Kennedys |

Kennedys is a global law firm with expertise in dispute resolution and advisory services. With over 2,750 people worldwide across 47 offices in the UK, Europe, Middle East, Asia Pacific and America we have some of the most respected legal minds in their field.

Our lawyers handle both contentious and non-contentious matters, and provide a range of specialist legal services, for many industry sectors but we have particular expertise in litigation and dispute resolution, especially in defending insurance and liability claims.

We're a fresh-thinking firm, and we're not afraid to bring challenging new perspectives to the table way beyond the traditional realm of legal services. We empower our clients with a diverse range of ideas, tools and technology to make their lives easier, as well as delivering exceptional results, every time.

Our culture and values form a big part of who we are and we take them seriously. We make a difference by being approachable, straightforward, supportive and distinctive. Our values are at the core of who we are and what make us a great firm to work with and for.

Our graduate training programmes are designed to develop lawyers who will be the future of Kennedys. Many of our partners began their life in law as a trainee with us. Our training programmes provide practical legal experience allowing you to develop skills that will set you up in your career as a lawyer. We also offer exciting secondment opportunities to other offices and clients around the globe.

Our two-year training contract allows you to develop relevant experience and skills that will set you up in your career as an excellent solicitor. During your training contract, you’ll complete four six-month seats across our core practice areas of Insurance and Reinsurance, Liability and Commercial. We also offer exciting secondment opportunities to global offices and UK clients.

The 30 month training programme will involve working alongside our experienced lawyers in one of our legal teams, whilst studying with BPP one day per week. In addition to a dedicated supervisor at Kennedys, you will have a tutor and skills coach at BPP, to ensure that you have all the support you need at work and with your studies.

Over the course of the programme, you will gain Qualifying Work Experience (QWE) by working alongside experienced legal professionals on real cases, whilst studying towards a Level 6 CILEX qualification, developing your legal knowledge and skills. You will also prepare for and complete the SQE, paving the way to becoming a qualified solicitor.

This route provides an alternative to the traditional rotational training contract and allows you to earn while you learn, building a solid foundation for a successful legal career

Our two year traineeships offer the perfect balance of early exposure to responsibility and the realities of litigation together with support and guidance to elevate your knowledge, skills and understanding.  Supportive and experienced colleagues will mentor you to ensure you get the most out of the opportunities that come with working in a fast-paced global law firm.

As specialists in litigation and all things insurance, you will spend time between our offices in Edinburgh and Glasgow developing commercial and tactical awareness alongside technically excellent team-mates.  Throughout your time training with us, you will see a wide variety of cases involving complex and sensitive issues and work closely with clients which will set you up for a successful and exciting career as a qualified lawyer.

We are proud that Kennedys is made up of individuals who come from all over the world and bring with them their own cultures, languages, backgrounds and experiences. We embrace, value and celebrate difference because we understand that diverse perspectives and experiences help us solve the toughest challenges and make us a better law firm.

We view diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) as a key priority. We understand that it is crucial to represent the diversity of our people, our clients and our communities. In line with our core values of being approachable, straightforward, supportive and distinctive, we aim to create an inclusive culture in which everyone, regardless of their background, identity or circumstance, is celebrated, can be their authentic selves and thrive at work. Building a diverse and inclusive firm is essential for our future success. It will help us to attract and retain the best talent, drive innovation, and deliver the best experience for our people and clients.

Further information can be found here.

The aim of our virtual work experience programme is to widen access to legal work experience to a diverse range of students and provide a unique insight into law and Kennedys. Our virtual work experience will allow you to take the first step of your legal career with a global law firm that does things differently.