Orrick is a modern, inclusive, global law firm focused on serving the tech and innovation; energy and infrastructure; and finance sectors. Based in 27+ markets worldwide, we help our clients grow and innovate, we protect them and we help them win. We prioritise diversity (Mansfield Plus Certified for five years in a row), innovation (Financial Times Top 3 Most Innovative firms for seven years in a row) and being a best place to work (Fortune Best Companies To Work For also for seven years in a row). And these values help us attract and develop top talent and inspire collaboration in order to provide forward-thinking advice to the world’s most innovative companies.

In tech and innovation, we help clients compete globally and thrive in a fast-paced and dynamic landscape. Our clients include more than 4,000 tech and life sciences companies, 13 of the world’s 15 largest public tech companies, 100+ unicorns and 400 leading VC investors globally. We partner with clients on virtually every transaction type – formation through going public – and achieve outstanding litigation and regulatory outcomes for them. Orrick has been ranked the #1 most active venture capital law firm in Europe for the past 30 consecutive quarters and rank #5 globally (PitchBook).

We offer a comprehensive global energy and infrastructure platform – working across renewables, power, oil and gas and infrastructure. Clients turn to us for revolutionary projects in energy transition and energy technology, and we guide them in the development of some of the most impactful infrastructure modernisation projects across the planet. Our clients include eight of the top 15 energy companies by market cap, eight of the top 10 renewables sponsors and 50% of the top 50 infrastructure investors globally.

We have a long and rich history of serving the finance sector. We've acted for global banks, funds and leading financial institutions at the forefront of innovation in the private and public sectors – from creating new financial products to resolving high-stakes litigation, enforcement and compliance matters. Our clients include 10 of the top 15 financial institutions by market cap, seven of the top 20 online lenders and four of the top 20 fintech unicorns.

Pro bono

Orrick’s pro bono program has been praised for the dedication of its lawyers to supporting diverse causes with tangible results. Orrick strategically allocates its pro bono resources to ensure that each lawyer’s work has the maximum impact for the client and the community. The firm’s commitment to serving its communities worldwide is underscored by the full participation of lawyers around the firm on important matters for low-income clients and those focused on critical matters seeking to address structural barriers to equality. Our heightened focus on pro bono was rewarded: We ranked #4 in the AmLaw international pro bono rankings for the third consecutive year and have been named in the top 20 list by Legal Week for pro bono work in London for the last two years. In 2022, more than 84% of our lawyers in Europe/Asia undertook 20+ hours of pro bono work, with an average of 53 hours per lawyer.

We have developed and manage 14 collaborative access to justice projects across our offices in the UK/Europe region, more than any other firm, through which we train our lawyers (and lawyers in other firms that have joined us in these initiatives) in new areas of legal need so they can provide supervised assistance and representation to disadvantaged and marginalized individuals in our local communities. Examples include:

• assisting Afghan refugees reunite with their families in the UK, France, Italy and Germany, and helping Ukraine refugees and their families to stay in the UK;
• making interim measures applications to the European Court of Human Rights on behalf of refugees and asylum seekers on issues such as pushbacks and reception conditions; and
• representing families with terminally ill children and adults with learning disabilities on community care, social housing and benefits matters in the UK.

We have also developed and help lead two large scale collaborative projects which involve sending a number of our lawyers every year on two-week pro bono placements to Athens where our lawyers advise and support asylum seekers through the protection process and Warsaw where we work with individuals on the ground to provide advice on legal routes to the UK to individuals who have fled Ukraine.

In addition to our access to justice pro bono work, we also focus on cutting edge impact investment and social enterprise matters, such as a recent term sheet negotiation for a social enterprise raising seed financing to develop the world’s only end-to-end decarbonization platform with innovative carbon measurement and removal.

We also undertake important legal research projects to support third sector advocacy for improvements in legislation and policy in different jurisdictions in the region and around the world, for example drafting trial monitoring reports of human rights activists in Egypt and undertaking international law research relating to the detention of individuals in North East Syria.

In addition, we provide necessary transactional support to NGOs and charities on areas of law such as employment, tax, IP and general commercial contracts. The organizations we support work on a range of issues, for example an NGO in Italy that provides educational and psychological services for minors and families in prisons, and an international development organization in France that focuses on global child rights.

The primary route to applying for a training contract with us is to apply for a space on our summer vacation scheme which will take place in June or July. Our vacation scheme offers participants an opportunity to London office of a US law firm in action and get an insight into what life as a trainee would be like here.

During the two-week scheme you'll spend time in two of our London practices, working on real work alongside our trainees, associates and partners. There will also be a variety of social opportunities and events that run throughout the scheme, giving you an opportunity to really get to know our team.

To apply for a vacation scheme please submit an application by 31 January 2024. If your application is shortlisted you will be invited to take part in an assessment centre, which includes an interview, a drafting exercise and an opportunity to participate in a presentation exercise.

If you set your standards high, have a strong work ethic and are a bright, talented graduate of any discipline looking for a firm offering a broad-based training contract, then Orrick could be for you. Applicants should have or be on track to achieve a 2:1 degree (or higher) in any discipline.

Orrick is a firm for those looking for a high level of responsibility from day one. We value team players and reward collaboration over competition. We aim to give individuals the opportunity to flourish in a lively and supportive work environment and encourage interaction among lawyers across international offices at every level of experience within the firm. We support learning through a steadfast focus on training and a mentoring programme that will provide trainees with the right foundation for building their legal career and for working with clients. A genuine open-door policy means trainees work closely with partners and of counsel as well as associates to gain practical experience in research, drafting, procedural and client-related skills.

Our two-year training programme is made up of six four-month seats with regular appraisals throughout. Our dedicated trainee partner oversees the supervision and management of our trainees. There are regular training sessions on legal and soft skills to enhance your development as a lawyer. Our extensive training programme is provided by in-house experts, clients and specialist professionals.

Inclusiveness is a core value that shapes the way we run our firm. It’s part of our daily conversation about investing in talent, staffing our teams and measuring our success. We are taking concrete steps to make our firm and our profession more inclusive. You’ll see it in our metrics and our lawyer development and coaching programmes – and you’ll feel it in our culture.

Our global DEI programme is run by Angelique Magliulo-Hager, Sheryl Garko, Siobhan Handley and Lorraine McGowen, the latter recognized by Savoy as one of the most influential black lawyers in the United States. We also have a dedicated Women's Initiative which supports women's career development across the firm and promotes diversity within senior management. Orrick also has a long history of promoting LGBTQ+ equality, both inside and outside the firm. In 2020 we were involved in the US Supreme Court's landmark ruling in Bostock v. Clayton County, strengthening workplace protections for LGBTQ+ employees across the US.

Closer to home, we have several DEI initiatives within the London office. Our London DEI committee meets regularly to support and promote a wide range of events and initiatives, with recent activities including supporting the annual Dive/In event, celebrating International Women’s Day and recognising Windrush Day.

We also have a London LGBTQ+ group where LGBTQ+ lawyers and staff are able to meet, network, and collectively share their experience. The group, which also works closely with our global network, constitutes a safe and confidential space to promote the wellness of LGBTQ+ individuals in the workplace. Additionally, it actively contributes to the creation and improvement of LGBTQ+ related policies in collaboration with our DEI committee and Stonewall.

Inclusiveness is also key to how we recruit in London. We are proud to partner with Rare Contextual Recruitment, which helps us ensure our trainee recruitment processes are as fair and inclusive as possible. Rare data allows us to contextualise candidates’ academics and experience to ensure we are not missing out on talented individuals who may have had a less privileged start in life. We also work with Aspiring Solicitors who introduce us to talented students from diverse and social-mobility backgrounds at their virtual law fair series. Orrick was also a founding member of the Reignite Academy, an organisation that supports individuals returning to the legal profession following a career break or time spent out of the legal sector.

SQE course fees paid plus £11,000 maintenance grant.

• Banking & finance
• Compensation & benefits
• Complex litigation & dispute resolution
• Cyber
• Privacy & data innovation
• Employment
• Energy & infrastructure
• International arbitration
• M&A & private equity
• Restructuring
• Structured finance
• Tax
• Technology companies group
• Technology transactions group

• Corporate & Commercial

• Austin
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• A4ID
• i-Probono
• Toynbee Hall Legal Advice Centre
• TrustLaw Connect

• Aspiring Solicitors
• City Solicitors' Educational Trust
• City Solicitors Horizons
• ELBA
• Rare Recruitment