Firms

Squire Sanders Hammonds

 

Web:  http://trainees.ssd.com 

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

 

 

Web:  http://trainees.ssd.com 

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? 

 ''A lot more friendly than others'; 'doing extremely high-quality work'; 'friendliness of the other fee-earners'; 'the firm's commitment to their trainees' training'; 'it seemed like a very thorough set of training which they invested time and money in'; 'the six-seat training contract'; 'can repeat a seat if you really like it'' 

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

 ''A friendly firm with a good client base and high-quality of work for its trainees'; 'high ratio of partners who trained at the firm'; 'very good vacation scheme'; 'the chance to spend a seat in the Brussels or Paris office'; 'strength in key practice areas and well-regarded training programme'' 

Best thing about the firm? 

 ''Lots of client contact available'; 'friendly firm that gives you a broad range of experience'; 'excellent training, especially the three-week Oxford induction'; 'a brilliant vacation scheme, with real work'; 'the emphasis placed on retaining its trainees as future partners of the firm'; 'dominant positions in Yorkshire legal market'' 

Worst thing about the firm? 

 ''The offices could do with some re-fitting'; 'the pressure of billing and time-recording'; 'my biggest bugbear is the trainee and NQ wages now being lower than our competitors'; 'lack of integration between different departments'; 'lack of transparency for trainees about business strategy and developments'' 

Best moment? 

 ''Being involved in corporate transactions for high-profile football clubs'; 'a trip to Italy to meet a client'; 'three-week induction in Oxford'; 'managing my own client'; 'helping on my first corporate deal from start to finish and feeling a vital member of the team'' 

Worst moment?

 ''Not being able to turn work around quick enough and being chased'; 'stressing that I had lost original completion documents'; 'working for 28 hours straight on a completion'; 'having to wait for three hours one night to see if the other side, based in New York, were going to get back to me''

The Lex 100 verdict

 The Verdict

The firm

Squire Sanders Hammonds - aligned nationally into corporate finance (the firm handled 27 corporate finance deals in 2010 totalling £1.9bn), litigation, human capital, and built environment divisions - maintains a steady heavyweight presence in Leeds, Manchester and Birmingham, and has a strong London office. The firm also now practises in Belgium, Spain, Germany, France, Hong Kong, China and Russia. 

The star performers

Banking and finance; Banking litigation; Brand management; Commercial litigation; Commercial property; Corporate and commercial; Corporate tax; EU and competition; Employment; Environment; Flotations: small and mid-cap; Health and safety; IT and telecoms; Insolvency and corporate recovery; Intellectual property; Licensing, gaming and betting; M&A: lower mid-market, £50m-£250m; Pensions; Planning; Private Finance Initiative (PFI); Property litigation; Sport.

The deals

Advised GB group on its move to AIM from the Official List; advising BSS on its takeover by Travis Perkins for £583m; advised Rensburg Sheppards on the disposal of Rensburg Fund Management to Franklin Templeton Investments, valued at £45m; acted on a number of public/private refinancings of regeneration schemes; advice to Rensburg Sheppards on the disposal of Rensburg Fund Management to Franklin Templeton Investments, valued at £45m.

The clients

Care UK; ECI; Greggs; K3 Business Technology; Montague Private Equity; Northern Rock; PwC; Panmure Gordon; Peel Energy; Phoenix Equity Partners; Royal Mail; Rurelec; SpiriTel; Stobart Group; Tesco; Trinity Mirror.

The winners

Legal Business Awards 2011

Winner Management partner of the year (Peter Crossley) 

The Verdict

Another firm fresh from a transatlantic merger, Squire Sanders Hammonds is becoming a force to be reckoned with and, according to one current trainee, is 'going places and has a real desire to develop and grow into a top international firm'. Offering a six-seat system the training is described by one trainee as 'thorough' and it is clear that they have 'invested time and money into it'. It is also popular as it offers a 'terrific opportunity to gain exposure to areas of law not covered by the core areas' which is helpful for those not yet sure of where they would like to qualify. The three-week induction in Oxford is also a hit. You can expect to work on some very 'high-quality' work and thanks to the 'friendliness of the staff' there is always someone available to ask questions if you need to. There are also plenty of opportunities to take advantage of the firm's international offices and overseas secondments are encouraged. The offices could do with a bit of an overhaul and the location of the Leeds office ('outside the city centre') is quite inconvenient for some. Other trainees would like to see 'more integration between departments' and feel that there can, at times, be a 'lack of transparency for trainees about business strategy and developments'. However, there is a general agreement that the firm is truly 'aspirational' and that the merger has kick-started a new ambition. If this appeals plus 'managing your own client files', 'spending a seat in the Brussels or Paris office' as well as the 'lack of hierarchical structure' and the open-door policy, then SSH is a good bet.

A day in the life

A day in the life of.....

Richard Clayman, trainee, Squire Sanders Hammonds 
Departments to date:  Brussels (competition and trade), asset-based lending litigation, commercial and intellectual property.
University: Leeds University 
Degree: Politics and philosophy, first class 

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8.40am: I set out for work, allowing enough time to grab a coffee and croissant en route to the office, which is a 15-minute walk from the trainee flat. I arrive in the office before 9.00am and head to my desk where I check my emails and deal with any administrative tasks for the day. I then review various sources of EU competition and trade news, such as the European Commission's websites and other services, gathering the most interesting articles to research in more depth at a later date to contribute to the Squire Sanders Hammonds' monthly Competition Law Bulletin.

9.30am: I continue working on a memorandum of advice that I have been working on relating to a European anti-dumping investigation. My role involves summarising the key arguments raised in opposition to the levy of anti-dumping duties on certain chemical products and relaying these arguments to our client, the complainant company. I finish the draft memorandum setting out my analysis and liaise with my supervisor to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the arguments raised. I am pleased to have been given a great deal of responsibility with this task as it has developed my understanding of an area of trade law that I was previously unfamiliar with.

11.30am: The competition team meet to discuss the most recent developments in competition law. We are joined via video link by our London and Manchester colleagues who also contribute to the discussions. In the meeting, a few colleagues give presentations on the latest developments and cases, both at national and European level, after which we debate these developments and decide who will write an article for our clients on a topic that we have discussed. After the video conference, the Brussels team also have a quick discussion about heading out for some drinks on Friday night!

12.30pm: I make my way to a hotel in the centre of Brussels to attend a seminar hosted by the College of Europe on the subject of quantification of damages in private competition law claims. I am aware that this is a hot topic and is the subject of much debate between the lawyers and economists of Brussels and beyond. The speakers are excellent. Following the seminar, I meet up with some friends who are trainees at other firms who have also attended the seminar and we go for lunch in town before heading back to work. I try to resist getting frites but fail (a common occurrence in Brussels).

2.45pm: A senior associate who I have been working with in relation to a UK public procurement challenge calls me in to discuss another matter. The new matter is a case before the European General Court. We will be acting on behalf of one of the European institutions, which is being sued for breach of the public procurement rules. I am provided with the background of the case and a copy of the claimant's application commencing the action. I return to my desk to research the history of cases between the parties. I read the application, which relates to a significant IT procurement worth many millions of Euros, and make notes and annotations accordingly.

5.20pm: I discuss my findings with the senior associate. We agree how we shall proceed to deal with the matter and divide work accordingly. It will be my task over the coming weeks to draft a section of the defence dealing with the legal arguments raised. I am extremely excited to be given such serious involvement in a case before the General Court.

6.30pm: I drop by to discuss my final thoughts on the new matter with the senior associate. We agree our plan of action for the next few days and leave the office together. I head back to the trainee flat to get ready to meet up with trainees from other firms in Place Luxembourg, a favourite Brussels hang-out for young and thirsty lawyers, lobbyists and economists.

About the firm

About the firm

Address: 7 Devonshire Square, London EC2M 4YH

Telephone: 0800 163 498

Website: http://trainees.ssd.com

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

Chairman and global CEO: James J Maiwurm

Managing partner (Europe): Peter Crossley

 

Other offices: Beijing, Berlin, Birmingham, Bratislava, Brussels, Budapest, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, Houston, Kyiv, Leeds, Los Angeles, Madrid, Manchester, Miami, Moscow, New York, Northern Virginia, Palo Alto, Paris, Phoenix, Prague, Rio de Janeiro, San Francisco, Santo Domingo, Sao Paolo, Shanghai, Tampa, Tokyo, Warsaw, Washington DC, West Palm Beach. Independent network firms: Beirut, Bogota, Bucharest, Buenos Aires, Caracas, La Paz, Lima, Panama, Riyadh, Santiago 

Who we are:  Squire Sanders Hammonds is part of the international legal practice Squire, Sanders & Dempsey, founded through the combination of Hammonds and Squire, Sanders & Dempsey on 1 January 2011.

What we do: Work for an impressive range of national and international clients in a range of broad practice areas, including banking and financial services, corporate finance, intellectual property, sports, commercial and IT, international dispute resolution, litigation, labour and employment, pensions and real estate.

What we are looking for: Good academic background, commercial awareness, excellent communications skills, strong commitment, enthusiasm, ambition and the drive to succeed.

What you'll do:  The firm provides a three-week induction programme, bespoke skills training, two-tier supervision and six four-month seats.

Perks: 25 days' holiday, flexible benefits package (including health insurance), season ticket loan, corporate gym rates, life assurance, pension and lifestyle scheme.

Sponsorship: Payment of GDL and LPC fees, maintenance grant: GDL - £6,000 (London), £4,500 (regional); LPC - £7,000 (London), £5,000 (regional).

 

Facts & figures

 Facts and figures

Trainee places available for 2014: 25

Applications received pa: 1,300 

Percentage interviewed: 10% 

Salary

First year: (2011) £22,000 (regional), £32,000 (London)

Second year: (2011) £25,000 (regional), £35,000 (London)

Newly qualified: (2010 - to be reviewed) £36,000 (regional), £56,000 (London)

 

Total partners: 450

Other fee-earners: 700

Total trainees: 60

APPLY NOW

Application process

Apply to: 

How: Online application form at http://trainees.ssd.com. 

When to Apply: By 31 July 2012 for 2014 training contracts. 

What is involved:  

 

 Vacation schemes

Summer: 2012: Apply by 31 January 2012.