In this section you'll find different views on life as a trainee and an insight into what the training contract really involves.
These articles have been written by those who have either been through the process already or who are currently undertaking a trainee contract. You'll get to see why they chose Bird & Bird, how they cope and what you can expect on the trainee programme.
Dan Eliasson, Associate
Bird & Bird was suggested to me by a tutor at law school. I was told that the firm offered a very structured and supportive training contract and that the people were friendly and approachable - an ideal environment for a trainee.
From my first seat in the Employment Group, I realised that the work would be interesting and challenging, and I was pleasantly surprised at the level of responsibility I was given and the degree of support I received from my mentor.
At the start of my second year, I was given the opportunity of a 3 month secondment to Bird & Bird’s Madrid office (with 14 offices across Europe and Asia, the firm has grown incredibly since 2000). My Spanish secondment gave me the chance to work in other key sectors that I had not already been exposed to, helped my overall development as a lawyer, and also gave me some great Spanish contacts.
The firm has a wide variety of social activities such as football, cricket and softball to get involved in – an annual highlight being the inter-office five-a-side European Football Championship! During the summer I captained the softball team, which provided a great way of getting to know people from all departments within the firm.
Whatever department you work in at Bird & Bird, it’s very clear that you’re part of a team and work for each other. The reward for all this is a challenging and stimulating environment, and a real work-life balance.
Matthew Pack
My first contact with Bird & Bird was as a student on the summer vacation scheme in 2006, and I am pleased to say that my experiences during that scheme set the tone for my training contract.
I was originally attracted to the firm due to its exceptional reputation in its technology and telecoms sector groups, and have been able to experience both of these areas during my first three London seats in IP, Dispute Resolution and Commercial practice groups. Each training seat enables you to develop your practical knowledge of areas in where you’ve expressed an interest, and supervisors encourage trainees to take-on as much responsibility as possible.
While I have regularly felt challenged by my work, I have never felt “out of my depth” largely due to a strong network of available support. Each trainee is assigned an Associate mentor, giving you a permanent source of advice irrespective of your current department. Also, the firm has a broad “open-door” culture ensuring that you can always seek clarification and guidance from partners and fee earners on your day-to-day work.
The firm has undergone significant expansion since I completed my vacation scheme, and this provides some excellent opportunities for trainees to become involved in cross-border cases and transactions, and for secondments to one of the firm’s international offices. I am currently on secondment to the Helsinki office, working in the Commercial Group for three months, and enjoying the experience immensely!
Phillipa Lambert
I began my training contract at Bird & Bird in September 2008 and cannot believe that I am already in my fourth seat. Over the last two years my time with the firm has been incredibly varied. My first seat was in the Corporate department, followed by Intellectual Property and then Commercial. I am currently on secondment in Madrid for the next three months which is a great opportunity to experience and get involved with the day to day work carried out in one of our international offices.
As a trainee at Bird & Bird, I have been given a great amount of responsibility throughout my training contract. This can be very challenging, but I have learnt a lot and have had great support from the Partners and my supervisor.My greatest experience to date has been, without a doubt, preparing the first draft of a contract for a senior partner in the firm. I certainly feel that when I qualify in a few months time, Bird & Bird has more than equipped me with the building blocks and expertise required of a qualified solicitor.