The majority of people who join us as junior associates have already experienced the role at first hand while working with us as a stagiaire. Last year most of our hired junior associates came from within the stagiaire group.
At this pivotal stage of their legal careers, we think associates should be given every chance to make a considered and informed decision about the direction they want to take in the future. That is why we have the ‘seats’ system for junior associates, a programme that is very attractive in the French market.
A ‘seat’ is a period of six months spent working in a practice area to broaden your awareness and see how different sectors work. Your first year with us will consist of two seats – for example, six months in M&A followed by six months in Real Estate – to give you varied experience and the broadest possible view. During this formative year you will come into contact with colleagues and clients from different spheres, learning from their experience, discussing different aspects of law and forming your ideas about the direction that is right for you.
During the seats process and beyond, you will be entrusted with a much higher level of responsibility than you might expect, including exposure to clients and complex transactions at a surprisingly early point. You will need the confidence to handle it, but you will never lack support.
