OUTLINING YOUR SUCCESS SIDLEY S VACATION SCHEME AND TRAINEE SOLICITOR PROGRAMME

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1 LONDON OUTLINING YOUR SUCCESS SIDLEY S VACATION SCHEME AND TRAINEE SOLICITOR PROGRAMME

2 THE SIDLEY WAY Innovative work. Exceptional training. Professional development. Sidley is one of the world s premier law firms, with a practice highly attuned to the ever-changing international landscape. The firm has built a reputation for being a powerful legal adviser for global businesses, with 1,900 lawyers in 19 offices worldwide. With more than 140 years committed to legal excellence, we work to deliver compelling results for clients in all types of legal matters, from complex transactions to bet the company litigation to cutting edge regulatory issues. As a Trainee Solicitor, you will have the opportunity to take on sophisticated, substantive work, grow as part of a thriving, diversified practice and collaborate with some of the best legal minds in the world. Our main practice areas are: Corporate Competition Corporate reorganisation and bankruptcy Debt and equity capital markets Debt finance, including structured finance, debt restructuring and derivatives Employment Financial services regulatory Hedge funds Insurance IP/IT Litigation Real estate and real estate finance Tax 19 OFFICES WORLDWIDE 1

3 1,900 LAYWERS WORLDWIDE 110 LONDON LAWYERS 2

4 A WORLD APART Sidley s London office offers Trainee Solicitors the best of both worlds the experience of working in one of the largest international law firms along with the relaxed, down-to-earth friendliness of a smaller office. Here you will find high-quality work on par with Magic Circle firms and an energetic, meritocratic and supportive environment. When you join us, we d like it to be for the long term. We have an excellent track record of retaining trainees on qualification. Ideally, you will stay at Sidley once you ve qualified and continue developing with us all the way to partnership. A SNAPSHOT OF SIDLEY IN LONDON Established in 1974, and offering English law capability since 1994, Sidley s London office has approximately 110 lawyers, the majority of whom are qualified to practice English law. Having lawyers qualified to practice in both jurisdictions for more than 20 years has enhanced our reputation for assisting global businesses and governments across a variety of industries. OUR CULTURE OF COLLEGIALITY We take great pride in the culture of collegiality that Sidley has fostered and maintained at all levels. Lawyers and staff are friendly and treat each other with genuine respect. This atmosphere makes it a pleasure to come to work in the morning and takes the edge off staying late at night when necessary. It also enables the firm to deliver the highest quality legal services. 10 LONDON TRAINEES EACH YEAR Sidley lawyers place a premium on helping each other and sharing experience on projects that can span multiple offices and practice areas. We believe our culture sets us apart from many other firms and enhances the professional development and career satisfaction of our lawyers and professional staff alike. 39 LONDON PARTNERS 3

A FEW OF OUR OUTSTANDING TRAINEES WORK. As part of my training contract, I had the opportunity to join the Competition team on secondment to our Brussels office.

5 A FEW OF OUR OUTSTANDING TRAINEES WORK. As part of my training contract, I had the opportunity to join the Competition team on secondment to our Brussels office. Working in the political centre of the EU allowed me to be involved in cases concerning the latest developments on European law, attend conferences with European Commissioners and visit the European Courts of Justice in Luxembourg. WORK LARA KAPLAN TRAINEE 2014 TRAINING. Sidley offers a comprehensive induction programme to help you settle in. The training continues during your training contract, and as part of the formal training programme, each trainee is encouraged to give a presentation on a subject that they are interested in or have worked on during their seat. This gives us the chance to improve our presentation skills and gain confidence in speaking in front of an audience. DEVELOPMENT. Sidley supported our development by offering practical skill courses that relate to important aspects of becoming a lawyer, such as advanced communication and advocacy. Each course lasted a day or two, but it allowed an independent teacher to train and improve our ability to become the best solicitors we can be. 4

I could not be happier with the mix of work that I ve been involved with during my first two seats and the experience I have gained. TRAINING.

6 TRAINING TOM CASTER TRAINEE 2014 WORK. The quality of work I ve been exposed to during my first year as a trainee has lived up to my expectations, given Sidley s standing as one of the world s premier law firms. I could not be happier with the mix of work that I ve been involved with during my first two seats and the experience I have gained. TRAINING. To supplement the everyday learning provided by working for some of the biggest names in global commerce, Sidley provides a number of formal training opportunities for its Trainee Solicitors. This structured training has been really useful in helping me bridge the gap between the educational environment of law school and doing things for real in a law firm. HANNAH CRAWFORD ASSOCIATE/TRAINEE 2013 DEVELOPMENT. Going hand in hand with the formal and on-the-job training is a culture of constant feedback. All of the partners and associates I have undertaken work for have been more than willing to discuss what I have done and offer constructive advice for future improvement. I applied to Sidley because of its small trainee intake, which would make for a personalised and individual training experience. I m pleased that this has been the case. HANNAH CRAWFORD 5

7 Sidley s place in the legal market greatly appealed to me a small office but with practice areas international in scope. JASMINE AGYEKUM JASMINE AGYEKUM FUTURE TRAINEE 2016 The London office has a definite open-door policy; everybody is approachable and the culture is very friendly. VICTOR ABERG VICTOR ABERG ASSOCIATE/TRAINEE

8 AMANDA KWAGALA TRAINEE 2014 WORK. A year into my training contract, I am pleased that Sidley has lived up to, even exceeded, my expectations. My experience went beyond trainee work, as I drafted several documents and conducted research that I relayed to, and discussed with, the team. I also worked on international deals, part of which involved me regularly ringing a partner in the U.S. to inform her of our progress on the deal. The firm s commitment to guiding and supporting trainees provides me with the perfect platform to improve as a lawyer, especially when combined with Sidley s ethos of responsibility and development. OLIVER ROSSHANDLER TRAINING. Sidley has made a substantial investment into its training programme. I had two weeks of induction at the start of the training contract, which was a useful way to learn about the firm, its systems and processes. There are also training sessions for the whole firm run throughout the year, which give further insight into the firm s work and its people. DEVELOPMENT. I have been pleasantly surprised by the genuine open-door policy and the time that partners devote to trainees. Not only are partners willing to take time to explain a complex issue, they will also question and challenge you to ensure you understand it a key indicator of their commitment to training and development. OLIVER ROSSHANDLER TRAINEE

9 DEVELOPMENT WORK. I had the wonderful opportunity to sit out a deal from beginning to end, which allowed me to take on a lot of ownership and responsibility. It was particularly satisfying to hear that once I had left the seat, the deal had been recognised as one of the restructuring deals of the year by the legal press. RANJIT SAIMBI ASSOCIATE/TRAINEE 2013 TRAINING. One of the main benefits of my training contract has been the opportunity to become familiar with Sidley s London office by sitting in different practice areas and being exposed to different work streams and parts of the business. The firm s seat rotation structure provides trainees an ideal means to develop professionally, with each seat having a different sensibility and requiring a different approach. DEVELOPMENT. In addition to on-the-job training, Sidley trainees undertake a well-developed formal training programme that covers both legal and non-legal topics, ranging from the effective performance of due diligence exercises, to current developments in the law that will impact our practice. Such training will continue beyond my training contract, and I look forward to developing my knowledge base and skill set as an associate. 8

10 JOIN US TRAINEE PROGRAMME Each year, Sidley recruits around ten talented students for our London Trainee Solicitor Programme. Our programme allows you to get involved in real work from day one and gain experience by working on different matters with people from all around the world. We take a flexible approach that is driven by your ability and willingness to contribute and develop. As a result, you can get as much as you like out of a particular seat, depending on how much you invest in it. SALARIES AND BENEFITS Our trainee solicitors currently receive an annual salary of 44,000 in their first year and 48,000 in their second. Our newly qualified associate salary is 90,000. As a trainee, you will also enjoy an exceptional range of benefits, including: 25 days holiday per year Non-contributory pension scheme Private medical insurance Life assurance Income protection insurance Free membership to in-house gym Season ticket loan Subsidised restaurant Free use of private clinics for GP appointments Employee assistance programme GDL/LPC AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE We offer financial assistance to our future trainee solicitors for the GDL (if applicable) and the fast-track LPC, and expect both courses to be studied at BPP Law School. We pay the course fees and provide an annual maintenance grant, which currently is 7,000. WE ARE LOOKING FOR TALENTED STUDENTS WHO: Have a minimum of three A-levels (at least two A grades and one B) Are anticipating at least a 2.1 degree or equivalent (not necessarily in law) Are genuinely intrigued by the commercial world Can demonstrate a strong ability to analyse and to learn Can work well with others and get on well with clients Have perseverance and initiative 9

Sidley is a tremendous law firm. You will enjoy a very exciting career here. The firm provides its lawyers with the opportunity to work on interesting transactions in various parts of the globe.

11 Sidley is a tremendous law firm. You will enjoy a very exciting career here. The firm provides its lawyers with the opportunity to work on interesting transactions in various parts of the globe. We also have a strong culture of collaboration and teamwork and a commitment to provide world-class training to our lawyers. MATTHEW DENING Managing partner of the London office HOW TO APPLY Applications for both training contracts and vacation schemes should be completed online via sidleycareers.com/europe/london-trainee-solicitor-programme/how-to-apply. If you have any questions, please contact ukrecruitment@sidley.com. 2015/16 vacation schemes: We run Winter, Spring and Summer vacation schemes Applications open on 1 October 2015 Application deadline for the Winter scheme is 6 November 2015 Application deadline for Spring and Summer schemes is 31 January 2016 Students will receive 350 per week 2018 trainee intake: Training contracts to commence in September 2018 Applications open on 1 November 2015 and will close on 22 July 2016 The selection process involves an interview with two partners and a critical reasoning test BEST INTERNATIONAL FIRM FOR DIVERSITY AND BEST INTERNATIONAL FIRM FOR WORK-LIFE BALANCE Euromoney, 2014 First-year opportunities: We run Open Days for first-year law students Details available on our website at sidleycareers.com 2014 LEARNINGELITE ORGANISATION Chief Learning Officer Magazine Sidley remains the only law firm to have earned the LearningElite recognition since the inception of the program. 10

12 Offices BEIJING Suite 608, Tower C2 Oriental Plaza No. 1 East Chang An Avenue Dong Cheng District Beijing China BOSTON 60 State Street 36th Floor Boston, Massachusetts BRUSSELS NEO Building Rue Montoyer 51 Montoyerstraat B-1000 Brussels Belgium CENTURY CITY 1999 Avenue of the Stars Los Angeles, California CHICAGO One South Dearborn Chicago, Illinois DALLAS 2001 Ross Avenue Suite 3600 Dallas, Texas GENEVA Rue du Pré-de-la-Bichette Geneva Switzerland HONG KONG 39/F, Two Int l Finance Centre Central, Hong Kong HOUSTON 1000 Louisiana Street Suite 6000 Houston, Texas LONDON Woolgate Exchange 25 Basinghall Street London, EC2V 5HA United Kingdom LOS ANGELES 555 West Fifth Street Los Angeles, California NEW YORK 787 Seventh Avenue New York, New York PALO ALTO 1001 Page Mill Road Building 1 Palo Alto, California SAN FRANCISCO 555 California Street Suite 2000 San Francisco, California SHANGHAI Suite Corporate Avenue 150 Hubin Road Shanghai China SINGAPORE Level 31 Six Battery Road Singapore SYDNEY Level 10, 7 Macquarie Place Sydney NSW 2000 Australia TOKYO Sidley Austin Nishikawa Foreign Law Joint Enterprise Marunouchi Building 23F 4-1, Marunouchi 2-chome Chiyoda-Ku, Tokyo Japan WASHINGTON, D.C K Street N.W. Washington, D.C sidley.com sidley.com.cn AMERICA ASIA PACIFIC EUROPE Attorney Advertising - For purposes of compliance with New York State Bar rules, our headquarters are Sidley Austin LLP, 787 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10019, ; One South Dearborn, Chicago, IL 60603, ; and 1501 K Street, N.W., Washington, D.C , Sidley Austin refers to Sidley Austin LLP and affiliated partnerships as explained at Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. MN /15

ONG KONG OUTLINING YOUR SUCCESS SIDLEY S INTERN AND TRAINEE SOLICITOR PROGRAM

ONG KONG OUTLINING YOUR SUCCESS SIDLEY S INTERN AND TRAINEE SOLICITOR PROGRAM THE SIDLEY WAY Innovative work. Exceptional training. Professional development. Sidley is one of the world s premier law firms,