Sullivan & Cromwell LLP

Introduction

Sullivan & Cromwell provides the highest quality legal advice and representation to clients around the world. The results we achieve have set us apart for nearly 130 years and become a model for the modern practice of law.

At S&C, there is no such thing as second best – our culture of meritocracy, responsibility and opportunity ensures the success of each and every new employee.

S&C has more than 700 lawyers across an international network of 12 offices on four continents. We maintain a unified firm culture worldwide and provide our clients with highly integrated advice on a global basis. The office locations represent our strategy to be present in key financial and business centres where our clients are active.

Clients include corporates, financial institutions, governments and private clients in Europe, Africa and the Middle East, the Gulf regions, and Central Asia

The Firm History

Since its foundations in New York in 1879, S&C has been involved in some of the most significant business transactions and developments. This extends from working on the development and financing of the Panama Canal to advising governments, companies and investment banks on many of the major privatisations in the UK and Europe and being at the forefront of most of the major transactions and developments during the global financial crisis of 2008.

S&C London

The London office, established in 1972, is S&C’s largest office after New York. There are approximately 75 English, US and dual-qualified lawyers who adopt a multi-disciplinary approach, advising across a core number of corporate practice areas.

Opportunities at Sullivan & Cromwell

Our success is the result of the quality of our lawyers, the most broadly and deeply trained team of lawyers in the world.

Since 1999, S&C’s London office has included partners and associates advising on English and EU law. Over the past decade, we have taken a series of initiatives to strengthen and develop our English and EU law practice, while continuing to grow the practice organically

Training contracts with S&C will be divided into four six-month seats, covering at least three practice areas. As a trainee you will, in each seat, be supervised by a partner who is a leader in his or her field, as well as other senior lawyers, to guide you through your work and help ensure that you are engaged and challenged by interesting work. The partners and senior lawyers you are working with will ensure that you see a range of outstanding work, and receive guidance to help you make the transition from academic study to legal practice.

We will offer our trainees the opportunity to do superior work, meet exceptional people and grow in a supportive culture. We aim to distinguish our trainee programme by offering genuine mentoring from partners and senior lawyers who will take a keen interest in your career development.

In addition to our trainees undertaking international work daily, we will aim to provide trainees who are interested in spending time in one of our other offices with the opportunity to do so during their training contract. This will primarily be in our New York office, although there may also be openings for trainees to spend time in one of our offices in Europe or Asia.

Training

When you join us, you will take part in an induction programme. You will also attend our week long orientation programme in New York, learning more about the Firm and getting to know your colleagues from elsewhere in our network.

Throughout your training contract, you will attend regular formal group training sessions on the key building blocks of commercial legal practice. These will include a training programme designed specifically for trainees and given by our partners and associates, as well as external speakers and training providers.

Who should apply

If you are interested in working with the world’s leading companies on their most challenging matters, and you feel that you have the qualities we are looking for, we encourage you to apply for a training contract with us.