Skadden is a place to carve your path. Known for our innovative approach, Skadden attorneys work on the world's most complex matters, the types of deals and cases that earn headlines, move markets and shape the law. Skadden’s London office advises on mergers and acquisitions, private equity, employment, financings, restructurings and tax matters. We also have extensive experience in the fields of international arbitration and litigation, white collar crime and financial regulation. We advise clients on the most complex matters that require innovative solutions involving both domestic U.K. and multijurisdictional law.
Since opening our London office in 1988, Skadden has established itself as a major player in the London legal market. The firm offers a fully integrated U.K., European and U.S. practice operating from our London base and composed of some of London’s top-ranked lawyers.
Our clients, which we counsel on cross-border European and global matters, include major corporates, financial institutions and governments. Skadden’s global platform allows our lawyers in London to quickly marshall relevant experience across practices and offices as needed, to address the most demanding instructions from clients anywhere around the world.
Our long-standing Summer Associate Program for second-year law students provides an opportunity to either spend the full summer in London or split with one of our offices. Students have the opportunity to experience Corporate, Securities, and White Collar Crime while undertaking a placement in London. We however, do not offer experience in Litigation and International Arbitration. The program is structured to expose summer associates to a mixture of client work, training, pro bono, knowledge management and social events so that they develop into a well-rounded Skadden attorney, and they get the most out of their summer experience. By close interactions with partners on active matters, our summer associates gain a sense of what it is like to be an attorney at Skadden, and substantive practical skills training. Such experiences, combined with the attractions of London, provide an excellent start to one's career.
TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT
Throughout your academic career, you have attended the best schools and studied under the best professors. So why should your professional career be any different? At Skadden you will continue to learn from the best. To inspire a culture of lifelong learning, Skadden provides attorneys with specialized training specifically tailored to their experience level throughout their careers – from summer associates to associates to partners to Skadden alumni.
Summer Associates have the opportunity to participate in the Summer Program Associates' Comprehensive Education (SPACE) Program, which includes elements of our Associates' Comprehensive Education (ACE) Program that historically has been offered only to incoming associates. This robust training program provides Summer Associates with many of the fundamental skills of successful Skadden lawyers, better positioning them to hit the ground running after graduation.
Continuing on the foundation built in the summer, our junior associates participate in our full-time ACE Program, an intensive, full-time learning experience combining legal and professional skills training with a financial education which includes a business simulation. Associates participate in: technical skills trainings involving discussions with partners, counsel and senior associates; people and work management programs focusing on communication skills, team collaboration, time management, DE&I, well-being and ethics; group chats that emphasize our core values; and social events to build internal connections. The financial education builds business acumen (BA101) through an online learning platform. The BA101 course reviews strategy and financial management, valuation, income statement, balance sheet, discounted cash flow and EBITDA. Associates have the opportunity to opt in to advanced financial coursework, taking a deeper look at financial statements to determine red flags and financial risk, adding complexity to further develop strategic thinking skills. BA101 also includes a customized Skadden storyline that is designed to connect business terminology and financial concepts to the practice of law. The financial education culminates with a fun and competitive business simulation emphasizing problem solving, team work and strategy.
The learning journey continues after ACE as attorneys participate in the Attorney Learning Core Curriculum and Business Development Academy. Associates have opportunities throughout each year to attend Core Skills training that focuses on technical and people skills, work management and communications. Through the Business Development Academy, attorneys develop networking, active listening and marketing skills that help build long-term trust and foster successful client relationships.
MENTORING & FEEDBACK
To ensure personalized attention and support, summer associates are paired with attorney mentors. The program specifics differ slightly from office to office, but each program shares the same philosophy: An ample support network is essential to your success and development. When the summer program ends, former summer associates and newly hired incoming associates become a part of the Rising Associate Mentoring Program (RAMP). This program is designed to keep our incoming associates connected to the firm while they are finishing school and ease the transition from 3L to first-year associate. Upon joining the firm, they participate in Skadden's Formal Mentor Program which integrates new associates into Skadden’s culture by fostering long-term mentoring relationships with their partner and associate mentors. 3L hires, laterals, re-hires and transfers who did not have the chance to participate in the summer program participate in Skadden Integration + ("SI+"), a program that allows them to cultivate internal connections through peer mentoring and select workshops. Midlevel to senior associates participate in SkadUp, a program that supports and encourages continued informal mentoring after associates have transitioned out of the Formal Mentoring Program. The resources provided through these programs, as well as the social nature of the firm, allows associates to continually meet attorneys at various levels, including those in other practices and offices. In addition, Attorney Development Partners in each practice area support integration into groups, equitable distribution of work and timely development-related programming.
Informal feedback is given to summer associates through the everyday work experience and we provide formal feedback in mid-summer and exit meetings. Summer associates also have the opportunity to complete self-assessments as well as optional upward reviews.
Fostering candid communication between associates and firm leaders is critical to our ability to lead the industry in timely and relevant practices and programs. In addition to avenues for informal communication, our associates also have the opportunity to ask questions and share their views through our Associates Committees, Attorney Development Partners, Professional Development Managers and town halls with office and practice leaders. We are one of the few firms that solicits attorney feedback through engagement surveys to assist us in developing and assessing offerings and programs.
