Why is slaughter and may different

In terms of the actual work, it was getting to grips with the difference between the commercial application of legal points, compared to the academic treatment that new joiners may be used to, having come from university and the LPC. Find out more about Slaughter and May through the firm's inside view videos, here. If you'd like to check out the firm's current opportunities visit their profile page here.

Why I work for Slaughter and May We caught up with William, Oxford University graduate in Physics and now Trainee Solicitor at Slaughter and May to find out what it's like to work at one of the world's most prestigious law firms. What sets Slaughter and May apart from the other law firms?

Why do you think a graduate should choose to start their career at Slaughter and May? We are looking to employ the brightest minds regardless of what or where they studied. We train each of our lawyers to be a multi-specialist, equipped to advise on a broad range of legal matters which at other firms would be handled by a number of different lawyers. This is hard work but our lawyers say it makes for a far more fulfilling career. It provides challenge and interest while allowing lawyers to develop deeper relationships with clients, because they get to know their businesses better.

This enables them to deliver innovative solutions to difficult problems by combining experience gained on one type of transaction to solve problems in another. We think that by broadening your training and experience, you will be a better lawyer. We have built a reputation for delivering pioneering solutions to difficult problems. This reputation has been earned because each of our lawyers advises on broad legal areas, combining experience gained on one type of transaction to solve problems in another.

In this way, our lawyers have a varied and interesting workload and ample opportunities to develop close relationships with clients. Much of our work has an international element and in we worked with over law firms in more than jurisdictions. Our work is international and cross-border in nature; we go where our clients go. We never compromise on the quality and consistency for which we are widely recognised. Our approach is shaped by the fundamental principle that complex transactions require first-class legal expertise rooted in a deep knowledge of local practice, procedures and culture.

At Slaughter and May we also take a different approach to time; there are no set billing or time targets. Some ideas take a matter of seconds but can save companies millions of pounds a year.

The type of work we do is not always measurable in minutes. In this way, our lawyers are free to work collaboratively, sharing expertise and knowledge, so that they can concentrate on what matters most — the quality of the work and client service. His long-term involvement with this client on a range of matters has allowed Robert to build a close working relationship with the company: "For us and our clients," he says, "things work really well if we understand their businesses and know all the background to their deals.

Through the multi-specialist approach, Slaughter and May lawyers are able to bring a rounded perspective. As Robert says: "I believe I'm able to think about the issues in a transaction in a way that a narrowly-focused lawyer would be less comfortable with or able to do - to use techniques, structures and mechanisms from all sorts of types of transactions to structure innovative solutions for clients.

At another firm, Robert's aircraft finance deal might be passed on to the asset finance group, but Robert asks: "Is that group the best placed to do my client's aircraft financing? I've known this client for a long period and can deliver a tailored solution with specific input, if necessary, from other lawyers. This inclination to stay alongside clients means that at Slaughter and May a primarily transactional lawyer like Robert might even guide his clients through the initial stages of a dispute.

Slaughter and May trainees also do many different kinds of legal work, due to the varied nature of the matters their supervisors get involved in, and also because lawyers at the firm prefer to work in small teams. In addition, "we don't silo our trainees," says Robert. Robert sees the firm's multi-specialist approach as a "significant advantage" for junior lawyers. Pay seemed to be at the heart of the matter. Slaughters is also increasingly building its pitch to new talent around being a nice place to work.

This made the switch to WFH easier but the lack of a budget for new equipment has elicited some minor grumbles, with rookies demonstrating a preference for new furniture and gadgets over the old office chairs.

Slaughters clearly has not fallen in love with remote working, however. Whilst the pandemic has made some firms completely rethink their WFH policies, Slaughter and May has steadfastly reaffirmed that trainees will return to its one-day plan, with those more senior able to work remotely for up to two days a week.

The firm sets no annual billing targets and recorded some of the lowest working hours of any magic circle firm in the Legal Cheek Trainee and Junior Lawyer Survey , with some trainees saying they typically stop work at around 6pm.

That said, the firm has a reputation for blooding its trainees quite slowly and reserving the interesting stuff for associates. Sometimes it can be checking documents for typos. On the scale, the highs would come close to 10, the lows not far from 1. This implies excellent partner approachability, which seems to be improving.

But it can vary.