Cleary Gottlieb offers an informal and collegial working environment that fosters the professional and personal growth of our lawyers. We seek individuals, both law and non-law graduates, who are confident in their abilities, creative in their thinking, and who display a strong measure of common sense and commercial awareness. To find future Cleary Gottlieb lawyers who possess these qualities, we look for academically strong candidates who are enthusiastic about the practice of law in a challenging and dynamic international setting.
By limiting our graduate intake to just ten trainees a year, we are able to offer bespoke training that is individually tailored to the interests, experience and aptitudes of the exceptional individuals that join us. We do not believe in a “one size fits all” training solution.
Salary and Benefits
We offer a market-leading salary and benefits package that reflects the premium nature of our practice and is commensurate with our aim to recruit only those individuals that we believe have the qualities necessary to become the leaders of the profession in the next generation. For those trainee solicitors joining us in 2007, salaries are:
£40,000 for the first twelve months
£45,000 for the second twelve months
£92,000 on qualification
These salaries are reviewed annually. Trainees may additionally receive a discretionary, year-end bonus. In keeping with the fundamental principles of the firm, the level of any bonus paid, whether to trainees or to associates, depends solely on seniority. We do not have individualised billing targets, and do not discriminate in the salary or bonus paid to equally qualified lawyers.
We fund the Legal Practice Course (LPC) for all our future trainee solicitors. For non-law graduates, we also fund the Common Professional Examination (CPE) or the Postgraduate Diploma in Law (GDL). We do not specify any particular course provider, but request that any elective subjects reflect the corporate and commercial nature of our practice. For each year of professional study, we pay a maintenance grant of £8,000.
Qualification Requirements
We receive a very high number of applications for training contracts each year. To succeed, candidates need to demonstrate exceptional academic ability. We normally expect candidates to attain at least a 2:1 degree from a leading university and AAB at A-Level or the equivalent. Alongside academic ability, we value evidence of extra-curricular achievement.
Trainee Solicitor Brochure
Click here to view our current Trainee Solicitor brochure.
How to Apply
Candidates for trainee solicitor positions should apply before July 31, two years in advance of the year in which the training contract is due to commence. All candidates should submit a cover letter and full curriculum vitae, including details of all public examination results. Candidates should include a breakdown by subject of all A-Level (or equivalent) results and degree results where known. Applications should indicate the email and postal address to which follow-up correspondence should be sent. Details of at least one academic referee should be included, whom we may choose to contact directly.
Applications should be addressed to Shaun Goodman, Graduate Recruitment Partner, and can be submitted through this website at www.clearygottlieb.com/london/apply/ or by post, to:
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP
City Place House
55 Basinghall Street
London
EC2V 5EH