Debevoise & Plimpton LLP

Overview

Debevoise & Plimpton LLP is a premier, US-headquartered global law firm known for market-leading practices across corporate, litigation, tax and regulatory work. Founded with strong New York roots, the firm operates integrated global practices from nine offices across three continents and advises on matters in more than 90 countries. Debevoise combines deep partner commitment and cross-border capability — particularly in private equity, investment funds, international arbitration, complex litigation and regulatory work — and is routinely recognised in top legal rankings and awards.

• Headquarters: New York, 66 Hudson Boulevard
• Founded: 1931
• Lawyers: More than 900
• Trainees: 10
• Offices: 9

Values & Culture

Practice Areas

• Corporate & M&A
• Private Equity & Venture Capital
• Investment Funds
• Capital Markets
• Banking & Finance
• Dispute Resolution & Litigation
• International Arbitration
• White Collar Crime
• Data Protection & Privacy
• Insurance & Reinsurance
• Tax
• Technology & Digital
• Employment
• Regulatory & Compliance
• Intellectual Property
• Insolvency & Restructuring
• Energy & Natural Resources
• Real Estate
• Pensions
• Financial Services & Regulation

Geographic Focus: Integrated global platform with major hubs in New York (headquarters), London, Paris, Frankfurt, Luxembourg, Hong Kong and Shanghai; strong cross-border practices in the US, Europe, Asia and Latin America. The London office (opened 1989) is the firm’s second-largest European base and specialises in private equity, insurance, international disputes, financial institutions, M&A, finance, capital markets and tax. The firm routinely assembles multidisciplinary teams across offices for complex cross‑

Training Contract

London training contracts comprise four six-month seats (totaling two years), with a mandatory seat in litigation/arbitration. Seats are allocated via a rotation process in which trainees express preferences and are accommodated where possible; trainees are assigned a trainee supervisor/mentor for each seat and participate in a formal advisory programme with both partner and associate advisors. Second-year trainees undertake a two-week business and finance education programme (mini-MBA) at Columbia Business School in New York. The programme emphasises early responsibility, flexibility in learning and centralised staffing to broaden exposure.

• Starting Salary: £55,000 (Year 1); £60,000 (Year 2)
• NQ Salary: £173,100
• Trainee Intake: 10
• Qualification Rate: 100%
• Academic Requirements: Minimum degree: 2:1 in any discipline; Minimum A-level requirement: 144 UCAS points (or equivalent). The firm accepts non-law graduates. The firm partners with the University of Law (Moorgate) for PGDL/SQE.
• Application Deadline: 2026-01-02

Seat Options

• Litigation
• Arbitration
• Corporate (including M&A, Private Equity, Insurance, Finance and Funds)
• Tax
• Funds/Investment Management
• Capital Markets
• Employment
• Data Strategy & Security
• White Collar & Regulatory Defense
• Executive Compensation & Benefits
• Intellectual Property
• Real Estate
• Insolvency & Restructuring

Sponsorship

Full tuition fees for the PGDL and SQE are paid by the firm when engaged through the partner programme; a maintenance grant of £15,000 per year is provided. The firm will provide sponsorship for successful training contract candidates (visa/work permit assistance) but does not provide sponsorship for vacation scheme applicants.

SQE Support

The firm partners with the University of Law (Moorgate) for PGDL and SQE preparation; full tuition fees for PGDL and SQE are paid and a maintenance grant is provided (see Sponsorship).

International Opportunities

Trainees may have opportunities to spend time in international offices; second‑year trainees complete a two-week business and finance education programme in New York (Columbia Business School). External data indicates a roughly 7% chance of secondment abroad for trainees.

Client Secondments

Approximately 7% chance of client secondments (external data).

Mentorship

All associates and trainees participate in a formal advisory/mentoring programme and are assigned both partner and associate advisors. Summer associates and trainees are assigned partner and associate advisors, receive continuous informal feedback and formal mid- and end-of-programme evaluations.

Apply on the Debevoise & Plimpton LLP website →

Programmes & Schemes

Notable Matters

What Debevoise & Plimpton LLP Looks For

Key Competencies

• Commercial awareness
• Intellectual rigour and analytical ability
• Strong written and oral communication
• Teamwork and collaboration
• Early responsibility and initiative
• Resilience and ability to manage competing priorities
• Ethical standards and client service orientation
• International outlook and language skills (where relevant)

Evidence Signals

• High academic attainment (minimum 2:1 and 144 UCAS points for UK recruits)
• Relevant transactional or litigation experience (internships, vacation scheme output)
• Pro bono engagement and community service
• Judicial clerkships or prior legal work experience for lateral hires
• Commercial internships or work with private equity, funds, capital markets or technology clients
• Language skills and international secondment experience

Benefits & Wellbeing

• Trainee salary Year 1: £55,000
• Trainee salary Year 2: £60,000
• Newly qualified (NQ) salary: £173,100
• PGDL/SQE maintenance grant: £15,000 per year (PGDL and SQE tuition fees paid)
• Associate salary (US) starting at $225,000
• Discretionary bonuses
• Savings plan (401K) for U.S.-based lawyers
• Vacation: 22 days (London trainees); 4 weeks per year referenced for U.S. associates
• Flexible part-time schedule options
• Reimbursement of incoming associate relocation costs (including broker fees)
• Bar-related costs, malpractice insurance and selected bar dues
• Commuter benefit programme (pre-tax) / interest-free season ticket loan (UK)
• Discounted gym memberships
• Health and dental insurance / private GP (UK)
• Healthcare and dependent care flexible spending plans (US)
• Life and travel accident insurance
• Short- and long-term disability insurance
• Vision and dependent life insurance
• Maternity, parental and primary childcare leave (birth and adoption)
• On-site nursing rooms
• Off-site emergency child and eldercare support programmes
• Domestic partner benefits (where applicable)
• Virtual mental health support and free onsite counselling (US)
• Employee Assistance Programme
• MetLife PlanSmart financial wellbeing programming
• Home office and mobile technology provided
• Business casual dress policy (varies by office)
• Subsidised meals / on-site subsidised café (where applicable)
• Access to private banking mortgage rates
• Free Onsite Health Center (New York); concierge medical care in select offices
• Client development budget

Wellbeing

DebWell firm-wide initiative supporting physical, mental and financial wellness; ABA Well-Being Pledge signatory since 2020; virtual mental health support, free onsite counselling, Employee Assistance Programme, global firmwide fitness challenge, MetLife PlanSmart financial programming and firm-sponsored access to mental health providers.

Awards & Recognition

• Ranked in the Top 10 of The American Lawyer A-List 2025
• Ranked #2 on Law.com International’s UK A-List (2026 listing referenced)
• Named to The American Lawyer’s 2025 “A-List”
• Benchmark Litigation: International Arbitration Firm of the Year (2025 Europe Awards)
• Law360: Practice Group of the Year (2025) in Capital Markets, Healthcare, Private Equity and Sports & Betting
• Finalist / Recognised in Financial Times Innovative Lawyers (STAAR AI tool recognition, North America category)
• Lexology Index: Private Funds Firm of the Year (2026)
• IFLR1000: Top tier Private Equity Funds (US & Hong Kong) 2025
• The Legal 500 UK: 17 practice rankings (2026) including four Tier 1 rankings
• Chambers Global/UK/USA: Multiple Band 1 and leading practice recognitions (2024-2026)
• Private Equity International: PEI Hall of Fame member (multiple PEI Awards)
• Best Law Firm for International Secondments (2019 award referenced)
• Multiple pro bono awards including Best International Pro Bono at LawWorks Pro Bono Awards (2025)

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Charter signatory to the Pro Bono Institute’s Law Firm Pro Bono Challenge (commitment of at least 5% of annual billed time to pro bono); formal Inclusion and Diversity programming across offices; partnership with external initiatives such as Change 100, Impact 100, the Oxford University Disability Law and Policy Project and General Counsel for Diversity & Inclusion.

• Asian Affinity Group
• Black Affinity Group
• Disability Affinity Group
• First Generation Professionals Affinity Group
• International Background Affinity Group
• Jewish Affinity Group
• Latin@Debevoise Affinity Group
• LGBTQ+ Affinity Group
• Middle Eastern North African (MENA) Affinity Group
• Muslim Affinity Group
• Native American Affinity Group
• Parents Resource Group
• Veterans Resource Group
• San Francisco Women’s Resource Group
• Women’s Resource Group
• London Diversity Committee
• Women’s Resource Group (London)
• BAME affinity group (London)
• LGBTQ+ affinity group (London)
• D&I London Speaker Series

Pro Bono

Longstanding firm-wide pro bono programme: signatory to the Pro Bono Institute’s Law Firm Pro Bono Challenge; Holloway Project (led by John Gleeson) has achieved sentence reductions or releases for clients — firm materials report 61 clients and a collective reduction in prison time of more than 2,450 years (Holloway Project summary on values page). In 2023 Debevoise lawyers in the U.S. provided over 99,000 hours of free legal services across more than 1,000 matters. The firm has received multiple pro bono awards (e.g., Best International Pro Bono at LawWorks 2025, Pro Bono Leadership Award 202

Innovation

Debevoise invests in legal technology and innovation, including the STAAR suite for assessing AI risk (recognised by industry innovation awards) and an active Data Strategy & Security group. The firm integrates technology into client solutions and publishes thought leadership on AI, cyber and data risk; trainees and lawyers are exposed to these resources through practice training and firm thought-leadership programmes.

• Suite of Tools for Assessing AI Risk (STAAR) — AI-powered subscription platform
• Debevoise Data Blog and Data Strategy & Security practice
• Participation in technology/sustainability platform Vorgate (ALISS Gold rating) for sustainability practices

Quick Application Angles

• Highlight international experience and cross-border deal exposure (Debevoise emphasises integrated global teams and has led multi-jurisdictional M&A and fund matters).
• Demonstrate commercial awareness of private equity and funds work: reference the firm’s recent PE and fund transactions (e.g., Indicor/AMETEK, Covetrus/MWI, HarbourVest closings) and explain the commercial/legal issues you would factor into those deals.
• Show commitment to pro bono and public interest work (the firm is a Pro Bono Institute signatory and runs high-profile initiatives such as the Holloway Project).
• Reference the firm’s training and development offer (two-week Columbia Business School programme, PGDL/SQE support and maintenance grant) when explaining long-term fit and motivation.
• Use insider ratings: stress collaboration and peer support — the firm scores highly for training and peer support, so emphasise examples of team-based delivery and adaptability.