledgeable and confident in the advice they provide which in turn, gives us the confidence we need on which to base our decisions. You have to cover more ground. Kevin Howes; Peaches Stanforth; Edward Fife; Guy OKeefe; Caroline Phillips, The team is responsive, and knowledgeable., Slaughter and May have an extreme breath of knowledge across all debt capital market transactions, providing useful insight that helps the client with important decision-making. Another differentiating factor between Slaughter and its peers became apparent during one sources interview: One magic circle firm was clearly trying to find out little details about me and my life, but the interviewers here were more interested in my ability. With around 2,000 applications for 85 training contracts each year, getting into Slaughter is more competitive than getting a training contract at the majority of the other firms in our guide. He is extremely commercially-minded and gives very practical advice from a position of great experience. Key partner Edward Fife assisted online fashion retailer ASOS with the issuance of 500m in unsecured convertible bonds. Advised Electrolux on a 1bn sustainability-linked multicurrency revolving credit facility. For over 25, Partner; Rebecca is Head of our Equity Capital Markets practice and Co-Head, Partner; Padraig has been a partner at the firm since 2001. Advised Aviva on the sale of its entire shareholding in Aviva Poland to Allianz for cash consideration of EUR 2.5 billion. Key strength is the extremely high quality of the lawyers., Jonathan Cotton is excellent. Guy OKeefe The team is very good at identifying potential issues and liabilities which it then protects its clients against with robust drafting., Richard Swallow; Jonathan Cotton; Ewan Brown, Holly Ware; Jonathan Clark; James Stacey; Gayathri Kamalanathan; Ella Williams, Three factors : 1. International secondments are restarting since COVID-19. If trainees are sitting in corporate during a particularly busy time they can expect to finish around 11pm: It can be annoying if someone gives you a massive task at 5 oclock on a Friday night, just as youre about to log off., "The firm wants to stay away from the always-online culture. The firm also runs a week-long scheme at Easter for first year law students, three first year open days for law and non-law students, and a 2-day winter workshop in December for non-law finalists and graduates. Successfully defending British American Tobacco plc against the SFOs long running investigation of suspicions of corruption by bat plc, its subsidiaries and associated persons. Advising Illumina on its $8bn acquisition of Grail, the first case called in by the European Commission under its new Article 22 policy, including the Commissions Phase 2 review and the parallel application to the General Court to annul the Commissions decision. Acting for Credit Suisse in multiple claims arising from $2bn tuna bond scandal. Advised Equinix, the US HQ global data centre company, on its entry into Africa through its intended acquisition of leading West African data centre and connectivity solutions provider MainOne. This way, people have everything to gain from being selfless. Advised CM.com on the establishment of a stock borrowing facility in connection with a EUR100m convertible bond issuance. Our multispecialist approach is one of the most distinctive things about us. We like common sense, integrity and drive. We believe that a supportive and inclusive workplace drives collaboration and enhances business performance. She is a thoughtful, responsive, respectful, professional associate who has managed various workstreams to a high level of professionalism and responsiveness., The Slaughter and May team under Matthew Tobin advised us on both our unsecured bond and convertible bond issuance in 2021. Slaughter and May The Lawyer UK 200 Rank: 14 Revenue: 595.0m No. ", The good news is that with chunky hours comes a chunky salary: NQ pay at Slaughter is right in the middle of that at other magic circle firms. Advised EDF Energy on its arrangements with the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority and the Nuclear Liabilities Fund relating to the decommissioning of eight nuclear power stations in the UK. They are, contrary to reputation, extremely practical and commercial in their approach with a willingness to give clear, strategic advice., Matthew Tobin has an incredible knowledge of not just the transactions, but of the clients sector and company. Working with them is always a pleasure., Slaughter & May have deep experience in ECM. Advised Seadrill New Finance Limited (now Paratus Energy Services Ltd.) on its successful negotiation and implementation of a comprehensive restructuring in relation to its secured notes via a pre-packaged Chapter 11 process. Theyre on top of all the debates on current legal changes, and there are many. Knock knock. In the long term, it makes for a far more fulfilling career. Caroline Phillips also plays a key role in DCM transactions and handled a 500m bond issue by INEOS Quattro Finance. Advised A.S. Roma and its owners, the Friedkin Family, on the appointment of Jos Mourinho as new head coach. In the middle of a crisis or when we as a client are making some of our most difficult decisions, Gayathri is the person you want in the room and in all the work that goes on after the room has adjourned., Ewan Brown smart guy, excellent client manner and my go to for this type of work., Slaughter and May is unique in the breadth of experience of their lawyers, the quality of associates and their strategic advice. They are involved in the cases which are driving them. Slaughter and May lawyers are 'multi-specialist', which means that there is a huge variety in the work we do, and there isn't a 'typical day.' A lot of the matters I am working on are in the Energy sector; given the turbulence in the sector, clients need our advice, particularly with respect to project financing. The firm also pays biannual bonuses and holds pay reviews twice a year. Practices Capital Markets Commercial Contracts Competition Construction and Projects Corporate and M&A Cyber Built his understanding of our business and leveraged the team at S&M to provide cohesive and coherent advice and guidance.. Advised The Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport on the UK Live Events Reinsurance Scheme put in place by the U.K. Government in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Virtual Insight Programme - Slaughter and May | Prospects.ac.uk What constitutes a late night depends on the department in disputes its 9pm but in financing its 7pm. Advised BlueCrest on several matters relating to challenges to the UK tax treatment of its management incentivisation arrangements. Slaughter and May exceeded my expectations regarding the firm's work areas and the quality of training it provides. of Partners: 110 The Lawyer research data Slaughter and May inarguably exudes the most mystique of any UK law firm. Advised Vodafone on numerous deals, including the strategic broadband deal, pursuant to which Vodafone UK expanded its partnership with CityFibre in order to become Britains largest full-fibre broadband provider. Secondments are a great opportunity to further understand the ways in which law firms operate and how we support clients. Diversity and Inclusion is an integral part of how we do things as a firm. The Training ContractDuring the two-year training contract, trainees turn their hand to a broad range of work. How your legal advice sits within clients' business operations creates another intellectual hurdle - it's definitely not legal advice in a vacuum. Particular stand out corporate M&A partners include Rebecca Cousin., Richard Smith was essential; he handled all Q&A sessions with poise and command; with strong strategic agility and control over the proceedings., James Cook showed extreme versatility, and demonstrated full command over every nuanced detail; he was always responsive and on the ball. Slaughter and May - True Picture - Chambers Student Guide UK Edition All the resources you need to research law firms and barristers' chambers Home Where to start Law firms The Bar Practice areas Law schools About Slaughter and May - True Picture Chambers Student True Picture This website uses cookies The positive side is that we have no 'face-time' culture. Highly approachable and excellent bedside manner. We disagree. We are a full service law firm to corporate clients and have leading practitioners across a wide range of areas including Mergers and Acquisitions, Corporate and Commercial, Financing, Tax, Competition, Disputes and Investigations, Real Estate, Pensions and Employment, Financial Regulation, Information Technology and Intellectual Property. Hywel Davies is as good as there is in the City. Unmatched excellence in M&A matters and in the strategic elements of negotiating a deal. We also like an awareness of the business world and backdrop, because this is key for our clients. PODCAST: Becoming a multi-specialist, with Slaughter and May, With just three overseas offices, Slaughter has significantly fewer international bases compared to its peers A&O alone boasts a network of 43 offices. It's been reported that Slaughter & May lawyers are trained as 'generalists' so why does the firm take that approach with its team development? It should be noted that these are extremely competitive: There were eight options for 50 trainees last time. Client secondments are now a permanent feature of the training contract, having become more prevalent when international seats were put on hold during COVID. Advised two M&G funds on an investment in a private securitisation of mobile phone handsets originated by Virgin Media. Advised SC Ventures on its partnership with BC Technology Group, Asias leading digital asset company, to launch a digital asset brokerage and exchange platform for institutional and corporate clients in the UK and Europe. Pro bono also keeps trainees busy during this seat, primarily with respect to employment tribunals.