Ropes & Gray to take on London trainees
20 August 2010
US firm Ropes & Gray has confirmed that it will start to take on trainees in its new London office.

The office opened less than a year ago, and is currently focussing on lateral hires. But business is apparently going so well that the firm is considering a grad rec programme, according to reports in the Lawyer and Legal Week. A spokeswoman for the firm confirmed this was the case, but said the announcements were slightly premature. No details had yet been agreed, but the first students would probably be recruited in a year's time.

Or possibly that's student. The office currently only runs to 17 associates and one trainee, who originally joined as a work experience student and was kept on permanently. As the spokeswoman said "we're new and we're small": so, expect there to be just one (magnificently-paid) graduate recruit.

Ropes & Gray yesterday

Of course, many US firms have opened in London with extravagant promises and massive salaries. However, with the notable exceptions of Shearmans, Weils and White & Case, there has also been a history of kicking out their new recruits after a couple of years when they fail to bring home enough bacon for their New York paymasters...
 
With several US firms making a renewed attack on London (notably Simpson Thacher, Paul Hastings and Bingham McCutcheon) it looks like most are settling in for the long haul.