Dechert LLP

Overview

Dechert LLP is a large, US-headquartered global law firm advising asset managers, financial institutions, private capital and multinational corporations on high-stakes litigation, complex transactions and regulatory matters. Founded in 1875 and built from a Philadelphia origin, the firm positions itself on deep sector expertise (financial services, private equity, private credit, real estate, life sciences and technology), a strong global platform and an innovation-first approach to client service (including a recognised Innovation Team and bespoke generative-AI workstreams). Dechert combines a prominent funds and financial services franchise with market-leading disputes and regulatory capabilities and a well-resourced pro bono programme.

• Headquarters: Philadelphia
• Founded: 1875
• Lawyers: Nearly 1,000
• Trainees: 10
• Offices: 20

Values & Culture

Practice Areas

• Corporate & M&A
• Private Equity & Venture Capital
• Investment Funds
• Banking & Finance
• Capital Markets
• Financial Services & Regulation
• Dispute Resolution & Litigation
• White Collar Crime
• Competition & Antitrust
• Intellectual Property
• Technology & Digital
• Employment
• Pensions
• Tax
• Sports Law
• Insurance & Reinsurance
• Real Estate
• Insolvency & Restructuring
• International Arbitration
• ESG & Sustainability
• Healthcare & Life Sciences
• Data Protection & Privacy
• Regulatory & Compliance

Geographic Focus: Dechert is a transatlantic firm with a US centre of gravity and a broad international presence across Europe, Asia and the Middle East. The firm staffs matters on a practice-group basis across its global offices (North America, UK/continental Europe, Middle East, Asia) and deploys cross‑border teams for fund, finance, regulatory and disputes work; London and Philadelphia/New York are key hubs for UK/EMEA and US-led matters respectively.

Training Contract

London trainees follow a two-year training contract built around a six-seat rotation. Vacation-scheme recruits are allocated to practice groups based on preferences prior to joining. Trainees are allocated a supervisor (associate or partner), have a trainee buddy and are monitored by a partner mentor and the graduate recruitment and development team. Training blends day-to-day substantive matter work, formal workshops (legal technical training, AI/innovation, mock negotiations and depositions), the Critical Skills Institute (leadership, communication, client relations) and innovation/legal technology modules. SQE preparation is integrated into the training programme.

• Starting Salary: £55,000 (Year 1) / £61,000 (Year 2)
• NQ Salary: £165,000
• Trainee Intake: 10
• Academic Requirements: Minimum degree: 2:1 (as published by supplementary data). Minimum A-level requirement: AAB (per supplementary data). Non-law graduates undertake a PGDip prior to SQE preparation.
• Application Deadline: 31 December 2025

Sponsorship

PGDL/PGDip and SQE fees paid; financial grants reported: PGDL grant £20,000 and SQE grant £20,000.

SQE Support

Dechert provides preparation for SQE 1 & 2 during the training contract and covers SQE-related costs; the firm states SQE preparation will be provided as part of trainees' training.

International Opportunities

International secondments are part of the firm's London training offering and the firm explicitly lists international secondments as a feature of the programme. Supplementary data indicates a roughly 55% chance of secondment abroad for trainees; secondments are to Dechert's global offices and are selection-based (practice group and business need dependent).

Client Secondments

0%

Mentorship

Trainees receive an assigned supervisor, a trainee buddy and a partner mentor. The firm also operates ambassador and global mentorship programmes, practice group directors and the Global Associates Committee to provide career support and feedback.

Apply on the Dechert LLP website →

Programmes & Schemes

Notable Matters

What Dechert LLP Looks For

Key Competencies

• Commercial awareness
• Teamwork and collaboration
• Strong written and verbal communication
• Attention to detail
• Commercial judgement
• Innovation mindset / comfort with legal technology
• Resilience and adaptability
• Client service orientation and ethical stewardship

Evidence Signals

• Substantive vacation-scheme or summer-intern experience on transactional or litigation matters
• Pro bono involvement
• International or cross-border experience/secondments
• Participation in innovation, tech or coding projects (AI/automation)
• Leadership or sustained involvement in affinity groups or diversity initiatives
• Commercial internships or relevant work experience in financial services, funds, or private equity

Benefits & Wellbeing

• Trainee salary: £55,000 (Year 1) and £61,000 (Year 2)
• NQ salary: £165,000
• PGDL grant: £20,000
• SQE grant: £20,000
• SQE and PGDL fees paid
• Competitive benefits package and equitable parental leave policy
• Reduced Hours and Flex Time policies (allowing reduced schedules or remote working while maintaining eligibility for partnership)
• Pro bono hour credit (associates encouraged to devote up to 200 hours per year; all lawyers required to perform at least 25 hours per year)
• Wellbeing programmes via THRIVE@Dechert (online fitness, tele-medicine, webinars, virtual support groups, Well-being Week)
• Innovation Certificate Program, Innovation Incubator and access to firm innovation projects
• Recognition schemes (Innovator Award, Dechert Stars, Dechert Spark Tank)
• Mentoring, ambassador programmes and in-house career coaching

Wellbeing

THRIVE@Dechert framework (physical, mental, emotional, financial well-being) including Well-being Week, online fitness programmes, tele-medicine for physical and mental health, webinars and virtual support groups, global steps challenge and financial wellbeing seminars.

Awards & Recognition

• Financial Times: Recognised among the most innovative law firms (2024)
• The American Lawyer: Best Use of Technology (winner, 2024); finalists across Innovation and Diversity categories (2024)
• The Recorder: Innovation in Diversity and Inclusion (California Legal Awards, 2024)
• Legal Benchmarking Group Social Impact Awards EMEA: Inclusion Innovators of the Year (2024)
• Human Rights Campaign Foundation: Equality 100 Award / Best Places to Work for LGBTQ+ Equality (2025)
• Seramount: 100 Best Companies (7 consecutive years)
• Profiles in Diversity Journal: Diversity Leader (four consecutive years)
• Fortune: Certified Great Place to Work (several consecutive years)
• HFM European Services Award: Best law firm – client service (2021)
• Chambers & Partners and Legal 500: multiple practice rankings across jurisdictions (annual recognitions)

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Dechert is led by a Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer and runs firm-wide D&I programmes (affinity groups, DLPs, training on inclusive leadership). The firm is a signatory to pro bono protocols and highlights external recognitions for inclusion (e.g., Equality 100 Award).

• Asian Affinity Group
• Black Professionals Alliance
• Dechert Family Network
• Dechert Heroes (Veterans Affinity Group)
• Disability Affinity Group
• Global Women’s Initiative
• Greater Middle Eastern Alliance
• Latino Affinity Group
• LGBTQ+ Affinity Group
• London Inclusion and Diversity Committee
• Paris Inclusion and Diversity Committee
• Diverse Partners Business Development Network
• Partner Diversity Information Card dashboard
• Diversity Liaison Partners (DLPs) initiative
• Vernon L. Francis Diversity Champion Award
• Diversity and Inclusion Week

Pro Bono

All lawyers required to perform at least 25 hours of pro bono per year. Firm-reported metrics: 82K+ pro bono hours in 2025; around 1,500 open pro bono matters at any time; pro bono activity equates to ~6% of billable hours; ranked #1 in Legal Week's 'Best Law Firms for Pro Bono in the UK'; 12 years ranked Top Ten in The American Lawyer for pro bono.

Innovation

Dechert runs a formal Innovation programme supporting hundreds of projects annually (the site cites 300+ projects actively supported and 500+ matters leveraging innovation technologies). The firm pursues a 'build first' generative-AI strategy, operates an Innovation Incubator/I-Lab to fund and resource strategic projects (with thousands of attorney hours invested across incubator projects), certifies lawyers and business professionals through an Innovation Certificate Program, and deploys custom automation, AI document-scanning and other tools that the firm says have generated material client savings (largest reported single-matter saving $1.6m). Trainees and summer associates engage via innovation bootcamps and the ICP curriculum.

• Innovation Certificate Program (ICP)
• Innovation Incubator / I-Lab
• Innovation Ambassadors
• Dechert Idea Bank
• Dechert Spark Tank
• Summer Associate Innovation Bootcamp
• Dechert Innovation Foundations (DIF)
• Innovator Award
• Generative AI 'build first' programme and bespoke AI tools

Quick Application Angles

• Lead with Dechert's innovation credentials: reference the firm's 'build first' generative-AI approach, Innovation Certificate Program or an Innovation Incubator project you admire and explain how you could contribute to or learn from that work.
• Demonstrate fund/financial-services commercial awareness: cite a recent regulatory development or sustainability-linked financing (e.g., green bond / Freddie Mac K-Deal themes) and explain the legal-commercial implications for asset managers or lenders.
• Show pro bono commitment and impact: Dechert emphasises pro bono (82K+ hours in 2025) and credits pro bono toward billable targets — highlight sustained pro bono contributions or client-impactful volunteer work.
• Emphasise collaboration and global mobility: point to cross-office teamwork or international secondment experience (Dechert runs practice-group staffing across offices and advertises international secondments) and show how you handle cross-jurisdictional tasks.
• Mention training-readiness and commercial skills: note Dechert’s Critical Skills Institute and the firm’s focus on practical training; give examples of situations where you demonstrated leadership, client communication or commercial drafting skills.