How far has the firm lived up to your expectations?

After the process of researching and applying to their ideal firm, trainees at these Lex 100 Winner firms weren’t disappointed with their decisions as their training contracts have met, and in some cases exceeded, their expectations. Trainees at Kirkland & Ellis were impressed by how ‘ambitious and dynamic’ the firm is to work for, with ‘extremely driven’ colleagues ‘pushing forward in the same direction’. At Michelmores recruits were delighted to discover they could maintain ‘the same profile of work and clients’ as at larger firms whilst still working ‘reasonable hours’. Osborne Clarke’s ‘investment in you as an individual’ is manifested in ‘proactivity of trainee supervisors’. Those who applied to Akin Gump for its ‘international transactional focus’ enjoyed being involved in ‘managing the closing packs for a massive multi-jurisdictional transaction’. Brabners’ ‘excellent name for training and quality of work’ rings true as ‘partners and other solicitors are willing to spend time to assist you, not just to get a piece of work correct, but to help develop you as a lawyer’. Those who applied to US firm Goodwin Procter were pleasantly surprised to find that it offered ‘American wages but a European culture, with top legal brains – the dream’. Latham & Watkins’ ‘market-leading reputation’ for ‘high-profile work’ proved to be ‘unrivalled amongst other US firms in London’. Similarly, the expectation that Forsters ‘combines the quality of work of a larger City firm with the atmosphere of a smaller, West-End practice’ was confirmed once trainees had started their training.