Sidley Austin LLP - True Picture

Firm profile

About the Firm

Sidley is an elite global law firm. With approximately 2,300 lawyers and nearly 160 years of experience, we have established a reputation for deploying innovative legal strategies to achieve powerful results for our clients in complex transactional, restructuring, crisis management, investigation, regulatory, and litigation matters.

Our perspective and reach are truly global, supported by 21 offices strategically situated in key commercial, regulatory, and financial centers across the world. Our lawyers and business professionals, fluent in more than 75 languages, possess the cultural awareness and cross-border legal acumen needed to bring clarity to a dynamic business landscape.

Main areas of work

We handle a vast array of litigation, transactional, and regulatory client matters with practices in: antitrust/competition; capital markets; corporate governance; derivatives; employment; food, drug and medical device; global finance (including structured finance); healthcare; hedge funds, insurance; investment funds; private equity; real estate; real estate finance; restructuring; and tax.

Trainee opportunities

The firm is not a typical City firm, nor is it a ‘legal factory.’ Everyone is encouraged to be proactive and to create their own niche from the first day onwards, so there is no risk of being just a number. Trainees spend time in the firm’s main groups, and within each group trainees will work with a partner or associate to ensure individual training with practical hands on experience. You will be encouraged to take on great responsibility for the firm and our clients where appropriate. Regular meetings with your supervisor ensure both the quality and quantity of your time at Sidley. In addition, there is a structured timetable of training on a cross-section of subjects.

Vacation scheme

We run a one-week winter vacation scheme, as well as two-week vacation schemes in both the spring and summer each year. You will get to experience the day-to-day life of a lawyer at the firm and will have the opportunity to undertake real casework, rather than just observing or shadowing. This practical experience will be supplemented by a programme of presentations and workshops that will ensure you get to know the full firm culture. We aim to recruit all of our trainees from the vacation schemes.

Other benefits

Benefits include: private health insurance, life assurance, contribution to gym membership, interest-free season ticket loan, income protection scheme, and pension.

Open days and first-year opportunities

Sidley is offering first year students the opportunity to attend an Open Day held in March. For more information, please visit our website. 

Sidley and Sidley Austin refer to Sidley Austin LLP and affiliated partnerships as explained at www.sidley.com/disclaimer