Firms

Simmons & Simmons

Web: www.simmons-simmons.com/graduates

Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Web: www.simmons-simmons.com/graduates

Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Survey results

Survey results

The lowdown (in their own words...)

Why did you choose this firm over any others?

''Renowned'; 'top-quality work'; 'prestigious clients, informal atmosphere, open-door policy, encourage a good work/life balance'; 'excellent place to qualify'; 'international'; 'sector focus'; 'impressive client base ''

How does your training compare with peers' at other firms?

''Far more responsibility'; 'feedback/views valued'; 'many support links'; 'I thought I would be busier and that I would have a wider variety of work'; 'the associates and partners are quite patient and willing to explain the context of the work'; 'more favourable hours and much better quality of work'; 'the firm's sector focus means the opportunity to work with some of the largest organisations in the world''

Best thing about the firm?

''Friendliness'; 'top quality-clients'; 'work'; 'the lovely people and range of quality international work'; 'excellent canteen and flashy offices'; 'everyone is very approachable''

Worst thing about the firm?

''Poor management of intake sizes'; 'stress levels'; 'the NQ salary does not compete with firms of a similar quality and size'; 'I am not sure where the firm is heading or whether its strategy will allow it to compete effectively long term with its peers''

Best moment?

''Going to the ATP Tour Finals at the O2 Arena to see Nadal'; 'being given a huge amount of client responsibility early'; 'settling a mediation in the early hours followed by Michelin-starred celebrations''

Worst moment?

''Really late nights'; 'feelings of not knowing how you are performing'; 'feeling that you are not good enough when you make a mistake'; 'that feeling that you have let someone down'; 'getting involved with the 'market-leading' document review system which you need a Phd to operate'; 'consistently long hours'; 'working until 3am and then coming in the next morning early''

The Lex 100 verdict

The Verdict

The firm

Simmons & Simmons is strong on financial services work, particularly in hedge funds and derivatives, and clients say 'it is certainly able to compete with Magic Circle firms'. The firm also maintains an active profile in the areas of TMT, life sciences, and energy and infrastructure.

The star performers

Administrative and public law; Asset finance and leasing; Commercial litigation; Commercial property; Commodities and futures; Derivatives; EU and competition; Electricity, nuclear and renewables; Employment; Environment; Financial services; Flotations: small and mid-cap; Health and safety; Hedge funds; IP; IT and telecoms; Investment funds; M&A: upper mid-market and premium deals, £250m+; Pharmaceuticals and biotechnology; Private Finance Initiative (PFI); Rail; Securitisation.

The deals

Provided advice to HMV on ticketing arrangements with Ticketmaster relating to HMV's merger with MAMA Group; advised Virgin Media on the outsourcing of its UK-wide warehousing and logistics function to Kuehne + Nagel; acted for British Land on its proposed construction of new headquarters for UBS on the Broadgate estate.

The clients

Deutsche Bank; Evolution Securities; HSBC; Hynix; Investec; JP Morgan Cazenove; NOMADs; Panmure Gordon; Powerflute Oyj; RBS Hoare Govett; Schlumberger Limited; UBS.

The winners

Legal Business Awards 2011

Highly commended Regulatory team of the year, CSR Programme of the year; Energy and Natural Resources team of the year.

The Verdict

Recognised for its 'top-quality work, prestigious clients and international presence', Simmons & Simmons is a great place to learn the ropes. A top-ten City firm with an 'amazing' art collection, it is well regarded for its sector focus, for example in financial services, but also for its expertise in areas including employment law and IP. Training is described as 'good' with the business and commercial skills sessions particularly popular. Thanks to its global reach there are plenty of opportunities to go abroad either on secondment ('I went to Abu Dhabi') or for a deal ('flown to Monaco by helicopter for a signing followed by lunch on a terrace overlooking the sea'). One current trainee feels that the firm is 'sensitive to personal needs' and although the hours can be tough at times the people along with being 'very friendly' are also accommodating and provide a huge level of support. Stress levels can also be high from time to time so you will need to be able to deal with some pressure, also client contact in some seats can be limited. However, there are some great positives which could include 'going to the ATP Tour Finals at the O2 Arena to see Nadal on a Friday afternoon' and the Michelin-starred celebrations and champagne after closing a big deal. If you are looking for 'big-ticket work without the Magic Circle hours' then Simmons & Simmons could be the perfect fit.

A day in the life

A day in the life of.....

Aisling Scott, second-seat trainee, Simmons & Simmons LLP
Departments to date: Banking, corporate
University: Manchester
Degree: Law and French Law 2(1)

9.00am: I get to the office and check my to-do list for the day. I'm in the equity capital markets section of the corporate department and I share an office with my supervisor, Ian. He asks me to do some proofreading urgently; we have just got our circular (a document sent to the shareholders of a company to give them the necessary information to vote on a transaction) back from the printers and we need to make sure all the amendments are in before it is sent to the UK Listing Authority (UKLA) for approval.

10.00am: There are a few additional changes to be made so I send the circular back to the printers and ask them to make these urgently so we can submit it to the UKLA as soon as possible. In the meantime, I get started on my other tasks. First on my list is finishing a completion agenda. I started this yesterday but I've got more things to add in before I give it to Gemma, an associate, for her comments. The conditions and documents which need to be satisfied are listed in the share purchase agreement so I work through it and list all the documents and the signatories. This is quite a typical trainee task and we use the agenda to ensure that all the documents are ready at completion.

10.45am: I get the draft circular back from the printers and stop my work on the completion agenda to check the amendments. They are all in and so I let Ian know and he arranges for it to be sent to the UKLA.

11.00am: I finish the completion agenda and check it through. Once I'm done I give it to Gemma for review.

1.00pm: I go to Ampersands (our staff canteen) for lunch - it's great to be able to catch up with the other trainees there. We all went to BPP Law School together for the LPC so we know each other really well by now.

1.30pm: I know that I've got quite a lot to get on with today so I head back to my desk. Next on my to-do list are some completion board minutes. I print off a precedent and manuscript and mark the amendments which need to be made. Once I'm finished I give them to my secretary, Marie, to type up.

2.30pm: My next task is verification. This is a very time-consuming task and involves making sure that all the statements in the circular are accurate. I went to meet the general counsel of the client by myself yesterday to discuss verification with her. One of the best things about being a trainee in corporate is the amount of client contact you get. While I was at the client's offices the general counsel provided me with lots of documents which I begin to work through.

4.00pm: Marie comes back with the board minutes and I check that all the amendments have been made. I give them to Gemma; who says she'll review them and discuss them with me later. I get back to my verification exercise for the time being.

6.00pm: Gemma comes in and discusses the amendments with me, explaining why the changes need to be made. Everyone always takes the time to explain amendments so that you learn from each exercise and don't make the same mistakes twice. Once we've finished I get back to sorting out the documents for verification and going through all the information to find the parts which support the statements in the circular.

8.30pm: I've been taking advantage of the time when the office is quieter to make some headway with the verification. Now that I've made more progress, I go to meet some of the trainees who are on client secondment in the bar underneath the office for a quick drink.

About the firm

About the firm

Address: CityPoint, One Ropemaker Street London EC2Y 9SS

Telephone: 020 7628 2020

Fax: 020 7628 2070

Website: www.simmons-simmons.com/graduates

Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Senior partner: Colin Passmore

Managing partner: Jeremy Hoyland

Other offices: Abu Dhabi, Amsterdam, Brussels, Doha, Dubai, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Funchal*, Hong Kong, Lisbon*, Madrid, Milan, Paris, Rome, Saudi Arabia*, Shanghai, Tokyo (*associated offices).

Who we are: The firm's high-quality advice and the positive working atmosphere in its international offices has won admiration from the legal community and business clients.

What we do: The firm has a particular focus on energy and infrastructure; financial institutions; life sciences and technology, media and telecommunications (TMT). It provides a wide choice of service areas, including corporate and commercial; information, communications and technology; dispute resolution; employment; EU, regulatory and competition; financial markets; IP; projects; real estate; corporate tax and corporate pensions.

What we are looking for: Show evidence of a rich 'life experience' as well as examples of your intellectual capabilities and you will be provided with everything you need to become a successful member of the firm.

What you'll do: Trainees sit with either a partner or a lawyer and you will quickly find yourself at the centre of the action, and your legal and overall professional skills will grow daily.

Perks: 25 days' holiday; concierge service; gym subsidy; private medical insurance; music/singing lessons; season ticket loan; subsidised staff restaurant; travel insurance.

Sponsorship: We provide trainees with financial assistance by paying tuition fees and maintenance grants for the GDL, LPC and MBA. You will also have the option of taking a £2,000 loan prior to the start of your training contact.

Facts & figures