Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP - True Picture

This Golden State giant has a shining reputation for its triple sector focus in finance, energy and tech.

Orrick training contract review 2025

The Firm



Exactly who comes to mind when you think about a triple threat? Zendaya, Hugh Jackman, Taron Egerton, and Lady Gaga can all sing, dance, and act, but we’re forgetting a major player here: Californian-born Orrick. Now, although we can’t testify for its musical or thespian prowess, we can recognise the firm’s strategic triple sector focus on finance, energy and infrastructure, and technology. Take this trainee’s word for it: “I thought it was really interesting and unique – the type of work they get, the clients they work with, and the industries they’re working in.” The firm has naturally attracted those interested in the start-up scene and renewable energy too: “Orrick was one of a few firms in the UK that had its main focus as the renewable energy sector.” Though the firm began its life in sunny San Francisco, it now has 25 bases across the globe and has been in London since Titanic won the Oscar for Best Picture in 1998 (not much singing or dancing in that film unfortunately). It’s also worth noting that Chambers UK recognises the firm as top of the podium for its work in private equity: venture capital investment and among the best for energy and natural resources: renewables and alternative energy and highly regarded international arbitration – how’s that for a triple threat?

“I’ve found it great doing a training contract with six seats because there’s more variety, and you could go back and do seats you really enjoyed!”

Explaining the training environment at the firm, training principal Sushila Nayak explains that “the firm tries very hard to create a culture of opportunity for our trainees. Because we typically have relatively small intakes, we try to make sure our trainees get as much substance as possible in each of the departments they sit in.” Small intakes are often cited by trainees as the reason for choosing a training contract at an American firm, but Orrick’s six-seat offering was also appealing for those who wanted as much variety in their experience as possible. The number of seats lived up to the expectations of interviewees too. “I’ve found it great doing a training contract with six seats because there’s more variety,” one was pleased to tell us, “and you could go back and do seats you really enjoyed or wanted to have more experience in!”

The Seats



With a six-seat training contract and a small trainee intake, the seat allocation process at Orrick was described by trainees as being both straightforward and informal: “By virtue of having a small trainee intake of five or six people, you get a much more tailored process.” Trainees have conversations with HR about what they’d like to do during their training contract, with preference given to those moving into their fourth and fifth seats.

Most popular among trainees was, perhaps unsurprisingly, the technology companies group seat, or TCG for those who know it well. To put it simply, this seat involves anything to do with the financing of startup companies; for example, the firm’s advisory work with Cable Tech, a Californian company with a financial risk control platform, on its £11 million Series A financing. Trainees told us that the firm works predominantly on the side of companies, but there’s also some investor-side work on the table. Typical tasks include working on ancillary and shareholder documents as well as consents, with the pace of the seat being something newbies enjoyed: “It’s quite fast-paced. They’ll want the deal closed within a few weeks, so you can see things through from start to finish.” This gives trainees the chance to see a high volume of work, as one exclaimed: “I think I did 30 distinct matters in four months! You do a lot of the same kind of work, but it changes each time you do a new deal.” Another agreed, expressing that “when you’re a trainee, it’s really helpful to be able to do the same sort of corporate transactions over and over again to understand what the basic legal documents are and tasks that are involved.” The seat also offers “a lot of client-facing contact which is unique. Because they tend to be younger company founders and everything’s a little less institutionalised, some people are happy for trainees to have direct contact with the clients which is cool.” Work also links to the firm’s other departments: “We might be working on a financing transaction, and the team would need commercial contracts or tax and incentive advice, so we’d put them in touch with that team. You feel like you’re at the hub of the firm!”

“You hear so much cropping up in the news, and you get to have an insight into how these things actually work.”

Another seat in demand among trainees was energy and infrastructure, where rookies can get involved in a huge variety of work within the energy sector. One happy source shared: “The energy team is great because it’s sector-focused. There’s M&A within it, a finance side of it, advisory, real estate, and commercial too!” The focus of the team is especially “surprising and unique because it’s almost 100% renewables-focused. Lots of firms talk about renewables but do oil and gas, whereas we do very little of that here.” This means that “you hear so much cropping up in the news, and you get to have an insight into how these things actually work.” A lot of what the team handles is related to “leading edge technology, newish areas of law which raise some interesting questions.” In terms of tasks, insiders spoke of contract negotiation, finance work looking at securities or projects, and comparing contracts and advising clients on the real estate side – generally, “a lot of research.” Typical clientele includes the likes of ExxonMobil, Microsoft, and Vinci Airports – all within the renewable energy and sustainability sector. The team have multiple newsletters that newbies are responsible for updating, as a source explained: “There’s a big focus on you being able to go through news coverage and pass that on to the rest of the team,” leading to another reason that this team is so well liked: “Everyone’s really informed about what’s happening in the industry.”

Over in finance, we heard that the team is involved in venture debt related to the TCG group’s work, as well as insolvency, restructuring, and CLOs. Different kinds of work naturally come with varied responsibilities, so insiders explained that venture debt transactions are “much smaller than traditional finance transactions, which is great because I got to work on two or three from start to finish and was involved in others at various stages too.” The restructuring side of things was described as “a little more research-focused, helping out with board minutes and such from meetings with companies.” CLO transactions are known for being “pretty doc-heavy, and you assist with the admin. It’s a small team, so they need trainee help in lots of different ways. It’s great to dive in and crack on with everything.” Sources also shared that they’d done plenty of work with Orrick’s international offices in this seat especially!

Moving onto contentious work, the international arbitration seat was one where interviewees told us that they were able to get experience across “some investor-state disputes and more small-scale corporate disputes work,” in addition to “some more ‘out-there’ private individual and state arbitrations, which were really exciting.” Newbies tend to do research for timelines, proofread, check documents, and write memos. One source explained that tasks feel substantive here, so “it feels like I can actually add more to the process rather than just manage a transaction.” Attending hearings was also a highlight for our insiders, who told us that “some of the documents are a bit different to the normal UK courts practice and certain sections of defence memos, so it’s a great experience to put pen to paper and draft sections within that.”

“Working on mammoth cases is really useful from a trainee perspective to get that exposure…”

In litigation, those we spoke to had similar experiences to arbitration and we heard that trainees in both seats often cross paths, as the teams work closely together with NQs who work across both teams too. Describing their time in the seat, one source detailed that it involved “lots of research, wrangling over academic legal points – which is quite a change – and a lot of disclosure and doc review.” Trainees were also able to attend hearings and draft letters and memos. The clients of the group vary in size: “On the one hand, you’re working with the big four accountancy firms in terms of negligence cases. Working on mammoth cases is really useful from a trainee perspective to get that exposure, but to contrast those bigger clients, sometimes you have the TCG clients that will have disputes along the way.” Insiders appreciated the exposure to smaller clients, as “they’re quite good to cut your teeth on – they’re usually smaller claims, which allows juniors to have a bit more exposure during that process.”

Trainee Life



Being in among the jungle of law firms found between Bank and St Paul’s, the Orrick office was described as very commutable and surrounded by fantastic food choices. Newbies sit in an office with their supervisor, making it “a lot easier to get to know someone – it can be a bit awkward if you’re sitting in a different place, having to manufacture reasons to go and talk to them.” The firm’s hybrid working policy allows everyone to work remotely for two days each week, but this does vary between teams and based on individual preferences. Working hours are also variable, though the average reported by our survey respondents was just over 50 hours a week – around ten hours above the market average. One trainee explained that their normal hours are between 40 and 45 a week, but that can hit highs of 60 during busier periods. While this can be a little crazy, a trainee assured us that “if you’re working hard, there’s no criticism if you have to take a few hours off or something like that. They’re pretty reasonable and try as hard as they can not to bother you on weekends or holidays.”

“We work hard but it’s not competitive between ourselves. Everyone’s collaborative with the way we work.”

Explaining the culture of the firm, an interviewee smiled: “The culture to a degree exudes that West Coast, happier vibe – maybe a bit more tech-focused, much more start-up than a lot of your white-shoe law firms on the East Coast,” adding that this “translates into things like the open-door policy for everyone up to the London managing partner!” And what does that look like day-to-day? “I think it’s rare, if ever, that you would meet someone you don’t think is nice and friendly,” one stated, with another agreeing: “We work hard but it’s not competitive between ourselves. Everyone’s collaborative with the way we work.” In terms of social events, we heard that the Christmas party is well attended as are any impromptu work drinks; there’s a drinks reception after the firm’s quarterly update which is a good opportunity to catch up with people too.

Insiders told us that their supervisors “take a real interest in development and giving constructive feedback, making sure that I’m getting really good work and not being overwhelmed with too much – because it’s easy for that to happen as a trainee!” The feedback from supervisors was also appreciated by those who felt that “they’ve really gone out of their way to elaborate on how to improve and build up legal skills.” The training received glowing reviews too, with a mixture of team-run, firm-wide, trainee-specific, and US-office driven trainings to sink your teeth into. There’s a lot of scope to train on the job too if that’s more your style, with one source enthusing that “the firm’s very keen to get trained up on legal tech and stuff like that, so that’s an area where there’s an abundance of opportunities to train on certain things.”

As is typical of American firms, Orrick takes pro bono very seriously with a mandate for its lawyers to get involved in some pro bono work each year. Sources told us that they’d gotten involved in projects helping the families of seriously ill children with caring and housing issues, alongside more practice-specific pro bono work including drafting corporate documents. In terms of salary, those we spoke to were very pleased, and the qualification process sounds like a breeze! An advantage of a small trainee intake is that these processes are more streamlined: “I had a chat with the partners in the team I wanted to join… and that was basically it. There was no interview process, no formal application or anything. It was very informal, and all five of us got kept on this year, which is great!” While the process can take slightly longer because hiring decisions are ultimately signed off by the firm’s San Fran homebase, the firm had a 100% retention rate this year, and “everyone got their picks in the end, so all’s well that ends well!”

The Grass is Always Greener…

Orrick’s Green Committee recently installed plants on their client floor and provided employees with a budget to buy a plant for their office!

How to get an Orrick training contract  



 

  • Vacation scheme deadline: 31 January 2025  
  • Training contract deadline: 30 April 2025  

Applications  

Orrick’s recruitment team usually attend between six to ten law fairs each year.   

Orrick’s vacation scheme is the preferred method of applying for a training contract with the firm. They offer 12-16 places each year on their vacation scheme, which is due to run in early July 2025. Candidates will sit with two different practice groups and will also be allocated a trainee buddy to support them during their time on the scheme. Candidates are assessed via feedback from the partners and associates they have worked with, scores from written and presentation exercises across the scheme as well, as a final interview at the end of the scheme.  

Orrick also offers the opportunity to apply directly for a training contract for those who can't attend a vacation scheme due to pre-existing commitments. The application form is the same for both routes of applying.  

Applicants are asked list all their academic achievements to date, from GCSEs to post graduate where applicable. Grades for each module studied at degree level are also expected. Director of Administration Halina Kasprowiak tells us: “We don’t have any kind of automatic sifting criteria.” She goes on to say that a 2:2 degree isn’t a deal-breaker, but such an application must stand out in other ways, and supporting academics must be impressive. The firm is, however, an avid user of contextual recruitment, and has used Rare Contextual Recruitment in their recruitment process since 2016. As part of their commitment to diversity & inclusion, they assess candidates' pre-undergraduate academics in context and look more closely at undergraduate and post-graduate grades.  

Applicants are also asked to flag any language skills and detail their work experience. “We're open about that,” says Kasprowiak. “You could have worked for a high-street solicitor or spent time at a set of chambers; it doesn’t have to be experience in a City practice, or even specific legal experience. Having worked in a pub or a shop doesn’t mean you don't have transferable skills relevant to a City practice.”  

The form also includes a covering letter prompted by a few open-ended questions. “We pay particular attention to the covering letter,” says Kasprowiak. “We’re looking for people who have really thought it through, who write well and get their points across succinctly. It is important that candidates tailor their covering letter to Orrick – so many covering letters received could be applicable to any City practice. Tailoring your covering letter and showcasing that you have researched the firm and their practice areas in detail is one of the easiest ways to stand out from the crowd. You might want to include specific matters that caught your eye or other specific details such as recent partner hires in key strategic areas or one of our pro-bono or D&I initiatives."  

Following the written application stage, candidates are asked the take the Watson Glaser psychometric test which evaluates candidates' critical thinking and verbal reasoning skills. Candidates who are successful at this stage are then invited to take part in an assessment day. Generally, Orrick's trainee intakes have a good mix of law and non-law students, with their previous intakes having a relatively equal mix of both law and non-law graduates. 

Assessment  

Orrick’s assessment days for the vacation scheme take place the spring. Timings for training contract only assessments vary but tend to be from May onwards.  

For vacation schemes the assessment day typically includes a written exercise on a hypothetical legal scenario. This exercise is intended to assess a candidate’s commercial awareness, writing ability, and their capability to apply practical problem-solving and legal principles to complex issues. Whilst the exercise is legal in nature, it is designed to be equally accessible to non-law students. There is also a competency-based interview and presentation exercise, which you can expect to take place with an associate or partner and a member of the recruitment team. Successful applicants are awarded a spot on the summer vacation scheme. Candidates will also have a final stage interview at the end of the vacation scheme, which is typically with the training principal.   

For direct training contract applicants, the robust assessment day typically includes a drafting exercise, presentation or negotiation exercise and an interview.  

Participants are observed throughout the day and not just in the interview. Kasprowiak and her team look out to see whether candidates have remained engaged during all aspects. When it comes to the negotiation exercise, the firm is “looking to see how candidates work together as a team – have they divided up the exercise so that each person has had a chance to speak?” Kasprowiak's top tip? Don’t be the one person hogging the limelight.  

Those who make a good impression are invited back to the vacation scheme, or for a final-stage interview with the training principal if they have applied directly for a training contract.   

Interviews at Orrick tend to be fairly informal, however candidates should make sure that they have thoroughly researched the firm, understand the type of work that it does, and come prepared to answer questions on a wide range of topics, from their work experience and extracurricular activities to commercial topics and current affairs.

 

Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP

107 Cheapside,
London,
EC2V 6DN
Website www.orrick.com

Firm profile
Orrick is a global law firm with more than 1,100 lawyers in 25+ offices located throughout North America, Europe, Africa and Asia. We focus on three sectors: technology and innovation, energy and infrastructure and finance. We aim to be a best place to work for the best talent and we are always adapting to the ever-increasing pace of innovation.  

Types of work undertaken
Orrick has earned a global reputation advising both established and emerging companies, banks and international financial institutions. In Tech & Innovation, we help clients compete globally and thrive in a fast-paced and dynamic landscape. Our clients include more than 4,000 tech and life sciences companies, 13 of the world’s 15 largest public tech companies, 100+ unicorns and 400 leading VC investors globally. We partner with clients on virtually every transaction type – formation through going public – and achieve outstanding litigation and regulatory outcomes for them. Orrick has been ranked the #1 most active venture capital law firm in Europe for the past 33 consecutive quarters and rank #5 globally (PitchBook).

Main areas of work
Antitrust and Competition, banking & finance, capital markets, compensation & benefits, complex litigation & dispute resolution, cyber privacy & data innovation, employment, energy & infrastructure, international arbitration, M&A and private equity, structured finance, tax, technology companies group, technology transactions group. 

Training opportunities
If you set your standards high and have a strong work ethic then Orrick could be for you. We are looking for bright, talented graduates of any discipline who are looking for a firm offering a broad based training contract. Applicants should have or be on track to achieve a 2.1 degree. Orrick is a firm for those looking for a high level of responsibility from day one. We value team players and aim to give individuals the opportunity to flourish in an inclusive and supportive work environment, encouraging interaction across our international offices. We support learning through a focus on training and a mentoring programme that will provide trainees with the right foundation for building their legal career. A genuine open-door policy means trainees work closely with partners and associates. Our two-year training programme is made up of four six-month seats with regular appraisals throughout. Our dedicated trainee partner oversees the supervision of our trainees. There is an extensive training programme with regular and focused sessions on legal and soft skills to enhance your development as a lawyer.

Other benefits



Pension; group income protection scheme; life assurance; private medical insurance; dental care; subsidised gym membership; season ticket loan and childcare voucher scheme. 

Vacation scheme



The primary route to applying for a training contract with us is to apply for a space on our summer vacation scheme programme which will take place in the summer. Our vacation scheme offers participants an opportunity to London office of a US law firm in action and get an insight into what life as a trainee would be like here. During the two-week scheme you’ll spend time in two of our London practices, working on real work alongside our trainees, associates and partners. There will also be a variety of social opportunities and events that run throughout the scheme, giving you an opportunity to really get to know our team.

University law careers fairs 2024



Bristol, Cambridge, Durham, KCL, Oxford UCL, Warwick and York. 

This Firm's Rankings in
UK Guide, 2024

Ranked Departments

    • Energy & Natural Resources: Renewables & Alternative Energy (Band 3)
    • International Arbitration: Highly Regarded Spotlight
    • Private Equity: Venture Capital Investment (Band 1)

More from Orrick:

Follow the firm on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter @Orrick and Instagram.