Your career as an Arthur Cox trainee will be challenging, exciting and rewarding. Our Trainee Programme is designed to help you meet those challenges and develop your knowledge and skills in core areas essential to a lawyer's success.
These include:
- Advanced writing and drafting
- Negotiation
- Communication
- Collaboration
- Practice management
- Business development
- Project management
At every stage of your training and development, you will be encouraged to push boundaries. You will get involved in work of the highest calibre, in an environment designed to support your professional growth and development.
A day in the life of a trainee
Advanced Electives
Arthur Cox has been granted the status of Accredited External Provider of Advanced Electives. Our trainees undertake electives in:
- Corporate Law and Practice
- Finance Law and Practice
- Commercial Real Estate Transactions
- Advanced Civil Litigation
Providing this tailored approach to training means that we can impart hands-on experiences, real-life case studies and scenarios that trainees will encounter during their careers here.
Our Advanced Electives enable us to bridge the gap between traditional legal education and the demands of working in an international commercial law firm.
We believe that this prepares our trainees for success and allows them to thrive in our firm. It’s also a great opportunity for our trainees to foster relationships and connections at an earlier stage than usual – helping them to build a strong professional network across the firm.
By designing and delivering our own training we can weave in our own culture of excellence in client service into the learning experience.
Hear more from our trainees
Clodagh Prior, 2022 Intake
"Trainees in Arthur Cox are given a high level of trust and responsibility by the associates and partners. While this can be daunting at first, it means we get firsthand experience carrying out complex and valuable tasks."
What inspired you to pursue a career in law?
I knew that pursuing a career in law would be intellectually challenging and would involve complex transactions and high value clients. I was also drawn to working in a collaborative environment where I could join forces with an array of talented people with different and unique skillsets.
How has the traineeship helped you grow professionally and personally?
I found that completing the Advanced Electives before starting our in-office work instilled me with the confidence and knowledge necessary to grow professionally and personally. Arthur Cox is an accredited external provider of Advanced Electives, so our KL&D team, in collaboration with the partners and associates, has designed a tailor-made programme for trainees.
Trainees also share an office with a partner during their rotations, which provides us with an invaluable opportunity to learn from experts in their respective fields.
What kind of support and mentorship have you received from the firm?
The support from Arthur Cox began on day one when the firm circulated notes made by previous trainees to those of us completing our FE1s. This support has continued throughout my training contract. For example, several of the Practice Groups assign associate mentors to trainees during our rotation in those Groups. The mentors touch base with us weekly and act as sounding boards for any questions or concerns we have.
What do you enjoy most about working with your colleagues and supervisors?
Trainees in Arthur Cox are given a high level of trust and responsibility by the associates and partners. While this can be daunting at first, it means we get firsthand experience carrying out complex and valuable tasks. This allows trainees in the firm to expand their legal acumen and skills, while taking comfort in the fact that our colleagues are always willing to help when we have questions.
What skills or qualities do you think are essential for success as a trainee?
I think having a positive attitude is a huge part of being a successful trainee. The easier you are to work with, the more people will want to work with you. It’s also important to be flexible and to have the ability to adapt to change. The role of a trainee is dynamic, changing daily, and being willing to embrace this will empower you to meet any challenges head-on.
What stood out to you when you joined the firm as a trainee?
"The level of support and guidance I received from day one as a trainee in the firm. Everyone is always more than happy to share ideas, work together and offer a steer. There is always someone to reach out to."
Declan MacQuillan, Senior Associate
