Survey Results - Trainee feedback on Osborne Clarke
Survey Results - Trainee feedback on
The lowdown - Trainees (in their own words) on Osborne Clarke
Why did you choose this firm over any others? ‘It’s one of the top Bristol firms’, ‘the general culture and inclusivity, coupled with the approach to work and type of clients’, ‘I wanted to be able to work as a solicitor without constant intense pressure and the frequent need to work at weekends’, ‘Because I was aware of some people that worked at the firm who were genuinely lovely people and thought if they wanted to work here, there must be something special about OC’, ‘its diverse, friendly culture coupled with market-leading, cutting-edge innovative work’, ‘I had attended a number of grad recruitment events at OC and the culture of the firm stood out for me’
Best thing about the firm? ‘I have never felt like a cog or that there was a ‘face culture’ at OC’, ‘the people are very friendly and always willing to help you learn. I haven’t come across one bad person at the firm’, ‘the firm is growing as a business which makes it feel like this is a good place to peg a career’, ‘the people and the culture’, ‘the friendly buzz around the place coupled with the desire to attain the highest level work possible’, ‘the culture – everyone is excellent at their job and also very nice!’, ‘the friendliness of everyone’, ‘the work/life balance’
Worst thing about the firm? ‘The office attendance policy’, ‘the Thames Valley office is sometimes not considered with the same regard as the London and Bristol offices’, ‘lack of international secondments (especially at a junior/trainee level)’, ‘the facilities aren’t the most slick [in the London office]. The toilets aren’t that nice and the coffee machines on the office floors aren’t very good’, ‘some of the teams have a reputation for a high workload without guidance, and un-professional managers’, ‘the pay on qualification’
Best moment? Attending a swanky networking event with clients’, ‘attending a High Court appeal’, ‘overseeing a transaction end-to-end as the main point of contact with both the client and the other side’, ‘A secondment to a well-known coffee shop chain – which included an international visit to OC Netherlands and the Amsterdam Roasting plant!’, ‘receiving recognition awards and positive feedback from clients and supervisors’, ‘the start of my second year when I started building up confidence and got a seat in the team I wanted most (commercial), in which I got to meet amazing people and do super interesting cutting-edge work’
Worst moment? ‘Moving between seats – starting in a new team, having to build up trust and responsibilities is a mental challenge each time’, ‘I’ve had periods with very little work, which have been very boring’, ‘having to work past 8pm on one Friday’, ‘late-night bundling’, ‘my first seat was very tough; the learning curve was steep and I struggled to keep up at times’, ‘the very occasional ultra-late night (but this is very, very rare!)’, ‘the NQ process, but only because it’s the unknown and daunting’, ‘my computer crashed on the last working day before Easter and I lost a large amount of work. I had to re-do it all’
The Legal 500 Future Lawyers verdict on Osborne Clarke
‘Future-facing’ Osborne Clarke’s ‘business strategy, exciting practice areas and reputation for a good workplace culture’ couldn’t keep trainees away. The international firm offers training contracts in Bristol, Reading, Thames Valley and London and offers the enviable combination of ‘high-calibre clients and a realistic work/life balance’. Indeed, recruits feel that ‘the balance between work and play is ‘great for a firm of our size – it’s very rare’. The culture of Osborne Clarke is also unique: ‘you are always encouraged to be 100% yourself at work’. Several respondents applied because they wanted to stay in Bristol and found the firm to be the most ‘competitive and market-leading’ in the city. The training is ‘AMAZING!’ and the firm ‘does an excellent job of teaching its trainees’. Recruits get loads of responsibility from an early stage and ‘are usually liaising with an associate on the other side’. That there are ‘disparities between UK offices on a number of fronts’, including facilities and pay, irritated some trainees. Others criticised the flexible working policy, which ‘isn’t that well enforced’ and means that ‘unfortunately, seniors don’t come in as often as would be useful for the development of trainees and juniors’. Luckily, the people at Osborne Clarke are ‘approachable, generous with their time and want to see you succeed’. Trainees enjoy being part of a larger cohort; ‘we all get on really well and it acts as a great support system’ And colleagues aren’t just supportive in a professional sense, they’re also a sociable bunch too. As one respondent neatly summed up: ‘there are very few people at Osborne Clarke that I wouldn’t be happy to go for a pint with’! For ‘market-leading, cutting-edge, innovative work’ in a firm where ‘the people really make it’, research Osborne Clarke.
About the firm
The firm: Osborne Clarke is a future-focused international legal practice with more than 1,600 talented lawyers in 26 offices around the world. We have an incredible client base ranging from FTSE 100 companies to disruptive start-ups, spanning some of the most cutting-edge sectors of business.
The clients: Investec; Gazeley; Square Enix; Silicon Valley Bank; Western Power Distribution; QinetiQ.
The deals: https://www.osborneclarke.com/news.
Partner in charge: Conrad Davies
Senior partner: Peter Clough
Other offices: Amsterdam, Barcelona, Berlin, Bristol, Brussels, Busto Arsizio, Cologne, Hamburg, Madrid, Miami, Milan, Munich, New York, Paris, Rome, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, Stockholm, Thames Valley, Warsaw, Zaragoza.
Who we are: Osborne Clarke is a successful legal practice with a global footprint and a clear strategic vision, working alongside interesting clients on their most vital matters. We are a firm that never stands still, that cares about its people, and invests in the future.
What we do: At Osborne Clarke the challenges of tomorrow are the focus of today. By zeroing in on digitalisation, decarbonisation and urban dynamics as the key areas transforming the way we live, work and do business, we’ve been able to hone our knowledge and expertise to the changes that will have the biggest impact for both our clients, and the world around us.
Legal expertise is at the heart of everything we do. But what makes us distinctive? For a start, you will get involved in truly fascinating work. The variety of our deals and the diversity of our clients provide an exciting and immersive commercial framework. This is a firm where fresh ideas are highly prized, and we’re never afraid to take a view. We know first-hand what inviting a diversity of perspectives delivers – creativity, innovation and a truly inspiring workplace. That’s why there’s no one type of Osborne Clarke lawyer. And why your story, your ideas and who you are matter from day one.
What we’re looking for: We’re looking for the qualities that make a great Osborne Clarke lawyer. The ability to listen, learn and collaborate; a passion for client service; a genuine interest in the business environment; a problem-solving approach; and – of course – the drive and motivation to succeed. We have no minimum academic criteria, and use the Rare Contextual System to allow added appreciation of the context in which your academic achievements have been gained. We welcome applications from candidates seeking a career change.
What you’ll do: Your training at Osborne Clarke is exactly that: Yours. We offer a bespoke programme that evolves through continuous review and communication, created with your skills, ambitions and passions as the guiding principle. Following your time completing the SQE courses and examinations, you’ll embark on two years of different placements throughout the firm. These placements will give you the opportunity to broaden your skills through high levels of client exposure from the get-go. By the time you reach qualification you’ll know what you want to do and be prepared – and inspired – to do it. And it doesn’t stop there. Unlike other training programmes, ours extends into your first year as a qualified lawyer, where you’ll be given further support to develop specialist ‘future of work’ skills and, if you haven’t already, experience a secondment.
Beyond ensuring that our future lawyers have all the legal and technical training to succeed, we’re just as focused on what the human behind them needs. All of our trainees have a trusted support system that includes dedicated development managers and supervisors, mentors and a peer network active from the moment you accept your training contract offer. We also offer a flexible approach to connected working, with no expectation of five days in the office.
Perks: When you join us you’ll have the flexibility to select the benefits that are right for you. https://www.osborneclarke.com/careers/careers-in-the-uk/your-rewards.
Sponsorship
We pay candidates’ PGDL and SQE tuition fees, provided that they are no more than half way through either course when they are recruited. We also provide a maintenance grant for each course.
Seat options
Banking; commercial; commercial disputes; competition; construction and energy; construction disputes; contingent workforce; corporate; corporate tax; employment; FIG; incentives; IP disputes; pensions; planning and environment; project finance; projects; property disputes; real estate; regulatory disputes; restructuring and insolvency.
Tips from the recruiter
- Attention to detail is key – be sure to check your submission for any spelling or grammatical errors before you submit.
- Practise any psychometric tests before you attempt the real thing; this will help you feel more confident.
- Use AI wisely – it is a great research and refinement tool, but it will not be able to convey your personal motivations and authentic tone of voice.
Diversity and inclusion
Percentage of female associates: 59%
Percentage of female partners: 28%
Percentage of BAME associates: 12%
Percentage of BAME partners: 4%