AllAboutLaw.co.uk are proud to announce the winners of their Top Law Firms for Training Contracts & Vacation Schemes awards 2013-14, sponsored by cv mail (Thompson Reuters), in which leading law firms from across the U.K. gathered to honour the best employers for vacation schemes and training contracts in a range of categories. The awards are the first of their kind to feature prominence on quality of training in vacation schemes and training contracts simultaneously.
The most coveted award of the night, Top Law Firm 2013-14, was won by national firm Farrer & Co, with runners up Shoosmiths and Penningtons Manches LLP. Other award winners were:
- Berwin Leighton Paisner: Best for Career Progression – Vacation Scheme, Best for Job Satisfaction – Vacation Scheme;
- Baker & McKenzie: Best for International Opportunities, Trainee Solicitor of the Year (David Dowling);
- Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer: Best Training & Vacation Scheme Recruitment Website;
- Farrer & Co: Best for Job Satisfaction – Training Contract, Best Training Contract – National Firm, Best for Training – Training Contract, Best Level of Support -Training Contract, Best for Job Satisfaction – Training Contract;
- Travers Smith: Best Level of Support – Vacation Scheme;
- Linklaters: Best Use of Social Media in a Trainee & Vacation Scheme Recruitment Campaign;
- Latham & Watkins: Best for Career Progression – Training Contract, Best Training Contract – International Firm;
- Shoosmiths: Best for Training – Vacation Scheme, Best Vacation Scheme – National Firm;
- Norton Rose Fulbright: Best Vacation Scheme – International Firm;
- Bingham: Best Training Contract – US Firm;
- Weil, Gotshal & Manges: Best Vacation Scheme – US Firm;
- DLA Piper: The Social Mobility Award.
David Dowling from Baker McKenzie, who walked away with the Trainee Solicitor of the Year award for his work on setting up a pro-bono society while training, explained: “Our goal is to raise awareness of the ways in which students can make a real contribution to pro bono organisations. Therefore, it was an honour to win, and I am very grateful to AllAboutLaw.co.uk for the chance to promote Pro Bono Community to future law students.”
AllAboutLaw.co.uk was thrilled to have Antony Townsend, Chief Executive at the Solicitors Regulation Authority as the keynote speaker for the awards ceremony. During a rousing speech, he explained: “This is the first of these awards events, recognising legal employers for both their work experience and graduate schemes, and a welcome step in helping to highlight what excellent training can look like. It’s great to be here to celebrate fine examples of achievement and excellence in training the next generation of lawyers.”
The awards ceremony is supported by an upcoming law publication for universities that includes the full results of the rankings and awards, as well as invaluable tips and advice for aspiring lawyers.
Jack Denton, Co-Founder, explains: “We are thrilled to have hosted the first awards ceremony celebrating high quality training in both vacation schemes and training contracts. Alongside our upcoming publication, this is an exciting time for AllAboutLaw.co.uk, and one in which we were delighted to share with the top law firms.”
