Breadth of practice and seat structure

Among major international law firms we are unique in having leading practices in both corporate and disputes work, similar to the model used by New York’s top firms. This will give you unparalleled training and development opportunities – as will the extensive practice areas and industry sectors we cover.

As a trainee at Herbert Smith, our seat structure gives you the breadth of experience you need to make the right choice about where to practice on qualification.

Prior to taking each of the four seats, you can express a preference about which practice area or secondment you wish to undertake at that time. The firm considers your preferences carefully to make sure each trainee spends time in the seats they are most interested in. You will also have the opportunity to discuss your seat interests on a one-to-one basis with us, helping us offer you a training contract tailored to your own career aspirations.  At the end of each seat, you will be given help to evaluate your strengths, areas of development, likes and dislikes – both informally and through formal reviews with your supervisors.

From the word go we aim to provide you with the right opportunities and support to help you make a real difference to your immediate team, our clients, and to the firm as a whole.

Our major practice areas are shown below. You can find out more about them by clicking on the links.