Training contracts
From autumn 2020, we are recruiting trainee solicitors for the first time. We are looking for those who can start their training contract in September 2021, 2022 or 2023. We recruit our future trainee solicitors from our spring and summer vacation schemes only.

Our training contract provides an environment where junior lawyers can excel and be challenged, in a supportive environment. You will sit in four different practice areas, with a mix of partners and associates. You will spend six months in Litigation, Compliance, Investigations & Enforcement and six months in Private Equity.

In addition to the full programme of formal training, you will work alongside our partners and associates in small teams on real matters from day one. Our people work in small, nimble teams on high-quality matters, so it is important that you are motivated, collaborative and able to pick things up quickly as you will receive a great breadth of work from the outset.

Salary and benefits
Our trainees will be paid £50,000 in their first year and £55,000 in the second year. Our qualification salary is £130,000 per annum. We offer a full suite of benefits.

Vacation schemes
From autumn 2020, we are recruiting trainee solicitors for the first time, via our vacation schemes. In 2021, we will have up to 15 people in total on our spring and summer vacation schemes.

During your two-week scheme, you will sit in two different teams, with a partner and an associate, and gain hands-on experience, giving you the opportunity to undertake real, meaningful work and showcase your potential. We hope that by the end of the two weeks, you will have met most of our people at our vacation scheme-specific workshops, seminars and social events. You will be supported throughout your time with us, by a partner mentor, an associate buddy and our graduate recruitment team, and will be paid £500 per week.

Our vacation schemes will be held from 12 to 23 April and 21 June to 2 July 2021. We offer places on both schemes to penultimate year Law undergraduates, all final year undergraduates (both Law and non-Law), all graduates, post-graduates and career changers.

Application information
We recruit our trainee solicitors via our vacation schemes only. Applications are open from 1 October 2020 to 31 January 2021, and we recruit on a rolling basis.

Successful applications will be invited to a video interview and, if successful at this stage, will be invited to a half-day assessment centre, consisting of a written exercise and an interview. Our interviews are conducted on a CV-blind basis.

We welcome applicants from all universities and degree disciplines. We are looking for consistently strong academic achievement, with a 2.1 at undergraduate level. Willkie is proud to use Rare’s Contextual Recruitment System. Partnering with Rare means social mobility measures and educational data are embedded into our recruitment process. This means we will better understand your academic achievements.

Our people work in small, nimble teams on high quality matters, so it is important that you are motivated, collaborative and able to pick things up quickly as you will receive a great breadth of work from the outset. Willkie London has grown considerably over the past five years, and over 58% from 2017 alone. With this in mind, we are looking for self-starters who want to contribute to a dynamic, growing workplace, and who have a genuine interest in Willkie and our clients.

Our applications are now closed. We will open applications for 2022 vacation schemes and training contracts commencing 2024 in October 2021. Please note that we do not offer other informal work experience or placements.

Should you have any further questions, please contact Gemma Baker, Graduate Recruitment Manager, at graduaterecruitment@willkie.com.

Our brochure gives more information on our practice areas in London, and contains videos with some of our partners and associates in London about life at Willkie.

To view our brochure, please click here.

Law fairs and workshops
We will be attending a number of workshops and law fairs in autumn 2020. Please see the full list of law fairs and workshops here. Please note that all of these events will be virtual. Should you wish to attend, and for more information, please contact the host directly.

We will also be attending King’s College London’s Focus on Law 2020, which is spread over several days.

Open events at Willkie
Please note that all events will be held virtually. To register your interest, please email graduaterecruitment@willkie.com, stating which events you would like to attend, in order of preference, what year of study you are in and a short statement (not more than 200 words) as to why you would like to attend. We will allocate spaces on a rolling basis and will update the webpage when all spaces are taken.

Please note priority will be given to those eligible to start their training contract in September 2021, 2022 or 2023.

Your place is not confirmed until you receive an email from us.

Webinar: How to make a successful application, hosted by Gemma Baker, graduate recruitment manager. This will be 90 minutes long, including time for questions.
Date: 2 to 3.30 pm, Monday 7 December 2020.

Open Days: our open days are three hour virtual events, where you will hear from partners and associates about our practice areas at Willkie, our hands-on approach to training, working in small teams and the opportunities you will be given. You will also learn about pro bono and community work in London. It’s a fantastic opportunity to learn more about life at Willkie.
Dates: our November and January open days are both full and we are no longer accepting applications.

Diversity & inclusion
At Willkie, we believe everyone benefits from a diverse and inclusive workplace, and we are committed to maintaining such an environment by recruiting, retaining and promoting people of all backgrounds and cultural experiences.

Willkie is proud to partner with Rare Recruitment on two initiatives: Rare’s Contextual Recruitment System and Vantage. Partnering with Rare means social mobility measures and educational data are embedded into our recruitment process. This means we will better understand your academic achievements. Additionally, interviews are conducted on a CV blind basis.

In London, we have an active LGBTQ+ Affinity Group, as well as the London Chapter of the Women’s Professional Development Committee (WPDC). The WPDC was established more than a decade ago to offer professional development programmes and guidance to ensure that Willkie provides a rewarding and empowering experience to women at the firm.

Our lawyers and business service staff are also members of Willkie’s firm-wide Diversity and Inclusion Committee, established approximately thirty years ago. In the past twelve months, the Diversity and Inclusion Committee has continued to host its highly successful Diversity Speaker Series, with external speakers such as Nikesh Shukla, Dr Angela Neal-Barnett, Michelle Silverthorn, Dr Russell Jeung, Kylar Broadus and Dr Tyrone Howard, amongst others. Topics have included strategies for handling the impact of racism, trauma, stress, and anxiety; inclusion and anti-racism (including rules of equity, allyship and building an inclusive workplace); the intersections of race, gender, sexuality, ethnicity and violence; how to talk to your children about race and racism; and race and immigration in the UK.

Pro bono
Willkie regularly partners with a number of clients to support myriad nonprofit organisations. These organisations are dedicated to a wide array of causes, including education, immigration and providing support to underprivileged communities.

In London, our lawyers work on a number of different projects, both in the UK and the US. Our London office encourages our lawyers to introduce new pro bono matters to the firm.

Community work
We recognise the need to partner with local communities and, in London, we partner with a local school, providing work experience placements for at least two Year 11 or 12 students each year. Additionally, we have one paid apprenticeship a year, for a school leaver to work in our business services team.

A number of our lawyers in London regularly mentor a Law student from Queen Mary University of London to provide advice on a career in law and to help develop each mentee’s commercial awareness.

Applications

How do I make an application for a vacation scheme and a training contract?
Please complete the online application form here. The application process will open on 1 October each year and the deadline for both our spring and summer scheme is 31 January 2021. We do not accept any applications after the deadline. Please note that we only recruit via our vacation schemes and do not accept direct training contract applications.

Do you run open days?
Yes, we run virtual open days and webinars. Please see here for information.

What are your academic criteria?
We welcome applicants from all universities and degree disciplines. We are looking for consistently strong academic achievement, with a 2.1 at undergraduate level. Willkie is proud to use Rare’s Contextual Recruitment System. Partnering with Rare means social mobility measures and educational data are embedded into our recruitment process. This means we will better understand your academic achievements.

I studied a non-Law degree, does this put me at a disadvantage?
Not at all. We welcome applications from all degree disciplines.

What adjustments can be made to the application process if they have a disability or long term health condition?
We are happy to make adjustments to a candidate’s individual requirements, whether in regards to the application form, video interview or assessment centre. Please contact Gemma at graduaterecruitment@willkie.com to discuss, in confidence, your individual circumstances.

I have mitigating circumstances. Where can I include them?
There is a mitigating circumstances section on the application form. If you prefer, you can email Gemma at graduaterecruitment@willkie.com instead.

How long will it take to hear from you?
We will review your application and get back to you within ten working days (two weeks). Please note over the Christmas period, this may be a little longer.

Interviews and assessment centres

What happens at the assessment centre?
As of September 2020, we do not know whether assessment centres will be held virtually or in person. At the assessment centre, you will have a CV-blind interview, undertake a written exercise on a name-blind basis and have the chance to speak to one of our associates.

What is CV-blind interviewing?
It means that on the assessment centre, you are assessed solely on your performance on the day. Interviewers will not know anything about you, other than your name. This includes which university or school you attended, or the subject of your degree. The written exercise will be marked anonymously by someone who is not involved with the interviews.

Will you reimburse my expenses for travelling to an assessment centre?
Yes, we will send you details of reimbursement claims once you’ve been invited.

Vacation Schemes

What are the dates of your spring and summer schemes?
Our vacation schemes will be held from 12 to 23 April and 21 June to 2 July 2021. We offer places on both schemes to penultimate year Law undergraduates, all final year undergraduates (both Law and non-Law), all graduates, post-graduates and career changers.

How much will I be paid on the vacation scheme?
You will be paid £500 per week. We can provide additional funds if there is a financial need.

Do you offer any other work experience, other than the vacation schemes?
We run informal work experience to those in Years 12 or 13. Please see here for details.

The training contract

Do you pay for the LPC and/or GDL?
Yes, if you accept an offer of a training contact with us, we will pay for your course fees in full and provide a maintenance grant of £10,000 per annum (pro-rated).

Do you have a preferred LPC or GDL provider?
We do not have a preferred provider at this time.

What is your position on the SQE?
We will be reviewing all options over the next 12 months and will communicate our position once decided.

How many trainees are in each intake? When do they start?
We take up to five trainees each year and our trainees will start in August/September.

Can I contact the graduate recruitment team?
Yes, please email Gemma, our graduate recruitment manager, at graduaterecruitment@willkie.com.

Will I be able to go on secondment to client or to another Willkie office?
We hope to be able to second our trainees to one of our offices, this will be confirmed in 2021.

Can I get involved with pro bono work?
Yes, absolutely! There are many ways to get involved, please see our brochure for more details.