Willkie Farr & Gallagher

About the firm

Anyone who has played Super Mario knows the effect of a mushroom: one moment Mario is small, the next he is considerably bigger and more powerful. Trainees at Willkie told us how the US firm seems to be enjoying a similar transformation in London, with one reporting that “it’s growing at a rapid rate, every year it feels like we are hitting new milestones, and I wanted to be part of somewhere where I could contribute to the growth.” Recent lateral partner hires in antitrust, private equity, and restructuring underline its ambitions in the UK, and associate salaries are expanding too, with a recent £10k rise to £180,000 putting it among the market leaders for NQ pay.

A mushroom power-up might make Mario bigger, but it doesn’t mean he has to take on the next level alone, and that same combination of growth and co-op play is part of the appeal for Willkie’s juniors. As one insider put it, “I feel that people know me and when the teams are lean you become a key member of the team, which feels empowering as you have the opportunity to be responsible for things that are happening.”

Meanwhile, the firm has proven it doesn’t necessarily need power-ups when it comes to its practices. Nationwide, the firm receives gold coins from the Chambers UK guide in insurance: non-contentious, and in the capital, it receives top accolades in competition law: private enforcement, and corporate crime & investigations. While Willkie’s London office is its only UK home, the firm also has 15 overseas outposts.

Why trainees joined the firm

Best of both worlds

Some people may have their dream area of law set in stone before starting their TC, but others appreciate the chance to be flexible, and our interviewees praised how Willkie does both contentious and transactional work “to a high standard.” As one highlighted, “Willkie is in the sweet spot of being good at both and having multiple options, while still having a small cohort so you can’t disappear.”

Hands-on experience

One trainee told us how they chose Willkie due to the experience they knew they would get: “I wanted somewhere where I could have as much experience as I possibly could at a junior level, because I cared about having hands-on experience and doing actual work.”

Trainee retention rate

It appears that when people join this firm, they are in it for the long run. As one put it, “American firms generally are a place where people come and leave, but most trainees who have trained here, have stayed.”

Trainee satisfaction rankings

Training contract structure

Seat allocation

Trainees at Willkie receive monthly check-ins to discuss their development, and they told us how “it’s an opportunity to discuss where we’d like to go next,” adding that their mid-seat review is the main time to make their interests known. Juniors are able to rank up to four preferences for their next seat rotation and explained that “as long as you express interest, you should be able to get that seat during the TC, albeit maybe not in the order you want.”

There are some compulsory seats: trainees are required to do a contentious seat (which can be in competition litigation, general litigation, or international arbitration) and one transactional seat (private equity or corporate insurance).

Client secondments

We were told how secondments are not on offer for trainees at this firm, but insiders did note that “there are more and more client ones happening at the senior associate level.” Juniors told us that they don’t mind this set-up, saying “I think it’s better to spend two years here and then make the decision about secondments as an associate,” with another adding how, “I can’t wait to do a secondment” when the time comes! For our interviewees, it appeared that their main focus during their training contract was “trying to decide which team to join.” They are spoilt for choice, since “the cohort is small and there’s a demand and need in teams, so everyone wants a trainee.”

Seat Experiences

Trainee life

Culture and environment

Data from our annual trainee survey

“You’ll be able to find your crowd at this firm.”

One thing that kept coming up when trainees were discussing the firm’s culture was how everyone is approachable at all levels: “I never felt I couldn’t speak to someone due to their status,” one reported. Trainees typically share an office with their supervisor, which breaks down those barriers further, as “you can form a really good working relationship with that person.” Juniors also emphasised the “good mix of people” at the firm, highlighting how “you’ll be able to find your crowd at this firm.”

The wide range of clubs and socials helps in that process; for example, there’s Willkie Tennis, where the firm pays for a top coach to come in every Tuesday. It also doesn’t hurt that the office is a pretty inspiring place to hang out, thanks to its showstopping views: “I’m a year in and I still look out and think ‘oh wow’!” Furthermore, our interviewees celebrated how Gen Z is really leaving its mark, noting that the firm now offers matcha as well as snack boxes.

Working patterns

Data from our annual trainee survey

Willkie’s lawyers are expected to be in the office Monday to Thursday, with Friday being the firm-wide work-from-home day. We were told how typical hours vary depending on the practice and workload at the time, with one trainee stating that they typically work “an average of 60/70 hours a week, but some summer months have been really quiet,” while another reported sometimes working until 10pm when busy, “but when it’s quieter it can be a 9 to 5.”

We were told how, as trainees go through their training contract, they get better at predicting when long hours are needed, and experience that “it’s not constant late nights, but usually a week or even just a couple of days at a time.”

Pay

Data provided by firm and our annual trainee survey

Thinking about gold coins of the non-virtual kind? Well, when it comes to compensation at the firm, there was definitely no grumbling from our interviewees. As one put it, “I can’t complain! It’s a good salary and there’s a huge jump when you make associate.” They also noted how Willkie’s salary is “really quite high when measured against the market,” which is indeed backed up by the numbers following a recent boost to £180k for NQs. Unlike at many firms, trainees are also eligible for bonuses.

Supervision and training

Data from our annual trainee survey

Trainees told us how “feedback is flowing constantly from anyone you work with,” but particularly highlighted the value of mid-seat reviews as a good opportunity to “ask questions and state if you’d like to do more work in an area, while they also let you know the areas where you’re doing really well and where you can improve.” When it comes to trainees’ relationships with their supervisors, the firm’s non-hierarchical culture was again helpful. “It doesn’t feel like they’re your senior and that you need to tread lightly around them,” a source said, adding that “you’re given a lot of autonomy but at the same time they’re there for you should you need feedback.”

In terms of training, this year the firm is enhancing its formal induction week for trainees starting their journey at Willkie. We were also told that during trainees’ first six months at the firm there are training sessions where external providers come in and teach juniors about specific subjects that are fundamental to the practice of law.

Pro bono & CSR

We were told how pro bono is “a really big deal” at Willkie, and that “there’s no pressure to do it, but it is highly encouraged.” Although the firm doesn’t have a set billable hours target, it does make its lawyers track their hours, and pro bono work counts fully towards this. Willkie’s pro bono committee is always asking around for new ideas and projects, but as of now, we were told of three main initiatives that are big at the firm.

The first is the Green Tech Legal Collaborative, where the firm works with tech incubators to provide legal assistance to eco-friendly start-ups. The second is a collaboration with Rainbow Migration, which helps LGBTQ+ asylum seekers claim refuge in the UK, with the firm acting as their legal representative. Finally, Willkie’s lawyers work with the Independent Provider of Special Education Advice, helping parents of SEN children secure the right support from local councils.

Inclusion

“As law firms go, it’s very diverse,” commented one insider, further explaining that “when I look around at senior leadership, I see diversity, so I feel satisfied by the efforts they make.” Our interviewees gave shoutouts to the firm’s affinity networks, noting all of the events they put on: “We’ve had Southeast Asian board game night, an Indian-themed event with henna, and an LGBTQ+ event, so there are a lot of events and it’s easy to connect with people.” The firm also works with Rare recruitment to make its training contract application process more merit-based, which trainees found worthwhile.

Qualification

One insider told us how the firm’s qualification process strikes the best balance: “it’s less formal, but not too informal, as it feels structured and organised.” The initial process can be summarised simply: “graduate recruitment will ask what teams are hiring, then we find out which ones are and speak to grad recruitment about what teams we’re interested in.” None of the firm’s departments interview or even ask for a formal application. Instead, the groups offering the NQ roles decide, based on seat feedback and performance.

The verdict’s in, and it looks like Venice

The firm treats its European staff to a biennial weekend retreat, most recently in the home of the Biennale. As one source told us, “this year, all of the European offices went to Venice, which was incredible. I was in my third week and on a private island!”