FAQs
What kind of lawyers are you looking for?
Our success depends entirely on the quality of our people - of you. We've built a reputation for excellence that spans corporations, countries and continents. We therefore require a broad range of skills and experience to match the diversity of business areas within which we work.
We are looking for intelligent, articulate applicants capable of contributing and communicating their own ideas and opinions. We need enthusiastic people who will enjoy getting to know clients and colleagues, and who understand that working at the forefront of legal services often requires hard work, applied intellect, and a collaborative approach to working in a team.
We are looking for people who display the drive and commitment to meet the high standards we expect. We want people who will relish the chance to grasp the wide range of opportunities we offer and the experiences we provide to become outstanding lawyers.
Academic ability and commercial awareness are very important to us. In addition, we will often be looking for a particular kind of experience, but at a more junior level for certain positions we are willing to retrain lawyers.
Further details about the particular skills and competencies we look for in those who apply to complete a training period with us may be found at www.cliffordchance.com/gradsuk.
Does it matter that I qualified outside of the UK?
Many of our lawyers qualified outside the UK. We have found that lawyers who qualified in a Common Law jurisdiction find it easy to adapt to practising English law but we also have lawyers here from other jurisdictions. We support our lawyers if they decide they would like to dual qualify when they join us; depending on individual qualifications, there are often exemptions for some of the examinations. If you haven't qualified to practise as a lawyer in England and Wales and wish to do so, you may also apply for a trainee position using our online application form on our graduate site: www.cliffordchance.com/gradsuk. Please note that if your application to Clifford Chance via this route is successful, we will require you to complete a minimum training period of 18 months.
You would need to apply to the Solicitors Regulation Authority ("SRA") for eligibility to take the Qualified Lawyers Transfer Test ("QLTT") upon commencement of your training period. Further information and guidance about eligibility to sit the QLTT may be found at www.sra.org.uk.
Will it be a problem if I need a visa to work in the UK or Singapore?
If we offer you a job, we will help you manage the visa process. Much of the emphasis is now on the applicant, but we can offer advice and assistance throughout the process. The visa application process can take between three to six months. For information for Indian nationals regarding the visa application process to the UK, click here.
For Singapore, the processing time is about 1 - 3 weeks from the date of application. For information regarding the visa application process to Singapore, click here.
The visa process is changing constantly, so you can monitor any changes to the law at this site. We do provide assistance to foreign lawyers on their visa applications.
What kind of training can I expect?
It's the quality of our people that drives our success. We want the very best people to join us so we make every effort to offer the best training possible so that our trainees and lawyers can reach their full potential. In addition to developing their technical skills, we also encourage our lawyers to develop their “soft” skills such as team-leading and influencing. We provide a mix of on- and off-site courses and lawyers can also make the most of our e-learning programmes which are available on the firm's intranet.
Details about the specific training on offer when applying to complete a training period may be found on www.cliffordchance.com/gradsuk.
What kind of support can I expect to receive?
All of our lawyers work in teams and can expect to receive maximum support from other team members and partners. As an assistant, you will be assigned a mentor partner who will help you to assess your career goals and work out how to achieve them. Each team is part of a larger group, which will contain additional support in the form of Human Resource, Education and Information Managers. The support that is offered here is second to none. Additionally, if you need it, you will be provided with a laptop and mobile - enabling you to work effectively when you are out of the office.
What is it like to work in such a large firm?
We have over a thousand lawyers from a diverse range of nationalities and backgrounds working in the London office. The atmosphere is very open and, as our lawyers work in small teams within departments, it is easy to meet your immediate colleagues. As well as informal social gatherings, the firm organises social events throughout the year.
If you want to speak to people about how they have found the move to Clifford Chance and what life is like here, we are very happy to put you in touch with people at the interview stage.
If I have to relocate to London/Singapore, will Clifford Chance help me financially to move?
Yes. We have an extremely competitive relocation package, which covers flights to London, shipping of your belongings and a relocation allowance. The relocation package for Singapore covers flights to Singapore, shipping of your belongings and one month's stay in a serviced apartment upon your arrival in Singapore. Details of this can be discussed with our legal recruitment and graduate recruitment teams during the interview process. The relocation policy differs depending on if you are joining as a trainee or if you are joining as a qualified lawyer.
Which partner will I work with?
How we allocate work is somewhat different to many other firms. We have a work allocation partner, who will see to it that you will have a variety of experience, and work with a variety of partners. This means that you will not be working with just one partner. It is most likely that you will work with them all at one stage or another.
If you are completing a training period, you will be allocated a supervisor and monitoring partner for each seat rotation you complete. An experienced graduate development specialist will be on hand throughout your training contract to discuss your choice of seats and provide guidance and support. Further information on the support you will receive may be found at www.cliffordchance.com/gradsuk.
