TRAINEES IN LONDON EACH YEAR PARTNERS WORLDWIDE OFFICES WORLDWIDE 1800 LAWYERS WORLDWIDE. Jason Richardson Partner

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2 10 TRAINEES IN LONDON EACH YEAR 695 PARTNERS WORLDWIDE 18 OFFICES WORLDWIDE 1800 LAWYERS WORLDWIDE We operate in a supportive environment and people here are very approachable. That s very much the Sidley way. Jason Richardson Partner

3 We are Sidley Sidley is a premier law firm with a practice highly attuned to the ever-changing international landscape. The firm has built a reputation for being a powerful legal adviser for global businesses, with more than 1,800 lawyers in 18 offices worldwide. Sidley maintains a commitment to providing quality legal services and to offering advice in litigation, transactional and regulatory matters spanning virtually every area of law. The firm s lawyers have wide-reaching legal backgrounds and are dedicated to teamwork, collaboration and superior client service. In London we have approximately 110 lawyers, including 39 partners. As a trainee you experience the international side not by constantly travelling but by working on multi-jurisdictional matters and with people from all around the world. We have a reputation for working on innovative, complex transactions, which helps to make life here all the more interesting and challenging. Culturally, we are very open, friendly and down to earth. Our main practice areas are: Corporate Competition Corporate Reorganisation & Bankruptcy Debt & Equity Capital Markets Debt Finance, including Structured Finance, Debt Restructuring, and Derivatives Employment Financial Services Regulatory Hedge Funds Insurance IP/IT Litigation Real Estate & Real Estate Finance Tax

4 One of the We offer the best of both worlds; the clients and work of one of the largest international law firms and the relaxed down to earth friendliness of a smaller office. A world of high quality work on a par with magic circle firms. A world where you can learn and develop in a genuinely enjoyable environment. An energetic, meritocratic and supportive world. A world of opportunities for you to get involved and make your mark from trainee right through to partner. Sidley is recognised for service and responsiveness. BTI, a U.S. based research and consulting firm, has named Sidley as one of only three firms to make the top ten of the BTI Client Service rankings every year since the rankings inception in We have also been widely recognised for our pro bono and diversity programmes. In London, Sidley was ranked 1st among international firms according to research carried out by BSN for its Diversity League Table. In recognition of our firmwide diversity initiatives, Euromoney awarded Sidley the title of Best International Firm for Diversity and Best International Firm for work-life balance Best Law Firm for Graduates Sidley was named the best law firm to work for as a graduate, according to research conducted by the employment review website The Job Crowd.

5 We are looking for a few outstanding trainees Each year we recruit around 10 trainees We re looking for people who are bright, with outstanding academic qualifications. You ll need to have a minimum of three A-levels (at least two A grades and one B), and to have (or be expected to achieve) at least a 2.1 degree or equivalent (not necessarily in law). Beyond pure academic ability, we re looking for people who are genuinely intrigued by the commercial world, and the world of finance in particular. People who are sociable, who can work well with others and get on well with clients. People who have demonstrated self-discipline, the ability to persevere and use their initiative. Our work is complex. So it helps if you are genuinely curious about how, for example, a deal works. If you can focus, analyse things and ask the right questions, you ll be in a strong position.

6 Tom Caster Trainee Solicitor Politics, Nottingham University I decided to convert to law after spending a few years working in marketing and investor relations for an FTSE 250 company after university. Having developed an interest in the world of finance as a university student watching the global financial meltdown in 2008, Sidley was an obvious choice of firm to apply to in order to get involved with, and learn more about, finance. I subsequently completed a vacation scheme with Sidley, which surpassed all my expectations. Not only was I given real work to do by my supervisors, the firm also arranged talks from all of the different departments to explain their line of work, as well as representatives from the firm s pro bono and diversity initiatives. There were also numerous social events which meant I could meet current trainees and associates in a more informal environment. The scheme gave me a fantastic insight into what it would be like to work as a trainee at Sidley and exposed me to the firm s collegial atmosphere. To top it all, I found everyone I met to be friendly, down to earth and helpful. I had my training contract interview at the end of the vacation scheme. I felt like the partners interviewing me were interested in my CV and gave me opportunities to impress them. It was nice to have a relaxed conversation rather than be subjected to the intense grilling that some other firms prefer! Ultimately I had an easy choice to make once I was offered a training contract by Sidley. I knew from what I had seen of the firm that training at Sidley will challenge me like nothing I have ever done before. At the same time, I knew that it will also serve to develop the best of my energy and skills and provide me with the best possible launch pad to achieve my career goals.

7 Raashi Jain Trainee Solicitor Law and Business, Warwick University So far I have completed seats in Insurance, followed by Corporate and Securities and I am now in my third seat in Corporate Reorganisation and Bankruptcy. Each seat has offered me something different but have all been interesting and challenging. Each department took the time to ensure I understood the bigger picture of matters on which I was working. This was really valuable and meant I could get actively involved as quickly as possible and feel like I was making a real contribution. My responsibilities have varied from completing due diligence and drafting a report of my findings to drafting board minutes and powers of attorney. Every day has been different but what really stands out for me was my Corporate seat. I was given a lot of responsibility on a deal which involved our client buying another company and its subsidiaries to expand its own operations. Not only was I tasked with drafting various documents but I was also in charge of the completion agenda, meaning I had to be on top of all the documents we were preparing, as well as know what opposing counsel was responsible for, what stage their documents were at and what else we required from them. It was initially daunting but a fantastic learning experience and being present at a successful closing meeting, knowing I had played such a key role, was truly rewarding.

8 Hannah Crawford Trainee Solicitor Law, Cambridge University Gonville and Caius College I chose to apply to Sidley because of its small trainee intake which, I considered, would make for a personalised and individual training experience. I m pleased that this has been the case. My training commenced with an intensive week long induction programme which introduced me to the work of the firm and also the support that is available in various forms, from the HR team to secretaries and IT. I share an office with my supervisor who monitors my workload and progression meaning that I am tasked with increasingly complex work as I become a more experienced trainee. In addition to informal feedback as I complete various tasks, there is also a formal appraisal every three months. This is an invaluable opportunity to discuss what I may need to develop or focus on in the next three months and ensures that I build on my experience from seat to seat. In addition to this on-the-job training, Sidley trainees undertake a well developed formal training programme which covers both legal and non-legal topics. Most recently I attended a training session on legal writing which was aimed at trainees and associates. The session was held by a legal writing specialist and was incredibly useful. I have already incorporated some of the skills discussed into my drafting of documents and letters. Sidley invests a lot in training, not only for trainees but associates also. It s reassuring to know that when you qualify this formal aspect of your development does not stop.

9 Victor Aberg Newly Qualified Solicitor Law, Queen Mary University of London I joined Sidley due to the firm s reputation and small intake. Being a comparatively small London office has certain benefits in that a trainee is visible to everyone at the firm and known by the vast majority of partners and employees. The office has a definite open-door policy, everybody is approachable and the culture is very friendly. As a member of the firm s five-a-side football team and the Sidley choir, I regularly socialise with my colleagues outside of work. In addition to ad hoc events arranged by employees, the firm s Sports and Social Committee hosts some great events from parties and BBQs to wine tasting evenings and bowling. I have had the opportunity to travel for work several times during my training contract as well as being seconded to the Brussels office for six months for my Competition seat. I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Brussels and my overall training experience has been excellent. I have now qualified into the Corporate & Securities practice group after spending my second seat there where I worked on interesting deals and was given a significant level of responsibility. The prospect of working on similar deals sealed my decision to join the group.

10 Join us and you stand to gain a great deal... Our trainee solicitors currently receive an annual salary of 41,000 in their first year and 43,000 in their second. Our newly qualified associate salary is 75,000. As a trainee you will also benefit from an attractive and competitive total compensation package including: Twenty five days holiday per year Private medical insurance Pension Income protection insurance Life assurance Contribution to gym membership In-house gym Subsidised staff restaurant Season ticket loan Private GP service Regular Wellman/Wellwoman medicals Employee assistance programme GDL/LPC and financial assistance We offer financial assistance to our future trainee solicitors for the GDL (if applicable) and the fast-track LPC. We pay the course fees and provide an annual maintenance grant of currently 7,000. We expect both courses to be studied at BPP Law School. During your training You will have many opportunities to learn and develop during your training. You will get involved in real work from day one and gain experience of working for a number of people on different matters. We like to take a flexible approach driven by your ability and willingness to contribute and develop. As a result, you can get as much as you like out of a particular seat, depending on how much you invest in it. Continuing your career with us When you join us we d like it to be for the long term and we have an excellent track record of retaining trainees on qualification. Ideally, you will stay at Sidley once you ve qualified and continue developing with us all the way to partnership.

11 Like to apply? Training Contracts to commence in September 2017 The closing date for training contract applications is 31 July The selection process involves an interview with two partners and a critical reasoning test. Vacation Schemes 2015 We run two week vacation schemes in June and July each year. You will be paid 350 per week during the scheme The closing date for vacation scheme applications is 31 January Applications for both training contracts and vacations schemes should be completed online via If you have any questions please contact ukrecruitment@sidley.com

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