Hong Kong A career in law www.allenovery.com/careers Allen & Overy is an international legal practice with approximately 5,300 staff, including some 516 partners, working in 47 major centres worldwide. Allen & Overy LLP or an affiliated undertaking has offices in each of these locations: Europe Asia Pacific Bangkok Beijing Hanoi Ho Chi Minh City Hong Kong Jakarta (associated office) Perth Seoul Shanghai Singapore Sydney Tokyo Yangon Abu Dhabi Doha Dubai Riyadh (associated office) The Americas New York São Paulo Toronto Washington D.C. Africa Casablanca Johannesburg Allen & Overy means Allen & Overy LLP and/or its affiliated undertakings. The term partner is used to refer to a member of Allen & Overy LLP or an employee or consultant with equivalent standing and qualifications or an individual with equivalent status in one of Allen & Overy LLP s affiliated undertakings. Allen & Overy LLP 2015 This brochure has been printed with vegetable-based inks on paper which uses wood pulp from sustainable, managed, commercial forests. Certified environmental management system ISO 14001. Start at the top Middle East www.allenovery.com/careers Amsterdam Antwerp Barcelona Belfast Bratislava Brussels Bucharest (associated office) Budapest Düsseldorf Frankfurt Hamburg Istanbul London Luxembourg Madrid Milan Moscow Munich Paris Prague Rome Warsaw A career in law
Welcome These are exciting times to be starting out on a legal career in Hong Kong. The relentless rise of China as a global economic power, the dynamism of the Asia Pacific region and the continuing expansion of what we used to call emerging markets mean that joining Allen & Overy as a trainee will put you at the centre of global business events. But joining us means so much more. It means working in a culture with a relentless commitment to excellence both in what we deliver to our clients, and also in the way we train, develop and nurture our people. It also means joining a team of exceptional people inspiring and interesting individuals who combine their expertise and energ y to deliver exceptional solutions for our clients. This brochure will help you to understand what we do and who we are. As you read it, ask yourself if we seem like the kind of people you would like to work with. In the end, it is all about the people.
Meet the team Roger Lui Jae Hee Suh Partner, Banking / Graduate Recruitment Partner Hong Kong 2015 Qualifying Trainee, qualifying into International Arbitration BA, The University of Sydney and BA & MA, Jurisprudence, University of Oxford BA Jurisprudence, University of Oxford I ve always been impressed by the firm s open-mindedness and its willingness to embrace change, to innovate and do things for the first time. When I joined the firm in London on a summer internship I asked to go to Beijing. At the time no one had ever done that but the partners supported me and off I went. It was made clear that, provided I was good enough, I could work anywhere I wanted within the firm s network and that s exactly how it s turned out. I think training with A&O in Hong Kong gives you the best of both worlds; it s incredibly international I ve yet to work on a transaction that didn t involve at least two jurisdictions and two languages but it s also a smaller office so it has a very personal feel. We re all on first name terms, including with the partners, and they make time to hear your ideas, whether that s in a meeting or over a drink or a coffee. This is a firm of very talented people and our drive towards excellence is relentless, but there s no room for grandstanding or ego. Being technically good is taken as read by our clients. What they are looking for is commercial awareness and a capacity to understand their business and their concerns. Here in Hong Kong, we are part of a dynamic region. We have at our doorstep a very large economy in China and it s constantly changing so you also have to be able to adapt and innovate, to move first and act fast. I ve always been impressed by the firm s open-mindedness and its willingness to embrace change. It s important to be curious and interested in exploring new ideas. Many of the deals we do are firsts so there s no roadmap to follow. You also need to be alive to and be interested in the cultural nuances of dealing with clients and colleagues in different countries. Such awareness and interest in cultural differences is becoming more and more important.
Jimmy Jin Sheila Ahuja 2015 Qualifying Trainee, qualifying into Corporate Department Consultant, International Arbitration BA Law and Commerce, University of Melbourne The four-seat program is hugely valuable in giving you a broad view of the work the firm does. I ve worked in Banking and Corporate, I m now in Litigation and I ll finish my training in London in the International Capital Markets practice. Increasingly transactions are not just multi-jurisdictional but also cross-practice so you really need that broad understanding and the firm ensures that you get it. At the same time, everyone here puts a lot of effort into creating a collegiate environment where trainees and interns feel included and valued. Herman Chan Summer Internship Student, Trainee 2016 BA Business Administration and Law, University of Hong Kong Even as a summer intern, you get such broad exposure to the business by working in two practice areas. Everyone, right up to the partners, takes an interest in your development and I was impressed with how I was expected to ask questions and contribute to meetings. The firm s looking for people who are internationally minded and commercial. A lot of it is about being able to understand issues from the clients perspective so you have to be someone who can reach out and build relationships. LLB, University of London, and MA/Law, University of Cambridge The firm invests a great deal in training and there s a very strong commitment from its senior members to help trainees and young associates to understand both how to behave and how to improve; it s a genuine learning culture. In many ways the firm is more akin to a very cosmopolitan family of experts than a business the standards are very high but so is the support. Alongside that training and support is the quality and nature of the work we handle. I ve never worked on a case that involved just one of our offices and recently I was on a very high-profile commercial dispute that covered London, India, Singapore and Hong Kong. That inter-office, cross-practice capability is increasingly important and it s one of the features that set Allen & Overy apart. The standards are very high but so is the support.
A lawyer for tomorrow Being a lawyer at Allen & Overy means advising clients on the most significant matters affecting their business. Doing it well means delivering not only technically excellent but also commercially astute advice. Increasingly clients demand better value, even greater expertise and lower costs, while the challenges they face are growing more complex and international. So, with the legal landscape changing, as lawyers we must also evolve. Adapting to clients We require lawyers who can deal with the increasing complexity of the issues that our clients face and who can also adapt their skills to different situations. For example, advising a Chinese client on an M&A transaction in the telecoms sector in Europe requires a different approach to a Southeast Asian client investing in an Australian mining company. The ability to switch seamlessly between different transaction types and client cultures is vital. Expanding horizons Globalisation and the rapid emergence of new and powerful markets mean that commercial law is an increasingly international business. At Allen & Overy, a very large proportion of our work now involves more than two offices and in our Hong Kong office, cross-border working is an everyday fact of life. In response to the international nature of most transactions we have developed a network of 47 offices in 31 countries around the world, ensuring that clients get the Allen & Overy quality hallmark wherever they need it. International travel is now commonplace and the mobility of our people whether working on a deal or on an international secondment has become increasingly important. All of our trainees spend time in another office during their training contract and having an international mindset has become an essential part of the job. Lawyers with personality Finally, we are, and always will be, a firm that puts our clients first. Our success stems from the way we help clients to achieve their strategic objectives, not just as lawyers but as trusted advisers. Underpinning all of this is personality. Allen & Overy is a collection of interesting, and interested, people who are alert and alive to opportunities to help our clients and who are excited by building these new relationships. These are the qualities we are looking for in the Allen & Overy lawyers of tomorrow.
A lawyer for tomorrow The team s perspective Lawyers have to be curious. The deals we work on are often marketleading and groundbreaking. We re doing things that have never been done before, so we need lawyers who are comfortable with being out in front of the curve. Jae Hee At Allen & Overy, we look for trainees with technical excellence and intellectual curiosity. This was very much the case when I joined the firm as a trainee and still remains to be the case, but today the role of the lawyer has evolved there s a much stronger focus on business and commercial sense and on being able to collaborate within a multi-disciplinary and multi-jurisdictional team. Today, virtually every piece of work we handle is won through relationship building and competitive pitching. So, in recruiting trainees, we are looking for evidence of entrepreneurial drive, innovative thinking, resilience and empathy our clients want to know that we really understand their concerns. Roger You have to be able to adapt to people from different backgrounds and cultures both clients and colleagues. So, while languages are important, it s also about being culturally sensitive. Jimmy Law will always be about understanding and managing information but, with so much information available, increasingly that means lawyers have to be technology literate. Jimmy These days, technical knowledge and solid academics are just the beginning. Lawyers need to be able to work in cross-practice, multi-office teams; they need to be able to adapt and to thrive on change. For new candidates, that means bringing your personality into the application and interview. Sheila Law is increasingly about developing and maintaining relationships it s a business, and lawyers have to be commercial in their outlook, both for clients and also for the firm. Herman
Pioneers Experts Allen & Overy has a track record of being an innovator and a first mover, pioneering new approaches and extending into new markets ahead of the crowd. Our people find it natural to challenge convention, to look beyond what s been done before and to focus on identifying new ways to help our clients and we encourage this. Always evolving, always advancing and always looking for new opportunities, we are lawyers on the front foot. From advising international businesses on groundbreaking deals, to working with governments and using innovative new financing structures, expertise goes beyond knowledge. It s about understanding our clients businesses and their objectives, seeing things from their perspective, delivering commercially valuable insight and using this to drive results for our clients. In the Financial Times Innovative Lawyers report for 2014, RSG Consulting Managing Director Reena SenGupta writes: Allen & Overy holds the number one slot in the overall rankings because of their ability to empower individuals and think, not like a law firm, but like innovators and game changers. Being able to do this in the legal market is not easy, but their efforts to embed innovation to their strateg y and culture are certainly paying off. Advanced thinking We have crystallised our global strateg y into a simple but bold ambition to be at the forefront of change, setting precedents, not only for legal markets but also for our clients and our people. With 13 offices across Asia Pacific, as well as thriving businesses in other Asian centres, we are adapting to a rapidly altering, more competitive landscape. Our regional strateg y has put us at both the source and the destination of capital, as well as in the financial centres through which it passes, enabling us to combine global reach with the expertise of a deeply-rooted local law firm. For aspiring lawyers thinking about joining Allen & Overy, that means just one thing opportunity.
A lawyer for tomorrow Stats, figures and awards Allen & Overy has created a global law community that covers 99% of the world s economy, combining the strengths of our international, integrated firm with an extensive network of relationship firms in jurisdictions where we are not located. 19% increase in number of offices since 2010. 69% of our work involves two or more jurisdictions, 47% involves three or more, 26% involves five or more. Law Firm of the Year: Derivatives and Structured Finance (DSF) team, Structured Retail Products Awards, 2014 Law Firm of the Year, IFLR Asia Awards 2014 International Team of the Year Banking & Finance, China Law & Practice Awards, 2015 In the last year we worked for 80% of Forbes top 100 public companies. Quotes from clients and commentators The firm has won many awards and accolades in relation to our client work, human resources and innovation. Here is how we have been described by clients and commentators in the legal press: The A&O team are outstanding, extraordinary, exceptional, dedicated and timely. Client quote from Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2014 They have been of the absolute highest quality, right through partner to junior associate. Client quote from Chambers Asia Pacific 2013 They re brilliant the quality of service, speed of service, any time of the day or night and very sound commercial advice, not just legal. Client quote from Chambers Asia Pacific 2013 Not only does A&O have the depth and breadth in its China practice, but it also provides world-class legal support in China, with consistent quality and professionalism across the board. Chambers Asia Pacific 2014 Professional, efficient, rigorous and constructive Chambers Asia Pacific 2014 1st large international firm to open offices in Dubai, Africa and Australia. M&A Team of the Year, IFLR Asia Awards 2014. Most innovative international strategy - Asia Pacific Financial Times Innovative Lawyers Awards 2015 They strike a good balance between providing legal support, explaining particular legalities, and being able to apply these pure legal issues to real business. Chambers Asia Pacific 2012
Culture At Allen & Overy, we believe in the fundamental importance of collaboration and teamwork, of giving lawyers and trainees tasks that will challenge and stretch them, and then supporting them to advance their careers. We have developed a culture of learning, where lawyers from partner to new associate are committed to helping trainees and interns to understand not just what needs to be done, but why it is important. We believe that our people perform best when they are given the very best resources and facilities, opportunities and encouragement to explore their full potential. We believe that teams perform best when they focus on performance rather than hierarchies, and where they are comfortable socialising together as well as working together. 36,266 hours spent annually on pro bono and community investment work by our lawyers globally. Community matters to us As a firm of high-achieving individuals we have a strong sense of both our capacity and our responsibility to effect positive change where we can, and we strongly encourage our graduate trainees to get involved across the full range of our pro bono and corporate social responsibility activities. We see these activities as an important part of who we are and an expression of the values on which we build our business. We support a wide variety of community projects and schemes in Hong Kong, Greater China and other jurisdictions we work in. In the past 12 months we have actively supported over 20 charitable groups in their work for the disadvantaged, elderly and children. We act as pro bono lawyers for Community Business Limited, part of the largest corporate social responsibility organisation in the world. An example of the type of pro bono projects we are involved in include Allen & Overy Hong Kong s partnership with International Care Ministries (ICM). In May 2014 a team of 18 A&O staff, family and friends along with ICM visited the Allen & Overy Kindergarten in the Philippines. They met the graduates of last year s class and incoming students. Their challenge for the weekend was to construct three comfort rooms for the community living within walking distance of the kindergarten. It was a privilege to see how A&O s partnership with ICM is making such a difference to so many lives in the Philippines. You can find out more about careers with Allen & Overy in Hong Kong and read the stories of more of our people on our website.
Supporting clients Allen & Overy in Hong Kong is structured around five practice areas specialising in different aspects of international business. As a trainee in Hong Kong, you will gain experience in at least four to five practice areas, including spending your training rotations, or seats, in our core business areas of Banking, Corporate, International Capital Markets, Litigation & Arbitration and Regulatory. Lawyers and trainees work together across practice areas to develop solutions for our clients so, even when you qualify and specialise, it is important to have a broad appreciation of the work of the firm. Corporate and M&A Banking and Finance International Capital Markets Litigation & Arbitration Regulatory The Greater China corporate practice advises not only large multi-national corporates and banks but also emerging clients such as Asian banks and state and privately owned enterprises helping them to buy or sell assets and companies, to raise funding or borrow through the financial markets, or to expand into new markets around the world. The Banking practice works at the heart of the world s financial markets, supporting corporates and financial institutions on a full range of domestic and cross-border financing transactions. A substantial part of the practice s work involves structuring, drafting and negotiating finance documents, advising on regulatory and other issues, and general transaction management. The International Capital Markets (ICM) practice has been instrumental in nearly all the major developments in the modern financial markets. ICM advises issuers organisations that are issuing debt and which are promising to repay it or, in the case of securitisation, the organisations whose assets are backing the debt. It also acts for parties arranging or underwriting debt, for those that are arranging the distribution of the product or providing services to transactions, such as trustees. ICM also houses one of the region s premier derivatives and structured finance practices, where we provide advisory (including regulatory advisory) services and act as transaction counsel on derivatives and structured finance transactions. The Litigation & Arbitration (Dispute Resolution) practice provides specialist advice and representation to clients around the world on litigation, arbitration and regulatory investigations, as well as on risk management. We have one of the foremost international dispute resolution practices in the world. Our Hong Kong disputes team advises corporates, financial institutions and governments on numerous high-value and high profile international and domestic disputes. We adopt a positive and practical approach to resolving disputes to ensure that we focus on our clients commercial concerns and political objectives, while ensuring that their interests and reputations are protected. The international financial markets are facing huge evolutionary change and challenges since the Global Financial Crisis (GFC), and the major legal, regulatory and political developments that have followed in its wake. Our regulatory teams in Asia Pacific, the U.S, the UK and Continental Europe work closely together to handle cross-border issues and projects in an integrated way that supports our clients international requirements. As a trainee in Corporate you ll tackle tasks such as writing memos on legal issues, drafting agreements, due diligence, managing the data room on transactions, communicating directly with clients and attending conference calls and meetings. Jimmy Banking trainees are responsible for collecting and, in some cases, preparing some of the critical documents lenders need before they will lend we call them conditions precedent. In cross-border transactions, this often involves co-ordinating with lawyers in several jurisdictions to bring all of the required documents together. Roger Lawyers in ICM focus on documentation and structuring looking at how a financial instrument can be constructed to suit both the client s goals and the legal and regulatory requirements of the relevant jurisdiction. Jae Hee Trainees in Litigation & Arbitration help to draft pleadings or requests for arbitration, and prepare evidence to be filed and served on the other side. You can also expect to attend court for applications, for example for freezing orders, and to attend meetings with clients and interview witnesses often in other jurisdictions. Sheila Almost everything that we do has a cross-border dimension so understanding and navigating the regulatory requirements across multiple jurisdictions has become a core part of our offer. That means that trainees can look forward to international exposure from the outset. Roger
Your route to qualification in Hong Kong 20-24 places available each year on our Vacation Schemes. At Allen & Overy, we are a lot more interested in what kind of lawyer you can become than what you have studied at university. We recruit from a wide variety of campuses and graduates who have taken different paths to come into the law. This diversity of background and skills is vital for our business as the role of a lawyer evolves and our clients needs become ever more sophisticated. A&O First - Hong Kong Open Days Events provide opportunities to visit our offices in Hong Kong, to meet our people and to network with our Graduate Recruitment Partners, Graduate Recruitment team and Trainee Solicitors. A&O First - Hong Kong Events including recruitment talks and information sessions for first and junior year law students or final year non-law students. (September in Hong Kong, February and November in UK and March in Australia) I m a non-law student Summer Vacation Placement Schemes A four week work placement with us in either June or July. I m a law student Undergraduate Student Training Contract Application We are keen on selecting our trainees from the Summer Vacation Scheme students each year and offering them a Training Contract two years in advance. Qualify as a solicitor Qualify as a solicitor Trainee Law School Non-law student requirements For non-law students, you are required to attain a law degree or law compliance recognition qualification, such as the Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) in the UK, Common Professional Examination (CPE) in Hong Kong or further studies for a Juris Doctor (JD) in Hong Kong or Australia or a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) in Hong Kong, Australia or the UK (common law/ commonwealth jurisdictions). Postgraduate Certificate in Laws (PCLL) Conversion Examination For non-hong Kong law students, you have to fulfil the pre-requisite entry requirement of passing the PCLL conversion examination. Postgraduate Certificate in Laws (PCLL) You must complete the PCLL course at one of the university providers in Hong Kong, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, The City University of Hong Kong or The University of Hong Kong. Two Year Training Contract Divided into structured training placements (called seats ) and usually, involving one seat on a six month secondment to our London flagship office. Experience us first hand There s a lot to think about so we encourage you to do as much research, and talk to as many people, as you can and seize any opportunities to gain first-hand experience of the firm and our work. At Allen & Overy, we provide a number of different programmes and opportunities for you to gain some of this experience. Through A&O First - Hong Kong (recruitment talk/ information session for our official Summer Vacation Schemes) our annual campaign for law students from all years, you can explore the role of a lawyer and develop your sense of the firm. A&O First - Hong Kong involves a number of information sessions, we attend law fairs in Hong Kong, the UK (London, Nottingham, Durham, Warwick, Oxford and Cambridge) and Australia (Canberra, Melbourne and Sydney). We also join other events organised by university careers services, law faculties and student societies throughout the academic year. These events offer a great opportunity to get a feel for the type of firm we are, the work we do and the people who have already joined us. Meeting us early and in person is also a good way to get your questions answered and gain insights into our culture and values. Visit our website at www.allenovery.com/careers (look for Hong Kong ) to keep up-to-date with our application schedule, case study events and the deadlines for students in Hong Kong, UK, and Australia and New Zealand. The website will give you all the information you need ahead of making your application or attending the case study interview (this is our selection process for summer students to join the Hong Kong office for the Summer Vacation Scheme). Summer Vacation Placement Schemes Our Summer Vacation Placement Schemes, held in June and July, are the best possible way to get to know us better and experience first-hand our culture and work. During the scheme you will share an office with a senior fee earner and gain practical hands-on experience in two of our core practice areas. You will work alongside partners, associates and trainees on real deals and active cases, and attend conference calls and client and departmental meetings. This allows you to fully explore your future role as a lawyer and it also gives you a complete sense of the working practice at Allen & Overy. In addition to your legal work, you will attend workshops and presentations aimed at broadening your understanding of our business and helping you to develop some of the skills you will need to be a successful commercial lawyer. You will also work with fellow vacation scheme students on a project designed to sharpen your research skills, and expose you to our practice areas and our global and local know-how database. Finally, you will complete an individual technical exercise that will give you an insight into the day-to-day roles and responsibilities of a trainee at Allen & Overy. But it s not all work. Our Summer Vacation Placement Schemes feature numerous opportunities to meet and socialise with other Allen & Overy people both in the office and outside helping you to broaden your knowledge and extend your contacts around the firm. Just as a vacation placement is a good way to get to know us, it is also a good way for us to get to know you. We gather feedback on all our students from their trainers at the end of each rotation and you will have a training contract interview at the end of your placement. Most of our Summer Vacation Placement Scheme students go on to secure a training contract offer and subsequently join the firm. As a Summer Vacation Placement Scheme student, you will receive HK$10,000 for the four weeks and benefit from full access to all of our in-house facilities and training resources during your placement. The selection process Our four-week Summer Vacation Placement Scheme is aimed at penultimate or final year law undergraduates or final year non-law undergraduates. There are two placement periods, June and July with a total of 20-24 places available. Applications must be made online at www.allenovery.com/careers (search Hong Kong ) If your initial application is successful you will be invited to attend a case study interview with our graduate recruitment partner in Hong Kong, London, Melbourne and Sydney. You can apply for our Summer Vacation Placement Scheme from mid-september to early March, although we recommend early application to avoid disappointment. Please check our website for closing dates and be aware that there are different deadlines for Hong Kong, Australia and UK-based students and different timetables for the case-study interviews to be held in these locations.
Your route to qualification in Hong Kong What we offer Your A&O training contract We take your training very seriously at Allen & Overy. When you join us, you may have some idea of where you want to specialise, but we believe it is important to give you as broad an exposure to our business as possible. We also think it is important that what you do is real, practical and substantive. So as a trainee here you will be performing important tasks and taking on meaningful responsibility, with as much client time as possible. The standards and expectations are high but you will be well supported by professionals who recognise that it is people like you who represent the future success of our firm. Your A&O training contract will usually be based on four six-month rotations known in the legal profession as seats. You will sit with a supervisor a Partner, Consultant or Senior Associate and actively contribute to the day-to-day operation of your department, working on transactions and cases, taking real responsibility and gaining plenty of client exposure. You will spend your A&O training contract in four to five of our core practice areas Banking, Corporate, International Capital Markets, Litigation & Arbitration and Regulatory. Shortly after you start your A&O training contract, we will ask you which practice areas you would prefer to do seats in and will endeavour to meets your preferences, though there can be no guarantees. One of your seats will take the form of a six-month secondment to our London Office where you will have the chance to meet Allen & Overy lawyers from all of the London practice areas and other international secondees. This London seat will help you to develop a broader perspective on the work of a lawyer and prepare you for life as a qualified solicitor. Currently, 100% of our trainees take advantage of these opportunities. Typically, London secondments take place in the penultimate or final seat. Before each seat, you will have to undertake department-specific training to ensure that you are able to make the most of your time there. In addition to your seat-based learning, you will also undertake our Know How and Professional Skills Training supported by the professional support lawyer of each department. This aims to build on the foundations you have established during the Postgraduate Certificate in Laws, and to develop your ability to contribute to the teams you work with during your A&O Hong Kong training contract. As you go through your A&O Hong Kong training contract and gain experience, you will take on greater responsibility. Your professional development is a priority for us. You will receive training and support in a variety of ways, including mentoring from your supervisor and through department-specific courses. There is a good balance between support and supervision and being allowed to work independently, and you will find that people throughout the firm are committed to helping you to develop. We want you to succeed and build a long-term career with Allen & Overy and our retention rates on qualification reflect this; in both 2013 and 2014, we retained 90% of our trainees. Life as a trainee Joining the firm as a trainee, you will have an important role to play and the tasks you handle will not only add significant value to our clients but will also help you to place the legal advice we give in a commercial context. You may, for example, be asked to set up the companies required for a transaction structure, to liaise with other offices advising on a deal or to write the first draft of transaction documents. In addition, there is always research to be carried out to support the work of the team and the opportunity to contribute to pro bono activities, mentor students and support graduate recruitment events. Beyond work, you will enjoy many opportunities to socialise with colleagues and peers including dragon boat racing, the office Christmas party, which you will assist in organising, including arranging the entertainment, and inter-firm events. During your training contract you will have a supervisor a Partner or Senior Associate who will always be willing to answer your questions so that you have everything you need to contribute in a meaningful way. But, at the same time, your supervisor will set high standards and expect you to exceed them. They will recognise your successes and highlight where you can improve. In return, you will enjoy the best possible legal and business grounding; support and encouragement to excel and pursue your ideas and fulfil your potential within a culture and environment that is truly unique. Our package of rewards and benefits will provide you with a range of financial benefits, facilities and services to help you develop a truly satisfying career, maximise your ability to support your clients, and enjoy a lifestyle that is as balanced as possible. Cash rewards and savings Current salary for first-year trainees HK$528,000 (HK$44,000 per month) plus discretionary bonus for trainees, totalling approximately HK$48,000 per month Current salary for second-year trainees HK$552,000 (HK$46,000 per month) plus discretionary bonus for trainees, totalling approximately HK$50,000 per month Health & wellbeing Financial assistance for the Postgraduate Certificate in Laws (PCLL) Mandatory Provident Fund Scheme a pension scheme Group medical insurance Group life insurance Permanent health insurance Personal accident insurance Business travel insurance for trainees on secondment to London Time out 22 days annual leave per year of training contract Birthday leave Six weeks of unpaid qualification leave Taxation Rental reimbursement scheme
Your route to qualification Your route to qualification in Hong Kong What we look for Competition for training contracts and vacation schemes can be intense but the key is extensive research before you apply. The online application form is your first opportunity to stand out, so make the most of it with thorough preparation, good examples that demonstrate the skills we are looking for and, above all, close attention to detail. The same preparation should also go into your interview use the opportunity to showcase your potential to be a great lawyer. Our requirements There is no such thing as a typical Allen & Overy candidate. We are open-minded and are interested in people who share that quality. Naturally, we are looking for individuals who can demonstrate strong academic performance we expect you to be heading towards an overall A*/A at O level, overall A*/A level at HKDSE or HKCEE or overall A/B level at HKALE, an equivalent of your high/secondary school education and at least a 2.1 (or equivalent) in any degree discipline. Beyond this, we want to see evidence of teamwork, motivation and drive, communication skills, planning and organisation, critical thinking, commercial awareness and commitment, both to a career in law and to a career with Allen & Overy. We mean it when we say that your university and degree subject do not matter we have trainees come from non-law backgrounds and we do not have preferred universities. your fellow trainees and future colleagues on the PCLL course and begin building your networks through social events organised by our social committee and the graduate recruitment team ahead of joining the firm. Financial assistance/stipend for PCLL maintenance grant HK$60,000 The PCLL providers we recognise are The University of Hong Kong, City University of Hong Kong and The Chinese University of Hong Kong. Candidates studying for the PCLL will receive an annual maintenance grant of HK$50,000 plus a further HK$10,000 to cover the PCLL conversion examinations and exemption fees. We will also cover your PCLL tuition fee in full for full-time one-year PCLL courses. We require all our future trainess to apply for the UGC funded (Government funded) PCLL space. If you accept our offer of an A&O training contract, we will provide financial support during your PCLL studies, and pay your tuition fees. HK$6,000 cash award Future trainees who achieve a first-class LLB degree and/or an overall distinction of the PCLL will receive a cash award of HK$6,000 for each. Law school We require all non-law candidates who have accepted an A&O training contract prior to starting law school to gain a Juris Doctor degree from Hong Kong or Australia, or study the Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) at one of the BPP Centres in the UK or to pursue a further degree in Law in Hong Kong, the UK or Australia. All future trainees both law and non-law have to take the Postgraduate Certificate in Laws (PCLL) in Hong Kong with either the University of Hong Kong, City University of Hong Kong or the Chinese University of Hong Kong. You will meet many of Westminster Bridge, London
Your route to qualification in Hong Kong Your route to qualification At Allen & Overy we never stop learning. We help you to be the best, to give the best to our clients. We are proud of be a part of A&O Graduate recruitment team, Allen & Overy, Hong Kong Key dates, contact us Recruitment talk / information sessions / law fairs Invitation flyers will be despatched to students through the careers offices of universities and/or the students societies or associations and via our student representatives, such as our future trainees in their final years of study and/or our future trainees reading the PCLL in Hong Kong. Overseas law students are also welcome to attend if they are in Hong Kong. Registration for attendance is by phone; details will be posted on the flyers when making the broadcasting. We currently run the following information sessions each year: Hong Kong two sessions in September, and the Hong Kong Law Fair in November UK (Durham, Warwick, Nottingham, London, Oxford and Cambridge) seven sessions in November and the Hong Kong Law Fairs in London, Oxford and Cambridge also in November Australia six sessions in March/April and the Hong Kong Law Fairs in March/April in Melbourne and Sydney UK (London) one session in February. How to apply The application window will re-open each year when the new academic year starts, from mid-september to early March. Case study interviews will take place in January each year in Hong Kong and in February in the UK, and in March in Australia. You must submit your application online via our website. Your resume and other information can be attached to your online application. Case study interviews in Australia will take place during the time of the law fairs in Melbourne and Sydney, which usually run from mid-march to end-march/ early April each year. www.allenovery.com/careers (search Hong Kong ) Please check our website for any updated or revised information or schedules. Training contract We prefer to, and typically do, offer our training contracts to a selection of those who have completed our Summer Vacation Placement Scheme or have attended the case study interview. Details of any training contract vacancies will be posted on our website, usually in August, after completion of the Summer Vacation Placement Schemes in June and July. Get in touch Allen & Overy, Hong Kong 9th Floor, Three Exchange Square Central, Hong Kong T: +852 2974 7000 F: +852 2974 6999 E: HK_graduate_recruitment@allenovery.com W: www.allenovery.com/careers (look for Hong Kong )
Hong Kong A career in law www.allenovery.com/careers Allen & Overy is an international legal practice with approximately 5,300 staff, including some 516 partners, working in 47 major centres worldwide. Allen & Overy LLP or an affiliated undertaking has offices in each of these locations: Europe Asia Pacific Bangkok Beijing Hanoi Ho Chi Minh City Hong Kong Jakarta (associated office) Perth Seoul Shanghai Singapore Sydney Tokyo Yangon Abu Dhabi Doha Dubai Riyadh (associated office) The Americas New York São Paulo Toronto Washington D.C. Africa Casablanca Johannesburg Allen & Overy means Allen & Overy LLP and/or its affiliated undertakings. The term partner is used to refer to a member of Allen & Overy LLP or an employee or consultant with equivalent standing and qualifications or an individual with equivalent status in one of Allen & Overy LLP s affiliated undertakings. Allen & Overy LLP 2015 This brochure has been printed with vegetable-based inks on paper which uses wood pulp from sustainable, managed, commercial forests. Certified environmental management system ISO 14001. Start at the top Middle East www.allenovery.com/careers Amsterdam Antwerp Barcelona Belfast Bratislava Brussels Bucharest (associated office) Budapest Düsseldorf Frankfurt Hamburg Istanbul London Luxembourg Madrid Milan Moscow Munich Paris Prague Rome Warsaw A career in law