training contracts, vacation placements at pinsent …...2019/04/09 · we believe that success...

GRADUATEOPPORTUNITIESpinsentmasons.com/graduate#takethelaw

Careers with an international law firm

ContentsPage 1: Take the law into your own handsPage 2: Take a look at Pinsent Masons: Take five minutes to get to know us betterPage 4: Our key business sectorsPage 5: Our vision and valuesPage 8: We bring humanity to everything we doPage 9: What makes us different?Page 10: Taking recognition in our stridePage 12: We push the boundaries to make business work betterPage 13: Taking care of what matters mostPage 16: We do the right thing by our people, clients and communitiesPage 17: Vacation PlacementsPage 20: We work hard to find the spark that sets us apartPage 21: Training ContractsPage 24: As we grow, opportunities growPage 25: What are we looking for?Page 27: Making an applicationPage 28: Our selection processPage 29: Salaries and benefitsPage 31: Application deadlines

pinsentmasons.com/graduate

At Pinsent Masons, taking the law into your own hands is all about putting yourself forward, thinking commercially, seizing opportunities and responding to an ever-changing environment.

We’re the Legal Business Awards ‘Law Firm of the Year, 2019’. A global firm with more than 3,400 people in offices across four continents.Delivering innovative solutions and services to a diverse range of clients, primarily in our five global sectors, we advise on high-profile and cutting-edge national and international deals and disputes. We’re continually striving to be at the forefront of innovation in the legal marketplace.

We’re transforming our business from an expertise-based law firm into a modern, international professional services business with law at its core. At the same time, concentrating not just on what we do, but how we do it. We believe that success flows from doing business in the right way and for the right reasons.

But we cannot get there through ambition alone. We need colleagues who’ll share our vision and desire to be at the spearhead of a changing economic and commercial landscape. That’s why we’re looking for people with ideas and opinions; with confidence and intellectual curiosity who can form relationships, build networks and drive the success of the business.

We offer programmes and opportunities which enable you to get fully involved, make a significant contribution and shape your experience.

So, start thinking about what lies ahead. After all, it’s your career and it starts here.

Page 1 pinsentmasons.com/graduate

Take a look at Pinsent Masons“Our clients don’t have legal issues, they have commercial needs. What the best lawyers do is respond to those needs with a mix of imagination and pragmatism. If businesses can be made to work better, everyone benefits. This gives rise to the question ‘who makes a great lawyer?’ A great lawyer is interested in business as much as law, a person who is bold enough to challenge the status quo and who sees opportunity in championing change and promoting progress.

We integrate our trainees into working teams from day one so that, from the very beginning of their careers, they’re working alongside and learning from colleagues who, like them, are ever willing to explore solutions.

If that sounds like you, we’d like to hear from you. We think you’ll really enjoy working with us.”

Richard Foley,Senior Partner

Page 2pinsentmasons.com/graduate

to get to know us betterIt’s easy to think that commercial law firms are very much alike, but to find out what the key differences are, and why they are important to you, it’s worth scratching beneath the surface. Read on to discover exactly what makes Pinsent Masons different. You’ll find out more about what we do, how we go about it and where you could fit in.

25Offices worldwide

469Partners

1,541Lawyers

174Trainee Solicitors

£482mAnnual Turnover

Page 5 pinsentmasons.com/graduate Page 3 pinsentmasons.com/graduate

pinsentmasons.com/graduate Page 4

What sets Pinsent Masons apart is a deep knowledge of a variety of sectors, together with the ability to develop solutions for our clients within them. Many law firms try to cover all areas, but that’s not the right approach for either our clients or us. We want a focused business, which means deciding in which areas we can really make an impact.

We’ve developed a high level of expertise in the five industry sectors we’ve chosen to focus on globally. As part of this approach, our trainees are encouraged to start developing close relationships with clients right away and keep in touch with those clients throughout their Training Contract and beyond.

Advanced Manufacturing & Technology

“Our Advanced Manufacturing & Technology clients are altering the way we live and work. We help them deliver ambitious change.” Florian von Baum, Sector Head

Key clients: Fujitsu, Telefonica, Teva

Energy

“Global energy supply is transforming. Together with our clients we aim to be at the forefront of delivery.” Paul Rice, Sector HeadKey clients: BP, Centrica, E-ON, Total

Financial Services

“We utilise our deep and versatile sector knowledge to advise and assist our clients in bringing their strategic visions to life in an environment that is mercilessly competitive, being upended by technology and constantly under regulatory scrutiny.” Alexis Roberts, Sector Head.Key clients: RBS, HSBC, Royal London, Aviva

Infrastructure

“A creative mindset is required to deliver legal solutions and specialist advice to infrastructure clients.” Richard Laudy, Sector Head.Key clients: Balfour Beatty, China Communications, Heathrow Airport

Real Estate

“Cross-border capital flows into the sector providing opportunities to build on our market-leading reputation.” James Crookes, Sector Head.Key clients: St. Modwen, Landsec, Lendlease, Homes England

We want to grow further, transforming into a professional services firm with law at its core and continue to be successful, doing so in a way that makes a positive impact on our clients, our people and the communities in which we operate. We’ll only get there through a sustained and coherent effort - one that started back in 1769 and which we really want you to be part of.


2004Pinsent Masons is formed by the merger of Pinsents and Masons.

2007Open offices in Beijing building on our existing Asia-Pacific presence.

2008Open office in Dubai, establishing a foothold in the Middle East.

2010Open office in Singapore.

2011Win Most Effective Diversity Programme at Lawyer HR Awards.

2012Merge with McGrigors to become the first major law firm with offices in all three UK jurisdictions.

2012Open offices in Munich and Paris, extending our European reach.

2013Launch ‘Vario’, our innovative service providing freelance lawyers to clients.

Our values are so much more than stated beliefs; they’re integral to everything we do, whether that’s firm-wide processes or individual actions. Developed using feedback from our people and clients, our values provide a common framework for communication, decision-making and behaviour across the wider business. Our culture is a key factor in why new recruits choose to join us and why our clients choose to work with us. Our values describe us when we are at our best and are designed to inspire us to keep moving forward and getting better.

Approachable

Trust is vital to everything we do. Decisions are made with integrity, judgements are backed up, and pragmatic resolutions found. We treat everyone as we would want to be treated.

Bold

We go beyond convention to find innovative solutions. Not only are we willing to rise to the challenge, we strive for excellence in everything we do.

Connected

Our strength comes from our relationships within the firm, with our clients and with our communities. We work in an inclusive business and value the different perspectives that diversity brings.

Page 6

2015Open offices in Sydney and Melbourne, extending our presence in Australia.

2016Rated top law firm employer in the Stonewall Workplace Equality Index.

2016Open office in Dusseldorf, our second office in Germany.

2017Open offices in Johannesburg, Madrid and Dublin, continuing our global expansion.

2018Hit our target of 25% female Partnerships a year ahead of schedule.

2019Stonewall Employer of the Year and Stonewall Top Global Employer.

2019Open office in Frankfurt with further continental European offices planned.


Page 7

Being mindful

Working in a busy law firm can be stressful. So, we’ve developed the Mindful Business Charter (MBC) with two partner organisations to acknowledge the impact stress can have on our people’s mental health and wellbeing. It helps us all to identify and avoid potential stress points or support each other through them when they’re unavoidable. By documenting how everyone in the firm can get involved, we’re creating more open discussions about stress, how it affects us all and how it can be best managed.

And the MBC’s not just supported by three organisations. It’s been signed by several banks and law firms, so it’s making a positive change to more working lives across many professional services organisations.

What does it mean for our people in particular? Well, Becca Labib, one of our solicitors, who helped draft part of the MBC relating to junior staff, is sure it’ll “unite people and align their attitudes towards what a successful business could look like.”

Being agile

We realise that our people are people first and employees second. And we go out of our way to understand the personal motivations that make them want to come to work each day, so we can make their lives more fulfilling and fruitful. So, the MBC isn’t just about spotting potential stress points; a bit of positive stress can lead to a very rewarding outcome. It’s about actively looking for better ways of doing things to

increase the positive and minimise the negative.

That means being more agile in the way we work. Coming up with new approaches that are adaptable to meet people’s personal and professional ambitions. And giving them a great work-life balance, without it affecting their career prospects. As John MacIver, a Partner who’s implementing the MBC, puts it: “It’s about knowing your team as people, not just as colleagues, and customising your approach to everyone accordingly.”

Being you

Being open and honest with each other is about feeling comfortable and confident with who you are when you’re at work. It means accepting and celebrating each

and every one of our people as individuals. Encouraging our people to speak out about issues that affect and matter to them. And giving them the freedom to be themselves.

That’s why we’re making positive moves to a Purpose-led business, with a code of conduct focusing on a number of areas including bringing our humanity and doing the right thing. Whether it’s about looking after our mental health, navigating the demands of our personal lives or living different lifestyles, this will give our people a way of starting important conversations. As Sean Elson, one of our Partners, points out: “If we are hesitating about whether something is ‘right’ or not, then we’ll have a structure to start a discussion about it.”

Page 16

We bring humanity to everything we doThe legal profession is known for its uncompromising, survival of the fittest mentality. We’re changing that. Bringing our humanity to what we do means understanding each other - our feelings, our needs and our ambitions. And supporting each other so we can make life more enjoyable and rewarding for everybody, while building a successful firm.


An international business

We’re a global firm having expanded significantly and successfully, opening seven new offices outside the UK in the last four years alone. What this means for you as a Pinsent Masons trainee is that the work you have access to has an increasingly international focus. Add to this, STRIDE - our international secondment programme for junior lawyers, developed to increase global connectivity and mobility while giving secondees the opportunity to experience different cultures and ways of working - and you can be sure that the international business community features in your day job.

A reputation for innovation

We are pushing the boundaries with our approach to innovation. Our award-winning SmartDelivery offering brings together legal specialists and technologists who leverage proprietary technologies to deliver seamless end-to-end solutions which drive efficiencies for our clients.

For our trainees, that means working alongside industry experts to develop, evaluate and deploy the latest legal technology platforms and facilitate innovative service delivery. It’s an exciting space to be in and puts you at the fore of the legal industry. Perhaps you have a ground-breaking idea that you’d like to explore? If so, the firm can give you the time and scope to take your idea further using our ‘innovation hours’ scheme.

Diverse representation at Board level

Our Spark Board brings a new perspective to strategic decision-making at Pinsent Masons. It facilitates the representation of less senior colleagues. Only those who are below the level of Partner, Legal Director or Director of Business Operations, have the opportunity to apply. It harnesses the diversity of all our people and offers a different way of thinking about ‘big’ issues; the sorts of issues that help us make business work better for people.

Spark Board members consider, research and present solutions on a number of ‘advisory projects’ delegated by the Board, and four ‘thinking projects’ that they elect to pursue with the Board.

Getting started early

There is the possibility of working with our clients before you even start your Training Contract. Some of our future joiners have enjoyed short to medium-term contracts with our clients as ‘Varios’. Vario is Pinsent Masons’ freelance legal resourcing solution, providing legal support and expertise at all levels. Having the opportunity to access this type of work experience is invaluable in helping you develop your skill set and commercial awareness which can really give you a head start.


Taking recognition in our strideWe’re proud to be an award-winning law firm. Whether that’s for the way we do business, our services or how we treat our employees. Here’s just a selection of our most recent awards ... and we plan to continue adding to them.

2019The Times Top 100 Graduate EmployersThe Times Top 50 Employers for Women

2019Stonewall - Employer of the Year and Top Global Employer

2019Chambers UK - Top Ranked Firm

2019Legal Business AwardsLaw Firm of the Year

Page 10

2018 Legal Cheek Awards - Best Law Firm for Tech

2018Acritas UK Law FirmBrand Index

2018The Lawyer Awards - Law Firm of the Year

2018Social Mobility Employer Index - Top 50 Company


Pushing technology

New technologies are transforming almost every business sector – and law is no exception. Client expectations and commercial drivers mean that law firms need to continually review how effective and efficient they can be in meeting client needs.

Our business is built on developing great relationships with our clients. And, if clients are looking for excellent service faster, with less risk, or even to solve a completely novel problem, the traditional model is no longer sustainable. They need legal services to be more accessible and specifically tailored to their businesses. For us, that means embracing new ways of working and introducing digital solutions to meet those needs.

By implementing innovative technologies intelligently and in conjunction with our

legal expertise, we’re continuously creating market-leading, transformative legal solutions for our clients. It’s about always looking for a better way to approach the issue.

A unique approach

We were one of the first law firms to build an in-house innovation team, bringing together software and legal engineers, data scientists and client-facing consultants. This capability means we not only fully understand and interpret clients’ legal needs, but we also have the technical know-how to translate them into appropriate technology-based solutions.

It’s not just what we’re doing, but the scale of it that’s made us the talk of the legal sector. While some of our competitors have an innovation offering, at Pinsent Masons, it touches every part of the firm. So, whatever

seats our trainees join, they’re immersed in innovation. In fact, we were one of only 11 firms ranked A* for tech savvy in the Legal Cheek Trainee & Junior Lawyer survey of the best law firms for tech 2018/19. And we won the Best Law Firm for Tech award in 2018.

More open

It’s an approach that’s shifted the firm’s mindset. Being more inclined to creative thinking means we’re more open to being bold, trying different ideas and learning from our experience. After all, you can’t push boundaries and think everything’s always going to hit the mark.

This gives our trainees a number of unique options. Some have taken one of their seats working with legal engineers. Others have fully embraced innovation initiatives as they

rotate seats. So, your trainee experience will include innovation training, objectives and ways of working. You’ll be encouraged to make use of your digital knowledge, innovative spark and bright ideas. In short, as a trainee you’ll be expected to challenge us.

Doing it better

For lawyers this could be seen as a difficult environment to be in. Why? Because we recognise that the law firm of the future will need a combination of different skills, not just legal knowledge. So, we’ll be looking for trainees who have the potential to be more than lawyers. Trainees interested in software development, solutions architecture or data science. Trainees who can bring new perspectives to meeting our clients’ needs. Most of all, trainees who are keen to find ways to do things better.


We push the boundaries to make business work betterDigital technology, the Internet of Things, Big Data. Technologies like these are transforming our clients’ businesses and what they need from their professional advisors. That’s why we’re putting innovative legal technology and project & process management at the core of our client services. So, we need people who have the creative spark to think differently about client issues and who can make business work better for everyone.

Page 12

Having strong, lasting relationships with clients is the hallmark of any good firm. And clients choose their professional advisers for many reasons. We want to be chosen not only because we are excellent lawyers who help clients achieve their objectives, but because we can be trusted always to combine technical expertise with sound ethical judgement.

Doing business responsibly is an integral part of our organisation and extends to all aspects of our operations; whether it’s through transparent, fair and ethical dealings with our clients, our long-term commitment to inspiring young lives in our local communities, robust supply chain management or our aspiration to create an inclusive working environment where all of our people can be themselves.

Pinsent Masons is a leading firm in diversity and inclusion, as evidenced by multiple award wins, including being recognised as a Top Ten Employer for Working Families and being the highest ranked law firm on the Stonewall Workplace Equality Index 2016, 2017 and 2018, and No1 Employer overall in the 2019 Stonewall Workplace Equality Index.


An inclusive firm

Collectively we’re a strong firm that provides good advice to clients because we’ve a wide range of people with different skills, experience and perspectives - and because we aim to ensure that every one of those people experiences an enjoyable and rewarding career with us.

We’ve established a number of employee network groups at Pinsent Masons. These groups bring people together, helping them to feel respected and connected, but crucially they also help our firm as a whole understand different points of view and bring them into the decisions we make for ourselves and for our clients.

In 2017, we acquired Brook Graham, a leading diversity and inclusion consultancy. Pinsent Masons and Brook Graham work together to create diverse and inclusive workplaces, both for our own people, and within our clients’ organisations. We take a holistic approach to creating culture change that’s both commercially and legally sustainable.

A commitment to diversity

We recognise that creating a truly diverse workforce, which is reflective of both the communities in which we operate and the clients we work with, is critical to our success. The firm’s Diversity Steering Group is responsible for developing and embedding the firm’s diversity and inclusion strategy. The group represents, supports and promotes the interests of all underrepresented groups working together to build a truly inclusive culture. They create, review and develop the firm’s strategy and policies to ensure that we are working within Pinsent Masons, and with our external partners, to create and develop not only a truly diverse workforce but an inclusive workplace.

Encouraging a better balance

There are a number of ways we’re already promoting greater diversity. Achieving a better gender balance was a great place to start. We recognise that a balanced business is one which is more productive and successful.

Building on the success of ‘Sky’, our initiative dedicated to creating a better gender balance at senior levels, and with continued passion for increasing access to the legal profession, we recently launched ‘Sun’. This initiative focuses on race and ethnicity within our global business; with the aim of creating a level playing field to ensure greater representation at all levels, throughout the firm.


✓We do the right thing by our people, clients and communitiesWe believe a brighter future depends on the success of the young people in the local communities where we work. That’s why, over the last 15 years, our Inspiring Young Lives programme has built long term partnerships with schools in some of the most economically disadvantaged areas of the UK.

Page 16

Connecting communities

One of our main aims is to connect our people, clients and communities across our global network. A purposeful way to achieve that is by inspiring young people in those communities to aim higher.

Our Inspiring Young Lives programme achieves that by supporting their education and employability. It’s designed to make Pinsent Masons and a career in law more accessible to young people from across the social spectrum. How? By preparing them for the world of work. By opening their eyes to potential opportunities they may not have considered before. And by giving access to role models who can inspire them to reach even higher.

School partnerships

Our school partnerships are a great example of how our approach has developed. We always choose partner schools with a high proportion of students from socially disadvantaged backgrounds, to help tackle social mobility. In fact, on average 50% of students at our English partner schools are eligible for pupil premium.

Initially, we focused on helping to improve the literacy and numeracy skills of students. But we soon realised that giving pupils access to role models was a powerful way to inspire them to achieve more. So we started a Year 10 mentoring programme. This helps students from low income families, who are identified as ‘most able’ through their school exams and their applications for higher education.

Inspiring a generation

Each year we hold two flagship conferences. An ‘Inspiring Girls’ conference to celebrate International Women’s Day and a ‘Raising Your Game’ conference for boys as part of International Men’s Day. Students from our UK mentoring programme hear from inspiring speakers and meet role models from client organisations in different industries.

These events aim to inspire and encourage young people to think about different careers, overcome obstacles and reach their full potential. And it seems to work. At the most recent event, one student commented: “It was really interesting and I’m now thinking of a career in law thanks to Pinsent Masons.” Their teachers see the difference too. As one put it: “The support Pinsent Masons offer our

girls is highly-rated and impressive. As a result of the mentoring programme, I have observed the girls develop in confidence, assertiveness and self-belief.”

Everyone’s a winner

Our people get as much out of the programme as the students. Our Learning and Development team make sure the activity links back to staff training and enables people to build a range of vital people skills. And our clients enjoy taking part too. As one client volunteer explained: “Thank you for making me part of the event. It was equally inspiring for me.”

It’s exactly the kind of opportunity you can expect to get involved with when you join us as a trainee.


So now that you know a bit more about Pinsent Masons you’re probably thinking ‘what next?’ Maybe you’d like to secure a Vacation Placement to give you some insight into commercial law?


Our Vacation Placement Programme offers a valuable insight into the culture of the firm and the work that we do. It’s a great way for you to experience life at the firm first hand. You’ll be welcomed into the business and gain a real understanding and appreciation of what it’s like to be a trainee at Pinsent Masons.

We offer placements to penultimate year law students (Northern Ireland, England and Scotland) and final year non-law students (England only).We’re the only law firm to operate in all three

UK jurisdictions and that means we need to take account of the differing market norms. This means that the length and number of placements available varies per jurisdiction.

In our England and Northern Ireland offices, placements are 2 weeks whilst Scotland-based placements are 3 weeks. We offer two placement intakes in our England and Scotland offices and just one in Northern Ireland. Our website provides more details of the dates available.

The value of our placements

We’re looking for individuals who are driven, approachable and commercially aware. The facts speak for themselves. A good 70% of our trainees join us after experiencing our working environment first-hand during a Vacation Placement. It’s a great way for us to really get to know each other, although it’s not the only route to securing a training contract with us.

The placement offers you a structured programme of work-based learning, skills training and presentations, working alongside trainees and solicitors on client matters. There’ll be additional activities for you to take advantage of, including social events, which offer the opportunity to get to know colleagues from outside your department. They present a great opportunity for you to truly understand the culture at Pinsent Masons and work towards securing a Training Contract.

A supportive environment

Before you join us for a placement, we will contact you to find out which department you would like to be allocated to, although we also encourage you to be open-minded. It’s fair to say that the legal theory you are studying at university is very different to the way the lawyers at Pinsent Masons put it into practice. So being flexible and open can really pay off.

To support you during your time in your department and at the firm, you’ll be paired with a trainee buddy who’ll be on hand to answer any questions you may have, before and during the placement. You’ll also be assigned to an experienced supervisor who’ll work closely with you throughout your placement, ensuring that you’re exposed to a wide variety of client work.

Our colleagues are enthusiastic about supporting the Vacation Placement Programme and ensure that they create a pipeline of work for the student joining their team. You’ll be surprised by the quality and level of work that you get involved in from the moment you reach your desk.

You’ll also discover that our open plan environment provides the perfect opportunity for you to work with people of all levels in your department. It’s in this environment that more opportunities to ‘take the law’ will become available. If you hear someone discussing a piece of work that you are curious about, don’t be afraid to ask them about it - they’ll be delighted that you’re interested. The more you put in to your placement, the more you’ll get out of it. So, showing curiosity, enthusiasm and initiative will ensure that you enjoy the best of experiences.

You’ll build your first collegiate group within Pinsent Masons as you get to know your fellow placement students while you all develop your skills, knowledge and experience in a bustling commercial legal environment.

Assessments

To secure your placement, you’ll undertake a series of assessments. To be considered for a Training Contract, we take account of the results of these initial assessments and additional assessments undertaken during your placement, together with the departmental feedback on your performance throughout the placement. Having welcomed you into our business for a number of weeks, we’re all in a position to make a well-informed decision. This means that, if you’re offered, we’re confident that you’re on track to become a successful commercial lawyer at our firm.


Page 16

We work hard to find the spark that sets up apartFinding the right piece of information for a client. Using technology to introduce a process that makes lawyers’ lives easier. Or making a fundamental change that transforms our business. That’s what finding the spark means to us. And our trainees are the lawyers of the future whose digital affinity, curiosity and ideas will differentiate both the firm and their careers.

The spark to transform

The way law firms train their lawyers hasn’t changed for years, but today’s legal services market is evolving rapidly. So we want to develop the lawyers who can adapt and respond to those changes.

We recognised we had to re-evaluate our training contracts. So, we brought together people from across the firm to create a new, transformational programme. One that equips and encourages all our trainees to work and think differently – to be the next evolution of lawyer.

The Innovation Training Contract

When Damini Kotecha joined us as a Banking Paralegal, her role involved using technology to do due diligence. She found

her spark when she suggested there was an opportunity to include this innovation and technology focus in the firm’s Training Contracts. So, working with Lucy Shurwood, one of our Innovation Partners and our Head of Early Talent, Deborah McCormack, she helped to develop the Innovation Training Contract. “For me, finding the spark is about being able to show initiative and challenge the way we do things,” says Damini. “I like being able to think creatively and commercially to identify issues and find cost-effective solutions that meet the needs of clients and our business.”

The Innovation Training Contract is designed to enable our trainees to do just that. Join us and you could be involved in developing technology-led solutions on transactions and projects. You’ll also work with colleagues and clients on inventive and transformative

proposals. And as you move seats, you’ll share your knowledge across practice areas and make colleagues aware of the tools and processes available while encouraging them to think more creatively too.

Innovation everywhere

Your trainee experience will include objectives with a clear innovation focus. At our Innovation Academy, you’ll learn about the impact and implications of technological, political and geographical disruption. What’s more, you’ll be expected to challenge and educate more senior colleagues on new technologies and ways of working.

In every practice area across the firm, you’ll find a dedicated Innovation Manager. You’ll also be able to join the Trainee Innovation

Group and submit your ideas through our Innovation Hub. It all adds up to a trainee experience that exposes you to the very latest legal thinking. And it gives you the scope and responsibility to make a tangible contribution to our future success.

A spark for your career

At Pinsent Masons, our increasing focus on innovation and technology is changing the nature of traditional transactional law. With fewer manual processes, there’s more time for creative thinking around legal issues and advice and more scope for early responsibility.

We think this is the future of the law. Our training contracts will help you find your spark by giving you valuable insights, experience and skills and a launchpad for your future career in the NewLaw environment.


Here’s the crucial point for you to consider - not all training contracts are the same. The level of responsibility, client exposure, and personalised career guidance you receive is unique to Pinsent Masons. Our guiding principle is to treat you as a valued professional with an important contribution to make from day one.


Looking ahead

Your journey with Pinsent Masons begins the moment you accept our offer. As there can be something of a gap between our offer and you reaching your desk, we make sure we stay connected through events and supporting communications. If there’s anything you want to discuss, we’re always available and approachable.

Getting started

The training contract itself begins with an induction at our London office. This is the beginning of building the business-wide network of contacts that will be fundamental to your career. After your office-based induction, your training continues with an off-site trainee conference, bringing together our new trainees from across the globe. Delivering a mix of skills, regulatory and ethical training courses, this five-day residential conference introduces you to the kind of intensive legal training that will feature throughout your career. The combination of daytime seminars and evening events provides a perfect environment for trainees to prepare for life in commercial law, while getting to know each other socially.

Departmental seats

Your two-year training contract consists of four six-month seats. We believe in giving you input into your seat choices - but our client and business needs are also crucial factors in determining where seats can be offered. For example, a seat in your preferred practice area may not be available in your first choice of location, and vice versa, but you might find the challenge of moving location or opening your mind to an alternative experience will result in a surprising opportunity. A bit of personal flexibility can make a big impact on how you are perceived by both colleagues and clients.

At the beginning of each new seat, you’ll receive technical legal training relevant to the practice area. This is designed to introduce you to the law in each new practice area from the off-set. Straight away you’ll be at the centre of things. We regularly hear from our trainees that they’re genuinely delighted, not only by the collegiate working environment at Pinsent Masons, but by the level of responsibility they enjoy and the quality of the work they get involved in.

We’re looking for people who are self-assured, agile and welcome a challenge or two. We’ll give you the chance to build the career that you want - it’s up to you to take it.

Complementary training

Pinsent Masons offers a supportive environment where supervisors take time to coach you while encouraging you to challenge yourself. It all adds up to a training environment and experience that inspires you to seek out opportunities, ‘put your hand up’ and set both the course and pace of your own development.

Secondments - now and in the future

In your second year, you could spend time on secondment to one of our clients. Time in a client team - such as Google, Heathrow Airport, Royal London and E.ON - immerses you in a different business environment and equips you with first-hand commercial insight into what clients want.

Post-qualification

Offering you one of our Training Contracts demonstrates that we believe in you and are keen to invest in you, your future career and personal development. Naturally, we want to retain as many trainees as possible. In recent qualification rounds, we offered newly qualified opportunities to over 80% of our trainees, and we’ve every confidence, given the quality of our graduates and our training, in aiming even higher.

Every trainee we retain can look forward to quickly gaining experience of challenging, high-quality work in their chosen area of law as they gain specialist knowledge and expertise. Many aspire towards partnership with us. Once you qualify, your horizons expand further. Undertaking a qualified international secondment through our STRIDE programme can open your eyes to different cultures and business perspectives. However, you don’t need to go overseas to experience international working, given that so much of your work will have an international aspect.


As we grow, opportunities growMore clients are looking for cross-border solutions and the UK legal services sector has an increasingly international reach. So we’ve grown into a global firm. That’s why our trainees get every opportunity to connect with colleagues in different countries across four continents. Once you’ve qualified, STRIDE, our international secondment programme, gives you the chance to gain experience in another office for up to six months. It’s all about having a global mindset and the curiosity to explore our business.

Page 24

Make strides

The STRIDE programme is a fantastic opportunity to learn more about the global firm and how much you can contribute. For Helen Stewart, a lawyer in our Glasgow office, the chance to work in Madrid for six months was an opportunity to push herself out of her comfort zone. “It’s about collaborating, sharing knowledge and learning how our colleagues do things.”

Ciaran Wilkinson, an associate who swapped our London office for Melbourne, Australia, saw it as a way to gain broader client exposure. “Clients I’d been working with were looking to expand in the Australian market,” he explains. “So I thought it would be useful to have knowledge of and experience in this market to provide more tailored advice.”

Making the most of it

STRIDE works best when you’re prepared to fully embrace your new location. So you need to demonstrate your enthusiasm and willingness to get stuck in from the moment you arrive. That means always looking for ways to support your new colleagues. It means throwing yourself into the different social events and activities going on in every office. And, of course, it means developing strong working relationships, with both colleagues and clients.

As Helen Stewart says: “There’s nothing worse than someone coming in from another office, keeping their head down and not trying their best to get to know everyone.”

A more global mindset

The benefits you gain from the STRIDE programme is something that stays with you throughout your Pinsent Masons career. Emma Hughes, a solicitor in our Manchester office, who spent six months working in Dubai, says it gave her “broader experience of working with different clients and different types of work.” For Helen Stewart, it was a confidence boost. She says, “It’s been great to see how I’ve been able to adapt to life in a new city with brand new colleagues and friends.”

You not only develop new skills and knowledge, but you also gain a valuable global network. And not just within Pinsent Masons, as Ciaran Wilkinson points out, “I managed to build and enhance client

relationships with existing UK clients based in Australia.”

Once in a lifetime opportunity

Any of our qualified lawyers can apply for STRIDE and it’s a great chance to gain unique experience in a different environment Mlu Mahlangu an associate in our Johannesburg office, who spent six months in Edinburgh, has some advice for anyone thinking of joining: “Apply! It really is an incredible opportunity. Also, don’t be limited by the requirements – if you are interested in a role, you will be considered even if you don’t meet all of them. The fact that you put yourself forward and are willing to challenge yourself will always work in your favour.”


??

Whether you want to join us on a Vacation Placement or as a Trainee Solicitor, there are eight key qualities we’ll be looking for. These are the attributes our clients expect from our lawyers, so if we invite you to join us, it means you already have what it takes to build a successful legal career here.


An interest in business

We’re a commercial law firm, so you’ll have a genuine interest in how business works. That means keeping up-to-date with the latest business issues, as well as appreciating how legal expertise can support and steer commercial organisations.

Personal drive

We’re looking for people who not only have a strong desire to be the best, but also the energy, enthusiasm and dedication to go the extra mile to achieve their goals. You’ll always be learning from your experience, so you can be even better next time.

Confidence

With the self-assurance to voice your own opinions and defend them when necessary, you’ll be a persuasive communicator. But you’ll also have the self-awareness to ask for help when you need it.

A focus on detail

You’re the kind of person who enjoys spotting errors. So, you’ll combine a keen eye for detail with a conscientious approach to reading and absorbing large amounts of reference material. When it comes to your own writing, you’ll be accurate and clear.

Intellectual capability

You think things through and weigh up the implications. An analytical researcher, with the ability to think on your feet, you try new approaches to find solutions. Your curiosity means you always look to learn new things and seek others’ opinions.

Personal responsibility

You know what you want from your career. So you don’t just take responsibility for your successes, but also acknowledge when things go wrong and do what you can to get it right next time. By understanding your own strengths and limitations, you give others confidence in your abilities.

Self-organisation

In a busy professional services firm, you’ll need to plan and manage your work effectively. That means understanding priorities, keeping an eye on your progress towards set objectives and making sure you always meet deadlines.

Openness

You’ll be working with colleagues and clients from a wide range of backgrounds at all levels. So you’ll need to be personable, friendly and happy to engage with new people, with the ability to adapt your message to different audiences.



The possibility of ‘taking the law into your own hands’ begins with your application. What you do next depends on your undergraduate degree, the jurisdiction you want to train in and when you expect to qualify.

If you fail to meet our minimum requirements but still feel you can demonstrate all eight of our key qualities, then please contact us to discuss this, prior to making an application. Additionally, if you require any adjustments during the application or interview process, please do not hesitate to contact us at [email protected]

Our minimum requirements

300+ UCAS points at A level (under the pre-2018 tariff)

120+ UCAS points at A level (under the post 2018 tariff) or equivalent

A strong 2:1 degree

Achievement of the relevant qualifications in the jurisdiction you wish to qualify into, namely:

England

English applicants don’t need to have studied an undergraduate Law degree to practise law in England. However, non-law graduates will need to complete the one-year Graduate Diploma in Law before undertaking the Legal Practice Course. You must achieve a Commendation or above in both these courses.

Scotland

Scottish applicants must have a qualifying Scots Law degree in order to apply for a traineeship and have completed the Diploma in Legal Practice (PEAT1) before commencing their Training Contract.

Northern Ireland

Candidates applying in Northern Ireland must have secured a place at the Institute of Professional Legal Studies before commencing their Training Contract. Alternatively, the Belfast office is also registered to accept students who have completed the one-year Legal Practice Course and will accept applications for a Training Contract from candidates following this route.

Post-graduate sponsorship

If you are successful in securing a Training Contract at the firm, but still need to complete either the GDL and/or LPC; PEAT1 in Scotland; or the IPLS in Northern Ireland, we’ll cover the cost of your tuition and provide a competitive maintenance award to help with living expenses while you study.

We don’t pay fees retrospectively.


Our selection process

SHORTLISTING BY GRADUATE RECRUITMENTTEAM

ONLINEAPPLICATION

TRAINING CONTRACT OFFER

ONLINE PSYCHOMETRIC TEST

ASSESSMENT CENTRE WHICH INCLUDES AN INTERVIEW AND WRITTEN EXERCISE

VPPLACEMENT

PRESENTATION AND FURTHER INTERVIEW DURING PLACEMENT

PRACTICEGROUPFEEDBACK

ONLINE PSYCHOMETRIC TEST

ASSESSMENT CENTRE WHICH INCLUDES...

WRITTEN EXERCISE

PRESENTATION INTERVIEWSHORTLISTING BY GRADUATE RECRUITMENTTEAM

We’ve designed our application process to ensure that you’ll know

the outcome no more than three months after the application deadline.


We offer a competitive salary and benefits package in all our locations, but please note that your actual package may differ depending of your jurisdiction.

LONDONYear 1: £41,000Year 2: £44,000Qualified: £72,500

ENGLISH REGIONSYear 1: £27,000Year 2: £30,000Qualified: £44,000

SCOTLANDYear 1: £24,000Year 2: £27,000Qualified: £43,500

BELFASTYear 1: £17,500Year 2: £18,500Qualified: £30,000

MIDDLE EASTYear 1: 250,00 AEDYear 2: 267,000 AEDQualified: 385,000 AED

pinsentmasons.com/graduate Page 30pinsentmasons.com/graduate

25 days holiday Pension scheme Free railcard Season ticket loan

Gym loan Mortgage adviceservice

Discounts at large stores and supermarkets

Private medicalinsurance

Employee assistance programme

Rental deposit loan

Flu vaccinationclinics

Eyecare voucher scheme


Training Contracts

From September 2019 we will be accepting applications for Training Contracts commencing in 2022 in England and Scotland, and 2020 in our Northern Ireland office.

England and Scotland:

Deadline for applications: 24 July 2020.Assessment centres: August (England) and September (Scotland).

Northern Ireland:

Deadline for applications: 1 November 2019.Assessment centres: Late-November 2019.

Middle East:

Deadline for applications: 9 December 2019.Assessment centres: January and February 2020.

Vacation Placements

From September 2019 we will be accepting applications online for Vacation Placements in 2020. These are designed for candidates looking to commence a Training Contract in September 2022 (or September 2020 in Northern Ireland).

Please see our graduate website for closing dates in different jurisdictions.

Insight Events

You can learn much more about Pinsent Masons, our opportunities and our culture by attending one of our campus events or insight events. Please see the graduate website for details of an event near you.

Get in touchIf you would like to take the law into your own hands with a career at Pinsent Masons, then here are the ways you can get in touch with us.

Phone: +44 (0)207 418 7000Email: [email protected]: pinsentmasons.com/graduateFacebook: facebook.com/pmgradsTwitter: @pmgradsInstagram: @pm_grads

#takethelaw


Pinsent Masons LLP is a limited liability partnership, registered in England and Wales (registered number: OC333653) authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority and the appropriate jurisdictions in which it operates. Reference to “Pinsent Masons” is to Pinsent Masons LLP and/or one or more of the

affiliated entities that practise under the name “Pinsent Masons” as the context requires. The word “partner”, used in relation to the LLP, refers to a member or an employee or consultant of the LLP or any affiliated firm, with equivalent standing. A list of members of Pinsent Masons, those non-members who are designated

as partners, and non-member partners in affiliated entities, is available for inspection at our offices or at www.pinsentmasons.com

For a full list of the jurisdictions where we operate, see www.pinsentmasons.com

© Pinsent Masons. Printed on FSC Certified and 100% recycled paper.

training contracts, vacation placements at pinsent …...2019/04/09 · we believe that success...

Documents