Win a Week’s Work Experience at Norton Rose Fulbright and a Trip to the Home of the Harlequins

Win a Week's Work Experience at Norton Rose Fulbright and a Trip to the Home of the Harlequins

Harlequins rugby club and Norton Rose Fulbright have been partners for over ten years. The partnership is built around the pillars of quality, unity and integrity, values which unite both organisations. But what is it that makes us a truly great pairing? 

To be in with a chance to win a week of work experience at the Norton Rose Fulbright London office and an unforgettable experience at the Stoop, the home of Harlequins we want you to answer the following question:

What do a premiership rugby team and a global law firm have in common?

Are you in?

Get your team together. Each team needs to consist of a minimum of three and a maximum of four per team with at least one of your team studying a non-legal subject. All entrants must be undergraduates at a UK University.

You can answer the question by creating a video (no more than 240 seconds) or with a 300 word written answer. We also need a short team summary (no more than 200 words) to let us know who you are!

Submit your entry here

Key dates

Deadline: 17:00 GMT on Wednesday January 23, 2019

The final: Friday February 22, 2019

An unforgettable day at the Stoop: Friday April 12, 2019

The Prizes

Each member of the team that comes out on top will win a work experience placement at Norton Rose Fulbright, and each member of the top three teams will win a trip to the home of Harlequins at the Stoop for an unforgettable day. The most sporting team on the day will win some Harlequins merchandise!

So, in short, our prizes will give you first-hand experience of life at our practice, and an insight into the work of one of our clients. And it will hopefully be the first step towards and great and lasting partnership with us.

Follow the link for full terms and conditions

The Partnership

Norton Rose Fulbright has enjoyed a successful relationship with Harlequins since it first became a partner in 2007. The partnership is built around the pillars of quality, unity and integrity, values which unite both organisations. Find out more about Harlequins and the Harlequins foundation.

Travers Smith LGBT+ Inclusion in Law Event – 17 January

Travers Smith LGBT+ Inclusion in Law Event - 17 January

Travers Smith is delighted to be hosting an event in partnership with myGwork to discuss LGBT+ inclusion in law.

This evening session, to be held on 17 January, is an opportunity for aspiring solicitors to listen to LGBT+ leaders and role models, and explore what more can be done to create fully inclusive workplaces where people can be their authentic selves, comfortable in their own identity. The session will be followed by drinks and canapés where you will be able to meet members of Travers Smith’s LGBT+ Group, straight ally colleagues as well as many of the firm’s current trainees. Everyone is welcome!

Click here to apply.

Taylor Wessing Vacation Scheme Insider

Taylor Wessing Vacation Scheme Insider

Future Taylor Wessing trainee Simone Thomas extols the virtues of the international firm’s Lex 100 award-winning vacation scheme

Simone Thomas

University: University of Birmingham

Degree: LLB for Graduates
________________________________________

About me

Prior to completing my law degree in the UK, I lived in New York and attended Binghamton University. There I played NCAA college basketball and did a Bachelor of Science in Cell and Molecular Biology. Coming from a life sciences background, I was initally drawn to the legal aspects surrounding the patenting of new drugs and the regulatory issues that are associated with the shift to personalised medicine. It wasn’t long before I realised that I could not only utilise my life sciences degree in my legal career, but that it was actually highly sought after. Attending several open day events solidified my interest in pursuing a career in law.

Why Taylor Wessing?

After speaking to many trainees at various firms, it became clear to me that it is often the case that future trainees will have a very strong preference for a specific practice area. However, it is quite rare that they actually end up qualifying into that department. Although I have a strong interest in patents and life sciences and Taylor Wessing is very strong in these areas, I wanted to apply to firms that are also well rounded and have strong teams in other practice areas. Training with Taylor Wessing would allow me to learn from top experts in private client and TMT (technology, media and telecom) to name a few.

In terms of culture, I was impressed with every single interaction I had with members of the Taylor Wessing staff. I was first introduced to Taylor Wessing by a partner in the data protection team and a University of Birmingham alumnus, when he gave a talk at the school. I was surprised by his genuine willingness to help and his commitment to giving back to his alma mater. When I got the opportunity to attend an open day at the London office, the managing partner, Tim Eyles, took the time to speak to the attendees about the future of the law profession and the role of a trainee – something I’ve never experienced with any other firm. This openness and approachability can be seen throughout the firm and, combined with the quality of work, is a large part of the reason I chose to apply for a vac scheme at Taylor Wessing.

Culture

My vacation scheme lasted two weeks; I spent the first week in the tax department and the second week in the IP and media department. In both departments, all the trainees, associates and partners were very friendly and welcoming. They all made the effort to come around to the office where I was sitting and introduce themselves. This made me feel comfortable straight away and made it much easier to approach anyone with any questions I had. I also had a ‘trainee buddy’ in each department who was there to help me get assignments started on the right foot and give me little tips throughout the week.

Throughout the two weeks there were various social events we were invited to attend. During the first week, the firm treated us and some of the trainees to drinks and canapes at Flight Club, where we played darts and got to know our fellow vac schemers and the trainees better. It was a really nice way to add some friendly competition to the evening. The following week, our trainee buddies had organised a fantastic dinner for us on the rooftop terrace of the Madison. It was a great chance for us to learn from the trainees and have an informal discussion about what life as a Taylor Wessing trainee is like.

Finally, on the last evening, we had a farewell drinks reception celebrating all of our hard work and accomplishments over the last two weeks. It was at this event that I realised that I could really see myself working at Taylor Wessing and the people I met over the past two weeks could not only be co-workers but also friends.

Work

The work that I did was both interesting and challenging and gave me a good insight into the type of work that a trainee does on a day-to-day basis. I was also impressed at the variety of work that I was given. Because I met so many people within each department, I received a wide range of work from paralegals, trainees, associates, senior counsels and even partners. The type of assignments I got included proofreading, drafting brand updates for the website, summarising recent changes to the law on trade secrets and reasearching the tax implications of mixed-use properties.

Vac schemers also got the opportunity to attend the Blackfriars Settlement pro bono clinic, which is run by the trainees on a weekly rota. It was nice to see such a high level of involvement and such a deep commitment to giving back to the community.

Finally, the work you will receive on the vac scheme is not just limited to individual assignments. At the beginning of the two weeks we were also given a group project. On the final day of the placement, each group had to present our ideas on how to ensure the future success of the firm. This gave us an opportunity to showcase how well we work as a team and also gain a better understanding of the future direction of the firm – something that we all hoped to be a part of!

I highly suggest applying for a vacation scheme at Taylor Wessing. Their unique recruitment model means that there is no need to reapply for a training contract. While this may seem like there is intense pressure to perform well on the vac scheme, it also means that you get a greater opportunity to show your authentic self and learn as much as you can about the firm. Taking this approach, I met many amazing people and learned as much as I could, confirming that I would fit in well and be very happy as a trainee at Taylor Wessing.

Apply for the Taylor Wessing vacation scheme by 14 January.

Clifford Chance IGNITE: a law tech training contract

Clifford Chance IGNITE: a law tech training contract

First came a Tech Academy, an online portal through which employees can access support, guidance and development tools that focus on technology. Then a partnership with Lexoo, a law tech company, was launched for future trainees with an interest in, and aptitude for, technology. Now, those with a dual interest in law and technology have hit the jackpot with Clifford Chance’s (CC) law tech training contract, IGNITE.

That’s right, having to decide between a career in technology or law is now a thing of the past, because with IGNITE, trainees complete the necessary training required to qualify as a solicitor, whilst also gaining expertise in technology, related products and their application in the legal industry. This puts the trainees (and the firm) in a great position to deal with the technological changes and advances that continue to revolutionize the industry.

What will it be like?
On the whole, IGNITE will mirror the structure of a traditional training contract – four seats, all six months in duration, culminating in an offer to join one of CC’s six practice areas. The key difference however, is that trainees on the IGNITE programme will have time away from fee-earning tasks (in one or two seats) to devote to developing their knowledge of technology and how it applies to legal practice and client matters. They will work with the firm’s Best Delivery team members, tech advisors and other staff on live projects. They’ll also get to interact with clients to provide solutions to the challenges they face. ‘IGNITE trainees will play a pivotal role in increasing the value we add to our clients. They will use tech solutions to improve our provision of legal services in ways I can’t yet imagine’ said Laura Yeates, Head of Graduate Talent.

Why’s it been created?
Clifford Chance’s law tech training contract is the first of its kind in the industry and forms part of the firm’s long-term strategy to become the global law firm of choice. The training programme was created to address the increasing need for lawyers to be well equipped to deal with the tech-related issues faced by clients and, in addition, be in a position to provide suggestions on how workplace practices can be improved with digital innovations. Michael Bates, the firm’s regional managing partner, explained further that: ‘We know we must continually challenge ourselves to guide our clients through game-changing opportunities and risks, both now and into the future. Law tech is changing the face of our industry and we want to be at the forefront of that change. We’re committed to driving a culture that embraces digital thinking across each of our practice areas and we hope that these trainees will go to make significant change in their practice areas upon qualifying’.

Who is it for?
As far as who the ideal candidate for IGNITE is, there really is no set list of characteristics that CC is looking for. The firm is open to applications from individuals from a variety of degree disciplines and experiences. All that is a definite (and reasonable!) requirement is an interest in law and technology. You can be a computer science student or a graduate of biochemical engineering, be studying for a PhD in physics or be a non-law student/graduate that’s developed an app or learnt how to code on weekends. So long as you’ve got a genuine interest in law tech and believe you have skills that could be of benefit to the firm, the IGNITE training contract is open to you.

What else should I know?
In line with the firm’s tech-related offerings, CC has organised an open day specifically for STEM students. INTERFACE will be a day-long event on 29 November designed to give attendees an idea of what Clifford Chance is doing in the broader sphere of STEM-related activity, and naturally, there will be a focus on technology as part of that. Yeates urges those interested in applying for IGNITE to attend the INTERFACE open day prior to submitting their application, ‘that way they have really researched [how Clifford Chance is engaging with technology], and have gained the information and support that they probably need to make a great application’. For those unable to attend INTERFACE, CC will be at various campus events running sessions on law tech and discussing the various opportunities available to STEM students at the firm.

How do I apply?
To apply to attend INTERFACE and/or for the IGNITE training contact, click here.

Click here to view the IGNITE video.

A&O opening Fuse tech lab for third round as it partners on £1.2m AI legal services project

A&O opening Fuse tech lab for third round as it partners on £1.2m AI legal services project

Allen & Overy (A&O) will open its technology incubator space Fuse to a third group of companies from early next year, as it partners with a University of Oxford AI project.

The firm announced on December 13 that applications to enter Fuse will be welcomed from companies until 25 January. A selection pitch to the firm will follow in February before successful applicants move into the space shortly after. Both early stage and mature companies can apply, joining Fuse for about six months.

Shruti Ajitsaria, head of Fuse, commented: ‘Fuse acts as a radar enabling us to understand what is out there in terms of technology-driven solutions to the challenges that our lawyers and clients face every day. Selecting a new cohort will enable us to continue to be a destination and a collaborative partner for best-in-class tech companies with whom we find synergies.’

The firm rewired its Fuse initiative last April, when the incubator announced a host of established names to take part in the second cohort. Last time around incumbent companies Avvoka, Legatics and Nivaura all retained their places, while Bloomsbury AI, Neota Logic and the highly-rated Kira Systems made up the new additions. The second cohort also saw companies without an explicit legal focus win spots, such as AI company Signal Media.

Magic Circle counterparts Slaughter and May and technology powerhouse Thomson Reuters are both primed to launch their own tech incubators next year, directly competing with established names such as Mishcon de Reya’s MDR LABS and Dentons’ Nextlaw Labs and Nextlaw Ventures.

A&O, meanwhile, has also been named a partner to the University of Oxford’s AI and legal services project. The project was recently awarded £1.2m by the Economic and Social Research Council, which will be used to fund the ‘Unlocking the Potential of AI for English Law’ project.

The initiative will see the university’s law, economics, social policy, computer science and education departments collaborate. The research team will then work with private-sector partners to address research questions such as AI’s potential for dispute resolution and applying AI to legal reasoning. A&O joins Slaughters, The Law Society and Thomson Reuters, among others, as project partners.

thomas.alan@legalease.co.uk

Norton Rose Fulbright launches business and legal operations graduate scheme

Norton Rose Fulbright launches business and legal operations graduate scheme

A new scheme focusing on business and legal operations is the latest graduate offering from international firm Norton Rose Fulbright.

In keeping with the firm’s pledge to provide more complex and sophisticated client solutions, the scheme encompasses developments in legal technology and new business approaches.

Graduates will undertake four six-month rotations in the following departments: business solutions, commercial management, innovation, legal project management and pricing and resource management.

Two roles will be available in March 2019, followed by a further four starting in September 2019. Recruits will be based in Norton Rose Fulbright’s London office, with opportunities to work with the Innovation Team based at the firm’s Newcastle Hub. The role could also involve shorter placements in one of the firm’s international offices.

David Carter, commercial director, commented: “We are delighted to offer a comprehensive business and legal operations graduate scheme. The scheme reflects the immediate need for new team members, to meet both client and internal demand following the early success of NRF Transform, our global change and innovation programme. The scheme also reflects our commitment to build the teams involved for the long term.”

Matrin McCann, partner, global head of business and global sponsor of NRF Transform commented: “Everything that is exciting about the legal sector at the moment is reflected in this graduate scheme. The delivery of legal services is “transforming” and the leading law firms know that their future success is linked to how they adjust the traditional model. This is a chance for ambitious graduates to join the teams we have in London and in our Newcastle Hub, helping us to deliver a consistently better service to clients.”

Click here to apply for the graduate scheme.

To see Norton Rose Fulbright’s full Lex 100 training contract profile, click here.

ICSA Essay Writing Competition – Win £1000!

ICSA Essay Writing Competition - Win £1000!

Are you a student, recent graduate or governance professional at the start of your career? Fancy a chance of winning £1000 (or £500 as a runner-up)? If so, make sure you enter ICSA’s essay-writing competition which will run from 7 January 2019 until 18 March 2019.

The essay question will be made available when the competition launches, so watch this space!

To find out more visit: www.icsa.org.uk/tmep or contact ICSA’s Student Engagement Officer, Costa Roussis: croussis@icsa.org.uk

Pay boosts and bonuses for Slaughters juniors

Pay boosts and bonuses for Slaughters juniors

Bonuses and salary increases are on the cards for trainees, newly-qualified (NQ) and junior lawyers at Magic Circle giant Slaughter and May.

Trainees will now earn £45,000 in their first year and £51,000 in the second year of their training contract.

NQ lawyers will earn £83,000, rising to £86,000 once they have six months post-qualification experience (PQE) under their belt. One-year PQE associates will be remunerated with £89,000 and one-and-a-half-year PQE lawyers will receive £93,750.

Bonuses will also be dished out to associates who demonstrate a ‘good or exceptional level of performance’. NQs will receive a bonus equivalent to 8.25% of their basic salary whilst the bonuses handed to trainees and support staff will amount to 3% of their base salaries.

To see Slaughter and May’s full Lex 100 profile, click here.

News round-up, 12 December

News round-up, 12 December

Need help developing your commercial awareness? Here’s a round-up of some interesting news stories from around the web.

1. May to fight confidence vote – and says: ‘I’m ready to finish the job’ [via Sky News]

2. Sainsbury’s and Asda appeal for extra time to deal with watchdog’s merger probe [via The Independent]

3. Home Office delays plan to suspend ‘golden visas’ for super-rich foreign nationals [via The Independent]

4. Google invests in London property tech start-up AskPorter [via Evening Standard]

5. Victoria Beckham’s fashion HQ in London sold to Middle Eastern investor [via Evening Standard]

6. Former Tesco bosses cleared as £250 million fraud trial collapses [via Evening Standard]

7. Dixons Carphone loses £440m in six months [via The Guardian]

European Court of Justice makes landmark Brexit ruling as Fieldfisher prevails in $1.9bn Ukrainian banking dispute

European Court of Justice makes landmark Brexit ruling as Fieldfisher prevails in $1.9bn Ukrainian banking dispute

As a crunch parliamentary vote on Theresa May’s Brexit deal looks to be postponed, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) has ruled the UK is free to unilaterally revoke its decision to a divorce from the EU.

The landmark ruling means that UK parliament can instruct the government to bring an end to the Brexit process, if it so wishes.

The dispute pitted a batch of Scottish anti-Brexit politicians, namely Andy Wightman, Ross Greer, Alyn Smith, David Martin, Catherine Stihler, and Joanna Cherry against the government, the Council of the EU and the European Commission.

As a result of the ruling, the argument from the two EU institutions that the consent of the other 27 member states would be needed for the UK to revoke its withdrawal was defeated.

Hogan Lovells’ public law partner Charles Brasted commented: ‘In the long-term, practical questions remain as to whether, if the circumstances were to arise, the option for the UK to outstay its welcome is politically realistic. In the more immediate term, confirmation that the UK can still choose to remain in the EU is likely to harden minds, and cause more entrenchment, on both sides of the political divide against the compromises presented by the government’s deal.’

A raft of lawyers were enlisted for the case, with the anti-Brexit politicians represented by Edinburgh firm Balfour + Manson, which instructed Matrix Chambers’ Aidan O’Neill QC as lead counsel. He was supported by Brick Court’s Maya Lester QC, and Jolyon Maugham QC’s Good Law Project offered crowdfunding support.

Blackstone Chambers’ Thomas de la Mare QC acted for the government, while London firm Bindmans advised MPs Chris Leslie and Tom Brake who intervened in favour of the anti-Brexit politicians.

Meanwhile, Fieldfisher has successfully represented Ukrainian oligarch Ihor Kolomoisky in a case against the eastern European nation’s largest bank, PrivatBank.

Kolomoisky, and fellow defendant Gennadiy Bogolyubov, had been accused by the bank of defrauding it out of $1.91bn, with PrivatBank subsequently attempting to impose a worldwide freezing injunction (WFO) on them. Both men were the majority shareholders in the bank prior to its nationalisation in Ukraine in December 2016.

In the High Court, Justice Fancourt dismissed the WFO after identifying ‘serious non-disclosure and misrepresentation’ by PrivatBank in its claim. As a result, Justice Fancourt ruled that the maximum possible value of PrivatBank’s claim should be slashed from $1.91bn to just $515m.

Fieldfisher partner Andrew Lafferty, who led on the case, told Legal Business: ‘Our client has always maintained that the bank’s claims were politically motivated and misconceived. The judge has found that at least three quarters of their claim was not arguable at all.

‘As a firm we may have hidden our light under a bushel when it comes to disputes, despite historically working on some big claims. It’s great to have our name associated with such a high-profile dispute.’

PrivatBank was represented by Hogan Lovells, while Bogolyubov was advised by Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom.

tom.baker@legalease.co.uk