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One Bishops Square London E1 6AD 
Favoured by 9 users
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The lowdown (in their own words...)Why did you choose this firm over any others? 'International offices, reputation for good training'; 'very good vacation scheme, together with excellent reputation and broad range of practice areas'; 'overseas travel opportunities'; 'extremely friendly and open' How does your training compare with peers' at other firms? 'The training programme is definitely one of the best in London'; 'the quality of the training'; 'there is a real sense of teamwork and togetherness which in turn creates an atmosphere of support'; 'feel valued rather than dispensable trainee!' Best thing about the firm? 'Leader in finance'; 'long-term commitment to pro bono'; 'pays a high trainee salary'; 'high-quality work and top client list'; 'style of training offered stands out from competitors'; 'fringe benefits'; 'nice, modern offices with a gym'; 'the tea rooms, the beautician, the roof terraces' Worst thing about the firm? 'Hours and pressure'; 'training floor sandwiches'; 'sometimes the quality of work that filters down to trainees can be poor'; ' expectation that job comes before pretty much everything else'; 'I find it too big' Best moment? 'A number of smaller transactions where I have been able to run with the deal more or less from start to finish with relatively minimal supervision'; 'organising a closing with hundreds of documents to sign and enjoying the champagne and compliments when it finished!'; 'the satisfaction of closing one of the largest deals of the year'; 'business trips to Eastern Europe' Worst moment? 'Occasions when I have received a lack of recognition when working hard on a piece'; 'all-nighters on menial tasks'; 'sitting with a supervisor who I found really difficult'; 'when the scanner broke at 4.00am after a long day at work'; 'losing a document!' The firmMagic Circle firm Allen & Overy is a leader in finance, its wide coverage of the sector including securitisation, asset finance and Islamic finance, and it is a big name among the major lenders. It also has a world-class reputation in projects/PFI, plus a strong social conscience as it was awarded CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) programme of the year at the Legal Business Awards 2011. The internationally renowned practice is praised by clients for its 'first-class response times, knowledge and commerciality of advice'. The star performersAdministrative/public law; Arbitration; Asset finance/leasing; Bank lending; Banking litigation; Contentious trusts/probate; Corporate restructuring; Corporate tax; Derivatives; Emerging markets; Employment; Energy; Environment; Fraud; IT; Infrastructure; Insolvency/corporate recovery; International capital markets; Islamic finance; Oil and gas; PFI; Pensions; Property finance; Social housing; Securitisation. The dealsAdvised Goldman Sachs and Citi on the issue of €500m in senior notes by Alcatel Lucent; set up JPMorgan Asset Management's $750m Global Maritime Investment Fund; advised Tesco Property Finance's on two CMBS-style deals; advised Charterhouse Capital Partners on the £325m buyout of Deb Group; acting for RBS in its inter-creditor dispute regarding Cattles plc The clientsAES; Alliance & Leicester; BNP Paribas Fortis; Bank of New Zealand; Goldman Sachs International; Misys; Nationwide. The money(from Legal Business magazine) Turnover in 2010: £1,050m (-4% from 2009) Profits per equity partner: £1,093,000 (+4%) The winnersLegal Business Awards 2011 Winner CSR programme of the year. The VerdictTop deals, international reach and a first-class client list are the keynotes at this finance-orientated Magic Circle stalwart. As well as its popular vacation scheme, current trainees commented that its 'mind-blowing' training programme is 'more structured' with 'better support and guidance' than at other corporate finance firms, making it 'definitely one of the best in London'. The training schedule is 'comprehensive and evenly spaced out in the way subject matter is taught'; moreover, it is 'completely relevant to the tasks performed at work and provides a fantastic introduction to the same'. Expect a strong emphasis on corporate and finance, although 'huge efforts are made to ensure that individual preferences are met'. There are opportunities to get involved in high-profile, cutting-edge work, but it's the smaller matters where you might perhaps expect greater responsibility: 'running my own deals in capital markets' was a top experience for one. Be prepared for some unpredictable hours and pressurised deals, but thankfully the 'sense of teamwork and togetherness' makes them easier to contend with. As do the 'immense resources' at your disposal, 'in all areas from IT to library and know-how, to experienced world-leading lawyers, to gym, restaurant, etc'. It doesn't stop there - other plus points are the 'fantastic' international opportunities, a strong commitment to pro bono and a 'genuinely pleasant and fun team atmosphere' in which you'll be learning from individuals who are at the very top of their game. Unlock the door to a training contract here and you can be sure that many more will open up to you. A day in the life of.....Ryan Magee , trainee, Allen & Overy LLP
Departments to date: ICM, banking, employment and benefits, secondment to Amsterdam
University: Oxford University
Degree: Law, 2(1) 8.30am: Due to my apartment's close proximity to the office I generally walk to work each day. Today's walk is made all the more pleasurable by the warm spring sunshine. On arrival I head straight to the tenth-floor canteen, grab breakfast and have a quick browse through the morning newspapers. 9.20am: I go to my desk and check my emails to make sure that nothing urgent has come in over night. Afterwards I have a chat with my trainer about what I need to do for the day and she is happy for me to continue managing my own workload. However, she informs me that we have a client meeting at 3.00pm. I always leave an assortment of ties in my desk ready to cover such occasions. 10.00am: I sit down with a partner and go through my initial review of an investment grade credit facility that I have been running by myself. We discuss the legal aspects of the matter and the partner responds with positive feedback and updates me on progress. He instructs me to set up a call with our clients to discuss some of our concerns and then asks me to send my mark up over to the borrower's legal counsel. 11.30am: I initiate a conference call with the A&O offices in Amsterdam, New York and Sydney to discuss some of the potential multi-jurisdictional issues that we face on a real estate finance deal that I am working on. 12.45pm: The office is located in the trendy Spitalfields district and our team decides to go for lunch. We are spoilt for choice, but settle on a local Italian restaurant that serves some of the best pizzas in London. 2.00pm: After lunch I attend an internal meeting about a pro bono initiative called The Smart Start Experience. Pro bono is one of the core values of A&O and everyone at the firm is aware of the importance of giving back to the local community. I relish being involved with Smart Start as we invite students from local comprehensives in for a week-long work experience placement. This year I will be co-ordinating a networking event with the students and talking to them about the importance of building strong working relationships in the City. 3.00pm: I receive a call from reception letting me know that our clients have arrived and go to the first floor with my trainer and a partner to meet them. As time is of the essence, it is straight down to business, answering questions regarding the complex legal issues involved. Even as a trainee my opinions are valued and I am expected to contribute to discussions. 4.30pm: After the meeting draws to a close I immediately return to my desk and send out several emails. I am given the responsibility of redrafting one of the security documents relating to the deal. This redrafting takes a few hours. I then sit down with my trainer and discuss the document. She makes a few minor amendments and gives me some constructive pointers to look out for in the future. 7.45pm: My trainer asks me to carry out some research into the types of jurisdiction and governing law clauses that we can insert into our documents. However, she assures me this can wait until tomorrow morning and tells me that I should go and enjoy the end of the spring sunshine. I meet up with a few of the trainees that I completed the LPC with and we go to a local pub quiz, where we finish runners up for the third week in a row (I am convinced it's a fix). About the firmAddress: One Bishops Square, London E1 6AD Telephone: 020 3088 0000 Fax: 020 3088 0088 Website: www.allenovery.co.uk/careeruk Email:
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Other offices: Abu Dhabi, Amsterdam, Antwerp, Athens, Bangkok, Beijing, Belfast, Bratislava, Brussels, Bucharest*, Budapest, Doha, Dubai, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Hong Kong, Jakarta*, London, Luxembourg, Madrid, Mannheim, Milan, Munich, Moscow, New York, Paris, Perth, Prague, Riyadh*, Rome, Sao Paulo, Shanghai, Singapore, Sydney, Tokyo, Warsaw, Washington DC. (Opening in Casablanca in September 2011). * Associated office. Who we are: Allen & Overy LLP is an international law firm with approximately 4,750 people in 38 offices worldwide. What we do: Clients include many of the world's top organisations. We are renowned for the high quality of our banking, corporate and international capital markets advice. What we are looking for: Candidates must be predicted or have achieved a 2(1) degree, or equivalent, and have a genuine interest in law. Business awareness, initiative, teamwork and an international outlook are also important. What you'll do: Trainees spend a year in at least two of our core areas of banking, corporate and international capital markets. Perks: Working at Allen & Overy offers an exceptional range of benefits, including life insurance, pension scheme, an interest-free season ticket loan, on-site gym and sports hall, medical, dental and physiotherapy service, beauty treatment centre, dry cleaners, music rooms, multi-faith prayer rooms and two restaurants. Sponsorship: We pay fees for GDL/LPC and a maintenance grant for the GDL (£5,000 outside London; £6,000 in London) and £5,000 for the LPC. Future joiners will study the bespoke Allen & Overy LPC at the College of Law in Moorgate. Application processApply to: Caroline Lindner, Graduate Recruitment Manager. How: Online at www.allenovery.co.uk/careeruk When to Apply: 1 November 2011-15 January 2012 for non-law finalists and graduates; 1 June-31 July 2012 for penultimate year law undergraduates and graduates (March and September 2014 start dates). What is involved: One competency-based interview with a partner or senior associate, a case study interview with a partner and an office tour with a trainee solicitor. Facts and figures Trainee places available for 2014: 90 Applications received pa: 2,500+ Percentage interviewed: 8-10% SalaryFirst year: £38,000 Second year: £43,200 Newly qualified: £61,000 Vacation schemesSummer: 18 June-6 July 2012, 9-27 July 2012, 30 July-17 August 2012 (apply by 15 January 2012). Winter: 12-21 December 2011 (apply by 31 October 2011).
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