Download our trainee recruitment brochure (PDF, 1.39MB) - Kennedys

Trainee Recruitment

Trainee Recruitment
We offer a vibrant and supportive working environment built upon our core values; we are
approachable and responsive, we show respect for people, we are trustworthy and straightforward
and we ensure that we deliver economic solutions for our clients. Our trainees experience early
responsibility and client contact as we find that this produces excellent solicitors capable of
running their own caseload once they qualify. We therefore recruit graduates who are confident,
articulate and sociable, who are team players, self-aware and resourceful.
Kennedys is recognised both nationally and internationally
as a leading dispute resolution firm. We have over 1,000 people
globally including 149 partners. We have offices in Belfast,
Birmingham, Cambridge, Chelmsford, London, Maidstone,
Manchester, Sheffield and Taunton. Overseas we have offices in
Auckland, Dubai, Dublin, Hong Kong, Lisbon, Madrid, Miami,
Singapore and Sydney, as well as an active network of associate
offices around the world.
Winner:
Law Firm
of the Year
Kennedys is a top 30 law firm and the firm's growth and
success has been recognised by the 2010 Legal Business
Awards where we were awarded Law Firm of the Year as
well as Insurance Team of the Year.
Trainee
Recruitment
Kennedys is a trading name of Kennedys Law LLP.
Kennedys Law LLP is a limited liability partnership registered
in England and Wales (with registered number OC353214)
Winner:
Insurance Team
of the Year
We specialise in litigation and dispute resolution and our
client base includes, but is not restricted to, the insurance,
healthcare, construction and rail industries. In addition, we
have active company and commercial and employment
practices, as well as a specialised local authority unit. We
have developed a reputation for being professional yet
approachable and unusually easy to work with. Perhaps the
client quote that best encapsulates why Kennedys is
different is: “they are calm, they smile, they’re normal!”
Our people enjoy working here and we know that because they’ve told us. The atmosphere
is friendly, supportive and trusting. After all, we employ the best people so why shouldn’t
we trust them to get on with the job? It’s not all work though. We’re a sociable bunch and
get together regularly as a firm for social and sports events. We also understand that our
staff work hard and deserve to have a life of their own. People who come to work at
Kennedys are amazed because we really do have a good work/life balance.
The firm and its individual practice areas provide many opportunities for trainees to
get to know one another, the partners, solicitors and business services teams.

Trainee Recruitment
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the structure of the
training contract?
The two years are split into four, six month
seats. Trainees can spend a seat in each of
our divisions: corporate and commercial,
insurance/reinsurance, liability and
workplace, getting the opportunity to work
with clients from a variety of industries.
Trainees are asked for their preferences
before each seat allocation and we will do our
best to accommodate your preferences. You
will be required to gain practical experience
in at least three distinct areas of law and will
be given the opportunity to develop skills in
both contentious and non-contentious work.
You may also be given the opportunity to
work for one of our clients on secondment
for up to six months or be seconded to one of
our international offices.
How will I be managed and appraised?
During each seat you will be assigned a senior
solicitor or partner who will act as your
supervisor during your time there.
They will be responsible for monitoring your
progress and workload. Midway through and
at the end of each seat you will be appraised
on your performance. There is also a meeting
for all trainees every February.
What formal training will I receive?
Our aim is to produce lawyers who are
competent, confident and commercially
driven. A balance of work experience,
responsibility, supervision and formal training
achieves this. In your first two weeks you will
receive a tailored induction solely for trainees
and complete the compulsory section of the
professional skills course run by an external
provider. Throughout your two years you will
be given the opportunity to attend in-house
and external training seminars.
Will I be offered a position
on qualification?
It is our intention to offer trainees a position
on qualification – this is the goal we have in
mind whenever we hire a trainee.
How many trainee vacancies are there
per year?
Approximately 12 in London and six
throughout our regional offices.
What year will my training contract
commence?
We are recruiting trainees for September 2014
and 2015. The deadline for September 2014
training contract applications is the 31st July
2013. We welcome applications for 2015
prior to the 31st July 2013 however will
re-open for review on 1st October 2013. The
final deadline for 2015 will be 31st July 2014.
Trainee
Recruitment

Trainee Recruitment
Do you offer a Summer Vacation
Scheme?
Yes, our summer vacation schemes are offered
in London and run during June and July.
The deadline for applications for our 2013
scheme is the 31st January 2013.
You will be given the opportunity to
experience life at Kennedys from the inside,
enabling you to gain a real insight into the
firms work and culture.
You will be allocated a supervisor who will be
your mentor and a trainee buddy to guide
you through your placement. We are
confident you will be made to feel part of the
team.
You will be encouraged to get involved in the
firm's sports and social side to get to know
members of the firm in a less formal
environment and build valuable relationships.
Criteria
● 300 UCAS points or equivalent at A Level
● Have achieved or be on course to achieve
a 2:1 degree not necessarily in law
● We welcome applications from graduates
as well as candidates with previous work
experience who are seeking a career
change
How to apply?
For further information on our trainee
recruitment programme and summer
vacation scheme, please contact:
Rowena Bubb, Graduate Recruitment Adviser,
E: r.bubb@kennedys-law.com
T: 0207 667 9667
Please visit www.kennedyslaw.com/uk/careers/graduates/
to find out more about our graduate
programme and to apply online.
Jennifer Allen
Summer student 2011, now a 1st
year trainee
I was attracted to Kennedys initially after having
met the graduate recruitment team at a law fair
open day. The team were really friendly and
approachable, they were very enthusiastic about
Kennedys, especially the expansionist nature and
the direction the firm was going. It gave me a real
sense of excitement about the future of Kennedys
and I was very interested to find out more.
I secured a place on the first ever vacation scheme
and I experienced two teams within the firm. I spent
my first week in the corporate and commercial
department and my second week with the
professional indemnity team. I thoroughly enjoyed
both placements; they gave me a flavour of the type
of work Kennedys undertake. I was given real work
to do from the outset and I can see that the firm’s
claim of giving trainees early responsibility really
stands up. I was lucky enough to be in the
professional indemnity department when there was
a three week trial listed. I attended court with the
team listening to witness testimony and the team
engaged me in discussions with Counsel around the
issues that had come to light during the day, this
really made me feel a valued member of the team.
The time I spent on my vacation scheme really
enhanced the ethos and values of Kennedys for me.
The people I met made a genuine effort to get to
know me, to give me good quality work and to take
time to explain how the firm and the departments
worked and interacted. Even as a vacation scheme
student I wasn’t just a number I was valued as an
individual and a member of the team.
Kennedys is certainly not all work and no play. The
firm takes part in a lot of social events and one of
the highlights during my vacation scheme was the
softball league; this is generally run by the trainees
at the firm and well attended. I had the opportunity
to participate in a game. We did lose (narrowly) but
the ethos of the firm again was certainly evident,
teamwork and a friendly and supportive
environment (for the novice players!).
Kennedys provided a welcoming environment in
which to undertake the vacation scheme. I thoroughly
enjoyed my time during the vacation scheme.
Trainee recruitment

Trainee Recruitment
Fiona Morgan
Solicitor
London
Andrew Coates
Partner, Training Principal
London
Rob Tobin
Partner
London
Thom Lumley
Solicitor
Chelmsford
After many years of shirking responsibility, I decided
it was time to get a career and after completing the
GDL/LPC, I secured a training contract with
Kennedys. I knew it was the right firm for me when,
at my recruitment interviews, I seemed to spend a
lot of time chatting about shopping and my
favourite ales. I did training seats in Kennedys'
clinical negligence, employment, reinsurance
litigation, professional indemnity and company and
commercial teams. My abiding memory of my
training contract was sitting in a cafe for hours
waiting for a phone call from a partner to tell me to
serve some industrial action injunction papers on a
client across the road (after copious cups of coffee I
was too scared to go to the toilet in case I missed
the call) – then, when I got the nod, I rushed across
the road in the rain only to slip over on the steps of
their headquarters and the papers flew everywhere.
Nevertheless, I was lucky enough to be offered a job
in the employment team when I qualified in
September 2005.
My work is approximately 75% litigation and 25%
advisory. The majority of my work comes from the
railway industry which involves travelling up and
down the country to meet with witnesses and attend
hearings. I also act as “coverage counsel” for
insurance companies, keeping a close eye on other
solicitors conduct of employment cases (and
challenging their costs!). I must be doing something
right as I am now trusted enough to be the
designated supervisor for trainees in the employment
team. In this role I am responsible for shaping (and
hopefully not warping too much) the minds of the
next generation of lawyers at Kennedys.
When I joined the firm in 1985 as an articled clerk
I knew that I had made the right choice, as I was
involved in a number of interesting cases right from
the start. One was a battle-of-forms claim about
piston-rings supplied for army vehicles used in
Operation Lion Heart. Another case I eventually
followed through to a successful first instance
judgment well after I qualified; that was my first
reported case and it showed me that in addition to
legal skills you also need to have a commercial eye
on raising your profile both within the firm and the
outside world. After that experience I made sure
that I delivered lectures, wrote copy for journalists
and articles for journals whenever I had something
interesting to say about a case of mine. I am pleased
to say that we still provide our trainees with early
responsibility on cases and we find this produces
lawyers who are confident running their own cases
once they have qualified.
I started my training at Kennedys in September
2001, spending six months in the personal injury
team, taking on my own small cases from an early
stage. The amount of responsibility given increased
my confidence, which is so important, when
working in litigation. That was followed by six
months in the reinsurance team where work
encompassed a wide range of complex insurance
disputes and coverage issues. I then worked in the
healthcare department, which I eventually qualified
into. In between there and qualification though, I
spent some time in the employment team, working
on many of my own cases.
The healthcare department encompasses clinical
negligence work for a major government authority
and individual Trusts, as well as work for private
hospitals and insurers. The work is fascinating and
hugely rewarding. I have been in the team now for
five years and have a caseload of approximately
25 at any one time. As well as working on clinical
negligence litigation, I also provide advice to Trusts
on specific healthcare issues, ranging from mental
health law to advice on life sustaining treatment.
Kennedys offers such a wide range of subjects that
it is easy to discover a department you will find
interesting.
I have been fortunate enough to complete training
seats in London and Chelmsford. The Chelmsford
team, although with around 90 staff, is a very close
and friendly team undertaking liability litigation
work (predominantly defendant personal injury).
On my first day, I was asked to draft and send out a
brief to Counsel. This involved reading into a large
matter and informing Counsel of the current issues
in the case, preparing a large bundle of documents
for him to consider and providing him with
appropriate instructions.
Other tasks you may be expected to undertake as a
trainee will include drafting witness statements,
instructing medical experts, attending conferences
and reporting to clients. You are also given the
opportunity to undertake your own advocacy;
applications and CMCs, which is great practice for
the future (there are no photocopying duties here!).
It is important to keep in mind that whilst tasks may
at first seem a bit daunting, you are always under
supervision and encouraged to ask questions and
seek guidance when unsure.
First-hand client contact is readily available and
indeed encouraged. Within the first three months, I
attended at least four client functions and was
familiar with a number of the firms’ larger clients. I
have also attended numerous secondments with
some of these clients. The secondments varied in
length from one week to a month and were of great
benefit to me, as a trainee, as they really
encouraged me to understand the particular needs,
likes and dislikes of a client, so that I am now able to
tailor my advice accordingly.
Overall, I consider the experience that Kennedys
offers its trainees as second to none. The team
here are incredibly supportive and will gently push
you to achieve your potential and prepare you for
the road ahead.

Trainee Recruitment
Elaine Weston
Newly Qualified Solicitor
London
Simon Gerrard
Newly Qualified Solicitor
Manchester
James Badger
Newly Qualified Solicitor
Sheffield
Kevin O’Shea
Newly Qualified Solicitor
London
One of the reasons I applied to Kennedys was its
reputation for being a very friendly firm, and I'm
very happy to say it's true! The firm doesn't have a
hierarchical environment and people at all levels are
very friendly and approachable. The open plan
office makes it easy to get to know everyone within
your team and it means there is always someone on
hand to answer any question you may have.
Being part of a relatively small intake I was given a
high level of autonomy and responsibility right from
the outset. You very quickly become involved in all
aspects of the work and are given plenty of
opportunities to show your capabilities. During the
first few weeks at the firm I was asked to draft a
brief to counsel, attend a creditors meeting and a
possession hearing with counsel. By the end of my
first seat I was running some of the smaller files
myself (under supervision of course). In addition,
trainees are given plenty of client contact.
Being a City Lawyer involves hard work but
thankfully there isn't a culture of long hours at
Kennedys, although there are times when you might
have to stay late to meet a deadline. However,
there is no expectation that you need to be at your
desk late in the evening. Kennedys is a very sociable
place to work and there are lots of sports and social
events to get involved with. The trainees have
organised various Trainees v Partners events
throughout the year and there are various sports
clubs that you can also join.
Kennedys is a firm which has gone from strength to
strength and was recently ranked among the top 30
firms. The firm recruits to retain which means they
have a vested interest in your future from the outset.
I decided to apply to Kennedys because I wanted to
work for a market leader in litigation and dispute
resolution. Having completed the LPC and worked as
a paralegal for another well-established national law
firm, I developed a taste for litigation and recognised
Kennedys’ recent impressive growth and potential
for expansion in the regional offices.
Starting your training contract at any firm can
sometimes be a daunting experience. However, the
Manchester office has a very friendly and welcoming
atmosphere and I was instantly made to feel ‘at home’.
I was given responsibility at an early stage into my
training and was involved in a wide range of cases.
The supervision and ‘on the job’ training that I have
received has been excellent. I have been fortunate
enough to be involved in some high-profile cases,
some of which have been reported in the legal press.
The Manchester office provides high quality training
and offers a range of seats such as personal injury,
professional indemnity and commercial litigation. The
firm encourages a healthy work/life balance and we
hold regular internal social events where we get to
know one-another in a less formal setting.
The best way to summarise Kennedys is to say that
the firm genuinely delivers on its promises to
trainees. The firm’s literature is not just some glossy
advertisement; it is an insight into what you can
expect to experience at the firm. I can safely say that
I thoroughly enjoy working for Kennedys and look
forward to forming part of the firm’s next generation
of lawyers.
I commenced my training contract with Kennedys’
Sheffield office in August 2010 following 18 months
of working as a paralegal at another firm.
I chose Kennedys because of its excellent reputation
as a dispute resolution law firm and its position in the
legal tables. In the space of one year alone, I have
witnessed Kennedys' growth first hand and it feels
fantastic to be a part of something so good.
My seats included insurance litigation, construction
litigation and insolvency. As a trainee you can expect
early responsibility and the type of work you can
expect to complete (amongst other things!) includes:
legal research; attending client meetings; drafting
pleadings, witness statements and reports to client;
reviewing large documents; negotiating settlements;
advocacy; preparing trial bundles; instructing
Counsel; and attending Court
You receive a high level of support throughout your
training contract at Kennedys and your work is
always supervised.
The culture of the firm is built on Kennedys' core
values. These core values include being approachable
and responsive, showing respect for people, being
trustworthy and straight forward and delivering
economic solutions. This is certainly echoed in every
day life in the Kennedys' offices, which makes
Kennedys such a nice place to work. I think this is
particularly important as a trainee as it means there is
always somebody available to ask should you need it!
Everybody is treated as an equal at Kennedys so, if
you like what you see, make sure you make the right
decision and apply to Kennedys.
I applied to Kennedys having spent a year working in
the compliance and legal department of a medium
sized managing agency in Lloyds of London. This
gave me a good foundation in insurance which is the
focus of Kennedys’ practice, and also a commercial
eye and the opportunity to see things from a client
perspective. My decision to apply was justified not
merely by having this background, but by the culture
and ethos of the firm which was apparent even at
interview stage. I wasn’t asked questions like “how
many tubs of ice cream would it take to sink the
Titanic”, but instead “why do you enjoy litigation”
and “describe your perfect weekend”.
At Kennedys, real value is placed on the individual as
well as the team, which helped greatly when starting my
training contract. I have since undertaken seats in the
professional indemnity and personal injury departments,
where I was given considerable responsibility to draft
letters, liaise with and draft instructions to experts and
have undertaken interviews with witnesses to obtain
statements. The open plan layout means partners
provide valuable, on the spot feedback and are not
locked away behind large oak doors.
In addition, trainees are actively encouraged to
attend Court as much as possible, whether for small
hearings or larger matters. In my last seat I both
appeared before a Master for a last minute
application (who promptly ejected me from his
room!), and attended a five day trial concerning a
spinal injury suffered at work.
I joined Kennedys at an exciting time in terms of
growth both nationally and internationally. Working
here as a trainee you can sense a buzz that everyone
knows this firm is going places. You can’t ask for a lot
more in a training contract than to be taught how to
be a good lawyer by people with this type of attitude.