Kirkland Trainee

First seat: Debt Finance Second seat: Investment Funds
Third seat: International Arbitration and Commercial Litigation

They appreciate you taking an interest in what they’re doing and respond to your desire to become a good lawyer. For the application process, demonstrate your enthusiasm by engaging and maintaining contact with people you meet on the open days or any other events. People at Kirkland are generally friendly and approachable – I met with a partner before I applied, as well as trainees and junior associates, who were all so helpful in answering my questions about the Firm.

It sounds obvious, but doing your research about the Firm and the work we do is an essential part of the interview process. People skills are also important, as being a lawyer involves working in small teams and getting along with people, not only your colleagues but external lawyers and clients too.

The work in my second seat, Investment Funds, was very wide-ranging: I gained so much exposure to different clients and sectors, with a focus on secondaries. I also worked on a primary fundraise so I was lucky to gain a comprehensive overview of the work in the team. Each transaction I worked on was market defining in some way, with the senior lawyers coming up with innovative and technical solutions. It’s rewarding to be part of that and seeing deals I have worked on in the news. You are also given a lot of responsibility and opportunity to do challenging work as a trainee – from my first seat I was given the opportunity to lead workstreams which I did not really expect.

I have felt very supported throughout my training contract so far. My supervisors have been invested in my development, as have the wider teams who give so much of their time to your learning. More formal training sessions are also organised for trainees.

You’ll be surprised what you can get involved with and the skills you can put to work. I’ve used my French and Italian language skills, and my Arabic and Persian may come in handy too. I really look forward to coming to work. It’s friendly and fun and you’re surrounded by really smart people. Every day you learn something new.