National firm Burges Salmon will be turning training contracts on their head by getting some of its future trainees to focus on sector specialisms at the outset.
The firm announced today that it will be piloting ‘sector-focused’ training contracts in its energy and built environment sectors for some of its 2029 cohort. Trainees will combine broad legal and commercial development with a focus on the opportunities, pressures and changing needs of clients operating in their chosen sector.
Senior partner Ross Fairley said: ‘The legal profession has traditionally trained lawyers by focusing first on areas of law, with deeper sector specialism often developing later. We believe there is a real opportunity to think differently and distinctively, and I anticipate this will be attractive to future talent and our sector clients.
‘Our clients operate in complex, fast-moving markets. They need lawyers who understand not only the law, but also the political, technological and commercial forces shaping their organisations. By introducing a number of sector-focused training contracts, we want to start building that understanding from day one.’
‘This is a bold but natural step for Burges Salmon. We have been at the forefront of innovation in sourcing our talent such as legal and business services apprenticeships and sector expertise has been fundamental to our success. We are now extending that same thinking to the way we identify and develop the next generation of lawyers.'
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