Cooley UK LLP
Overview
Cooley is a US-headquartered, global full-service law firm known for advising high-growth technology and life sciences companies, investors and boards on transformative transactions, complex IP/regulatory matters and high-stakes litigation. The firm emphasises innovation and regulatory depth (CooleyREG) and markets itself as a leader for tech, AI and life sciences IPOs and venture financings. Cooley combines large-scale transactional volume (hundreds of financings, IPOs and M&A matters annually) with sector-specialist teams and a one‑firm, collaborative culture.
- Founded: 1920s
- Lawyers: Nearly 1,400 lawyers
- Partners: 400+
- Trainees: 6
- Offices: 19
Values & Culture
Practice Areas
- Corporate & M&A
- Capital Markets
- Private Equity & Venture Capital
- Investment Funds
- Intellectual Property
- Dispute Resolution & Litigation
- Data Protection & Privacy
- Regulatory & Compliance
- ESG & Sustainability
- Healthcare & Life Sciences
- Technology & Digital
- Financial Services & Regulation
- Competition & Antitrust
- Real Estate
- Employment
- Tax
- Pensions
- White Collar Crime
- International Arbitration
Geographic Focus: Cooley is strongest in the United States with a major European hub in London and continental capability from Brussels, plus a growing Asia presence (Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing, Singapore). The firm services cross-border tech, life sciences and fund formation work for venture-backed companies, private equity and public issuers and leverages a global network of 19 offices to deliver multinational transactions and regulatory advice.
Training Contract
Cooley offers a London-based training contract pathway that is closely linked to its spring and summer insight/vacation programmes. Trainees rotate through multiple seats (typically across corporate, litigation, IP and regulatory teams) with structured seat-based training, a Professional Skills Course and on-the-job learning. Seats are allocated to give broad commercial exposure and trainees are supported by a programme mentor, a trainee buddy and the legal talent team.
- Starting Salary: Year 1: £55,000; Year 2: £60,000
- NQ Salary: £157,000
- Trainee Intake: 6
- Qualification Rate: 75% (latest trainee retention rate)
- Academic Requirements: Minimum degree: 2:1. Minimum A-level requirement: ABB. The UK recruitment pages indicate priority is given to candidates who have reached at least their penultimate year of a law degree or final year of a non-law degree (non-law graduates are eligible).
- Application Deadline: 2026-01-01
Seat Options
- Corporate & M&A
- Capital Markets
- Private Equity & Venture Capital
- Investment Funds
- Intellectual Property
- Dispute Resolution & Litigation
- Data Protection & Privacy
- Regulatory & Compliance
- Healthcare & Life Sciences
- Technology & Digital
- ESG & Sustainability
- Employment
- Tax
- Competition & Antitrust
- International Arbitration
Sponsorship
PGDL/GDL grant: £20,000; SQE grant: £20,000 (figures published).
SQE Support
SQE grant of £20,000 (published).
International Opportunities
LegalCheek reporting indicates 0% chances of secondment abroad for trainees in the UK programme.
Client Secondments
0% (LegalCheek: Chances Of Client Secondment 0%)
Mentorship
Each participant on the spring/summer programmes and trainees are supported by a programme mentor, a trainee buddy and the legal talent team; firm-wide mentoring is encouraged and Cooley operates local and firmwide mentoring initiatives ("Mentoring Matters" approach).
Programmes & Schemes
A two-week London spring programme (insight/vacation scheme) that gives participants exposure to the breadth of Cooley’s work; participants contribute to meaningful matters, take part in professional development sessions and are supported by a programme mentor and trainee buddy. Each spring programme has approximately seven participants and is part of the trainee recruitment pathway; participation is a requirement to be considered for a London training contract.
- Duration: 2 weeks
- Places: Approximately 7 participants
- Deadline: 2026-01-01
A two-week London summer programme providing hands-on seat work, training and social integration. Summer programme participants are traditionally considered for training contracts at the conclusion of the programme.
- Duration: 2 weeks
- Places: Approximately 7 participants
- Deadline: 2026-01-01
Short insight events (in-person and virtual) designed to introduce students and early applicants to the firm, its people and work. Events combine talks, office visits and Q&A; priority for certain dates is given to penultimate law year and final year non-law students, graduates and career-changers.
- Deadline: 2025-10-23
A diversity fellowship for outstanding UK university students intending to qualify as solicitors in England & Wales. Fellows join up to two UK summer programmes (giving two touchpoints with the firm) and are supported by mentors and the legal talent team as part of the trainee recruitment pipeline.
- Duration: Linked to summer programmes (two-week summer placements plus second touchpoint)
- Salary: Paid summer placement at £550 per week; a bursary of up to £12,000 paid in three instalments (£4,000 on completion of first UK summer programme; £4,000 on completion of the second UK programme; £4,000
- Deadline: 2026-04-17
A US-based diversity fellowship for 2L law students: award recipients receive a paid 2L summer associate position and an award of up to $40,000 (paid in two instalments subject to programme attendance and accepting a full-time offer).
- Salary: $40,000 award (two instalments) plus paid summer associate position
- Deadline: 2026-02-16
A US-based diversity fellowship for 1L law students: award recipients receive a paid 1L summer associate position and an award of up to $50,000 (paid in three instalments subject to programme attendance and subsequent hiring conditions).
- Salary: $50,000 award (three instalments) plus paid summer associate position
- Deadline: 2026-01-09
Notable Matters
Representation on a licensing and collaboration agreement with GSK valued up to $12.5 billion; the matter was highlighted as part of the firm's shortlisted entry for Financial Times Innovative Lawyers Asia-Pacific awards, reflecting cross-border life sciences licensing and big‑ticket deal counsel.
Healthcare & Life Sciences
Firm news highlights Cooley's role on the $2.25 billion acquisition announced by Clorox involving GOJO Industries (makers of Purell); the transaction showcases the firm's cross-border M&A and corporate capabilities advising on large strategic acquisitions.
Corporate & M&A
Cooley public company and capital markets counsel on the Tempus AI IPO, reflecting the firm's market-leading IPO practice for tech and life sciences issuers and hands-on capital markets experience.
Capital Markets
Advised on fund formation and private funds matters connected to Eir Partners’ oversubscribed $1 billion third fund close, demonstrating the firm's fund formation and private equity/fund capabilities.
Investment Funds
Representation of a digital health / AI company on a $111 million Series A financing, evidencing the firm’s work with high-growth digital health and AI companies in venture financings.
Private Equity & Venture Capital
Firm news includes coverage of Amazon’s acquisition of One Medical for $3.9 billion — included among Cooley’s life sciences/healthcare and corporate highlights on the site, demonstrating M&A and healthcare regulatory experience.
Corporate & M&A
What Cooley UK LLP Looks For
Key Competencies
- commercial awareness
- teamwork and collaboration
- technical legal ability
- intellectual curiosity and innovation orientation
- communication and client service skills
- resilience and ability to manage high-volume work
- sector interest (technology, life sciences, AI, digital health) and commercial sector experience
Evidence Signals
- relevant commercial experience or internships with tech/life sciences companies or funds
- venture capital or fund work experience
- sector-specific projects (digital health, AI, fintech, life sciences)
- pro bono involvement and community engagement
- judicial clerkships (valued, with competitive bonuses for qualifying clerkships)
- academic performance (2:1 degree and ABB A-levels as a baseline)
Benefits & Wellbeing
- Trainee salary Year 1: £55,000
- Trainee salary Year 2: £60,000
- NQ salary: £157,000
- PGDL/GDL grant: £20,000
- SQE grant: £20,000
- Annual leave: 25 days
- No annual or billable target hours (LegalCheek: No targets)
- Be Well @ Cooley wellbeing programme (biometric screenings, health/wellness coaching, fitness and nutrition programmes)
- Reimbursement on health club dues, yoga classes, tennis lessons and other fitness activities
- Staff appreciation week and paralegal appreciation day (firm appreciation events, catered breakfasts/lunches)
- Paid summer placements for Diversity Fellows (£550 per week)
- Workday Learning access and internal professional development resources
- Judicial clerkship bonuses for qualifying clerkships (competitive bonuses, US-focused)
Wellbeing
Be Well @ Cooley programme including biometric screenings, health/wellness coaching, fitness and nutrition programmes; reimbursement for health club dues and fitness activities; firm wellbeing events and resources.
Awards & Recognition
- Seramount: Best Law Firms for Talent
- Law360 Pulse: Social Impact Leader
- Chambers Associate: The Elite for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
- Human Rights Campaign Foundation Corporate Equality Index: Equality 100 Award
- Diversity Lab: Mansfield Rule Certified
- Vault: multiple #1 practice rankings (2026 Vault practice rankings: #1 Emerging Companies & Venture Capital; #1 Life Sciences; #1 Privacy & Data Security)
- The American Lawyer: Litigation Department of the Year Finalist (2021, 2025); IP Litigation Department of the Year (2023, 2025)
- BTI Litigation Powerhouse (2026)
- Law360: cybersecurity and privacy group of the year (9x, 2025 noted)
- LMG Life Sciences: multiple recognitions including Hatch-Waxman Litigation Firm of the Year (2024) and Corporate Firm of the Year (2023–2025)
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Memberships and recognitions include Human Rights Campaign Foundation Corporate Equality Index: Equality 100 Award, Chambers Associate: The Elite for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Diversity Lab Mansfield Rule certification; active diversity pipeline partnerships, law school diversity programmes and community outreach.
- 2L Diversity Fellowship
- 1L Diversity Fellowship
- UK Diversity Fellowship
- Black Affinity Group
- Asian Pacific Islander Affinity Group
- Latinx Affinity Group
- LGBTQ+ Affinity Group
- Women's Initiative
- Veterans at Cooley Affinity Group
- Caregivers Attorney Affinity Group
- Cooley Inclusion Alliance
- Jewish Cultural Affinity Group
- MENA Affinity Group
- Alternative Work Schedule Attorney Affinity Group
- Black Executive Network
- Elevar Network
- DEI Committee
Pro Bono
2025 pro bono statistics: 104,000 hours; 1,200 timekeepers contributing; 1,500+ pro bono matters. Cooley treats pro bono as core to the culture and gives pro bono work the same weight and credit as other matters.
Innovation
Cooley invests in legal technology and open-source resources to support innovative clients, with named tools such as Cooley GO (forms and guides for entrepreneurs), IPO GO (interactive S-1 guidance), Cooley GObot (AI-powered chatbot) and Cooley D+O (online D&O questionnaire platform). The firm publishes AI principles (quality, respect, ethical and transparent standards) and integrates innovation into client service and internal training; trainees and lawyers engage with these tools as part of knowledge resources and client-facing solutions.
- Cooley GO
- IPO GO
- Cooley GObot
- Cooley D+O (online D&O questionnaire management platform)
- CooleyREG
- AI principles and Centre for Innovation leadership (Chief Innovation Officer)
Quick Application Angles
- Demonstrate genuine sector interest in tech or life sciences: cite Cooley matters such as the Hengrui–GSK licensing work (the firm’s life sciences practice) or recent digital health financings (e.g., Tempus AI IPO, Zephyr AI Series A) to show sector fit.
- Highlight commercial awareness and deal exposure (VC, fund formation or capital markets experience) — Cooley is ranked top for VC and life sciences IPOs, so concrete examples of transactional work will resonate.
- Mention teamwork and mentoring experiences: Cooley emphasises learning-by-doing, programme mentors and trainee buddies — show examples of times you worked in fast-moving, collaborative teams.
- If applying as a UK candidate, note the recruitment process requirement to attend the London spring or summer programme to be considered for a training contract and reference Meet Cooley or the UK Diversity Fellowship if applicable.
- Reference the firm’s innovation credentials and legal-tech engagement (Cooley GO, IPO GO, Cooley GObot) — Cooley scores highly for legal tech internally, so pragmatic tech curiosity and examples of working with legal/technical tools are advantageous.
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