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Dechert LLP 
160 Queen Victoria Street London EC4V 4QQ
Lex 100 winner
Favoured by 5 users (Register to add this entry to your favourites)

The trainee verdict

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The lowdown (in their own words...)


Why did you choose this firm over any others? 'I was attracted by the commitment to training, the high-profile work, the six seat system and the possibility of secondments and seats abroad'; 'when I came for my interview, it just felt like somewhere I would be happy'; 'friendliness, pro bono commitment, wages and six seat training system'

How does your training compare with peers' at other firms? 'Much more responsibility and better quality work'; 'superior in many cases as Dechert has a dedicated Director of Training'; 'better working atmosphere. Trainees are treated more as colleagues at Dechert'; 'we get a lot more in-house training and have more influence over the seats we want to do'

Best thing about the firm? 'So far the week in Philadelphia'; 'the open, informal atmosphere'; 'international nature of the work'; 'lots of social events'; 'friendliness and pro bono work'; 'the working atmosphere. Because the trainee intake is small you get to know the other trainees really well and the rest of the firm get to know who you are'  

Worst thing about the firm? 'The often needlessly long and generally unpredictable hours'; 'the sandwiches at training'; 'historically the retention rates have been below average and I think this is a worry for trainees'; 'the sweetcorn chowder served in cafe 4'; 'the computer system gets really slow in the afternoon, when all the US offices start work'

Best moment? 'Being asked to work in the Paris office for a seat'; 'arriving at the Ritz Carlton in Philadelphia for the induction'; 'successfully representing the client before a Master at the High Court'; 'the £1.3 billion IPO and listing of shares of New World Resources N.V. on the London, Prague and Warsaw Stock Exchanges. That, and beating the partners in the annual partners v staff cricket match'

Worst moment? 'Missing the trainee Christmas dinner because I had to proof read documents'; 'spilling a drink all over myself, my desk and my computer'; 'working for 36 hours straight'; 'not checking erroneous instructions and producing a terrible piece of drafting that made my supervisor visibly angry'



The Lex 100 verdict

The firm

Dechert arrived in London in the 1990s and is the oldest of the transatlantic merged entities, with over 900 lawyers working from 18 different offices across the US and Europe. A significant proportion of the firm is based in the US, but the London office remains one of the largest and best-established of any US law firm. It continues to excel in its core practice areas, including corporate, real estate, finance (especially investment funds) and litigation. Interesting niche areas include Islamic finance and defamation.


The star performers

Corporate tax; Employment; IP;Defamation and privacy; Financial services; Islamic finance;Flotations; Investment funds; Property litigation.

The deals

Advised Blomfield Corporate Finance on both the $31.5m AIM IPO of The Family Shari'ah Fund and the AIM listing of Emerging Metals; advising Blackfriars Investments Limited and its clients on a range of property VAT issues; successfully acted for Karen Millen Ltd in a landmark case over unregistered design infringement in the Irish Commercial Court; represented Apollo Real Estate Advisors (UK) Ltd on its joint venture with Brack Capital.

The clients

Amber Master; Apollo Real Estate Advisors (UK) Ltd; Artemis Fund Management; Baring Asset Management; Cheyne Capital; The Crown Estate; ETF Securities.

The money

(from Legal Business magazine)

Turnover in 2008: $836.3m (+15% from 2007) Profits per partner: $2,350,000 (+18%)


The Lex 100 verdict

Trainees at Dechert are full of praise for their firm's commitment to training - 'we have a dedicated Training Director and the firm really does care about its trainees and their development'. Once more the induction week in Philadelphia proved a great hit and the 'perfect way to start my international legal career'. The atmosphere is welcoming and friendly and the six seat system allows you to experience a broader range of practice areas and reflects the flexibility of the firm. Trainees also like the open-minded approach to recruitment and the way in which the firm accommodates people with non-traditional backgrounds. The commitment to pro bono is also praised and the supportive working atmosphere encourages a good team spirit. On the downside there is some concern here about trainee retention rates 'even when the market is good', so this does cause trainees some stress. Other than the sandwiches at training sessions and the sweetcorn chowder in Café 4, trainees can't find too much else to complain about and overall seem a pretty contented bunch. They are happy their firm is still growing, especially in Asia, but like the fact that the London office 'retains the feel of a comparatively small and sociable firm'. If you're looking for a close-knit working environment, a strong focus on training and an international dimension to your work, Dechert is a good place to try.

A day in the life of.....

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About the firm

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