Kennedys Law LLP

Overview

Kennedys is a global law firm best known for its deep insurance and liability defence capability and for delivering cross-border dispute resolution and advisory services. Operating from a large international network, the firm combines sector-specialist knowledge (insurance, aviation, healthcare, construction, transport) with local presence across major markets, allowing it to handle multi-jurisdictional claims and complex transactions. Kennedys positions itself around its values and client-focused, pragmatic approach, investing in legal technology and market-facing products to streamline claims handling and client service.

• Headquarters: London, 20 Fenchurch St
• Lawyers: 2,900+
• Partners: 363
• Trainees: 31
• Offices: 46
• Revenue: £428m

Values & Culture

Practice Areas

• Insurance & Reinsurance
• Dispute Resolution & Litigation
• Transport & Logistics
• Agriculture & Rural
• Healthcare & Life Sciences
• Construction & Engineering
• Corporate & M&A
• Employment
• Real Estate
• ESG & Sustainability
• Data Protection & Privacy
• Personal Injury & Clinical Negligence
• Professional Negligence
• International Arbitration
• Regulatory & Compliance
• Fraud & Investigations
• Shipping & Maritime
• Technology & Digital

Geographic Focus: Global coverage with a strong London Market and international insurance focus. The firm operates a network of 46 offices and 31 associate/co-operation offices across EMEA, the Americas, APAC and LATAM, enabling cross‑border work in core markets including the UK, Ireland, France, Spain, Israel, Oman, UAE, Denmark, Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, the US, Mexico, Peru, Colombia, Chile, Argentina and Bermuda.

Training Contract

Kennedys offers a range of regional training structures: in Ireland a two‑year training contract; in Copenhagen a three‑year programme aligned to local postgraduate study; Hong Kong and Singapore have local requirements (see academic_requirements). The firm emphasises seat rotations across its core litigation and insurance teams, early client contact and partner supervision. Apprenticeships follow a six‑year earn‑while‑you‑learn route leading to an LLB and SQE qualification. Trainees are supported by named supervisors, mentoring schemes and structured development events.

• Starting Salary: Year 1: £43,000; Year 2: £46,000
• NQ Salary: £85,000
• Trainee Intake: 31
• Qualification Rate: 79%
• Academic Requirements: Minimum degree requirement commonly 2:1 for many trainee locations; Hong Kong requires a 2:1 and PCLL (pass at first attempt) before starting; Singapore typically requires a 2:1 and relevant intern experience; Copenhagen trainees are expected to be law students on master’s courses (last semester). Supplementary data lists a minimum A‑level requirement of 120 UCAS points.
• Application Deadline: 2025-11-28

Seat Options

• Insurance & Reinsurance
• Dispute Resolution & Litigation
• Corporate & M&A
• Employment
• Real Estate
• Healthcare & Life Sciences
• Transport & Logistics
• Personal Injury & Clinical Negligence
• Data Protection & Privacy
• ESG & Sustainability
• Construction & Engineering
• Professional Negligence
• International Arbitration

Sponsorship

SQE grant: £12,000 (supplementary data). PGDL/GDL grant: Not applicable (supplementary data).

SQE Support

The firm provides SQE support; supplementary data records an SQE grant of £12,000. Apprenticeship and trainee routes are integrated with SQE preparation where relevant.

International Opportunities

The firm advertises secondments to other Kennedys offices and to client organisations around the globe (regional offices and client secondments are promoted in careers material). Specific destination offices include many of the firm’s global offices (e.g., Dublin, Paris, Hong Kong, Singapore, Tel Aviv, Dubai, Muscat, US and Australia). (Supplementary data: recorded chance of secondment abroad is 0%.)

Client Secondments

Kennedys offers client secondments as part of its early careers and development programmes; the supplementary figure for chance of client secondment is 38%.

Mentorship

Trainees are allocated supervisors; the firm runs global and regional mentoring schemes, reciprocal mentoring initiatives, buddy systems and access to individual executive coaching and role‑specific online learning.

Apply on the Kennedys Law LLP website →

Programmes & Schemes

Notable Matters

What Kennedys Law LLP Looks For

Key Competencies

• Commercial awareness (particularly insurance market knowledge)
• Teamwork and approachability
• Client focus and communication skills
• Resilience and adaptability
• Attention to detail and analytical skills
• Ability to work across jurisdictions / international outlook
• Commitment to the firm’s core values and inclusive behaviour
• Practical litigation/claims handling aptitude for insurance defence work

Evidence Signals

• Completion of Kennedys’ Virtual Work Experience Programme (many recent trainees completed it)
• Relevant insurance, liability or litigation internships or paralegal experience
• Sector-specific experience (aviation, marine, healthcare, construction)
• Language skills for international teams (e.g., Mandarin, Arabic, Spanish for certain desks)
• Participation in DE&I outreach, social mobility programmes, or community volunteering
• Commercial transaction experience or client‑facing experience for corporate roles
• SQE/apprenticeship progression or demonstrable vocational training experience

Benefits & Wellbeing

• Trainee salary Year 1: £43,000
• Trainee salary Year 2: £46,000
• NQ salary: £85,000
• SQE grant: £12,000
• PGDL/GDL grant: Not applicable
• Annual leave: 25 days
• Annual target hours / billable hours: 800 (supplementary data)
• Hybrid working policy (split of home and office working unless role requires office presence)
• Dress for your day dress code
• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)
• Headspace mindfulness subscription
• Peppy specialist health support (menopause, fertility, pregnancy and early parenthood)
• Assistance fund for financial crisis support
• Wellbeing day in addition to annual leave
• Access to mentoring, executive coaching and role‑specific online learning
• Wellbeing champion network and 110+ Mental Health First Aiders
• Opportunities for internal and client secondments
• Virtual work experience and insight events for early careers candidates

Wellbeing

Global 'Feel well, work well' strategy covering psychological, social, digital, physical and financial wellbeing. Offerings include an Employee Assistance Programme, Headspace access, Peppy support for life stages, an assistance fund, wellbeing day, mental health first aiders and a global wellbeing champions network.

Awards & Recognition

• Included in the GAR 100 for excellence in international arbitration (2026)
• The Legal 500 EMEA rankings – multiple country and practice recognitions (2026)
• Chambers Europe / Chambers France / Chambers Global rankings (2026)
• Winner - Best Law Firm for Partner Approachability (2024)
• Winner - Top Employer - Law (School Leaver Awards 2018, 2017)
• Winner - Best Degree Apprenticeship (School Leaver Awards 2019)
• Winner - Best Client Service Innovation (The Lawyer Awards 2018)
• Winner - Firm of the Year: Insurance (Legal 500 UK Awards 2018)
• Shortlisted / Finalist and other innovation and legal technology awards (multiple years)

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Achieved a 30% female partnership goal in 2020 and has set a 40% female partnership target by 2030; aims for 10% of those promoted to partnership in the UK each year to come from racially and ethnically diverse backgrounds; participates in the Mansfield Rule and has achieved Mansfield Certification Plus; uses RARE contextual recruitment in the UK.

• Global DE&I Advisory Groups
• Reciprocal Mentoring
• Dive In Festival partnership
• Let’s Start the Conversation webinar series
• Celebrating with Our Colleagues series
• Women in Business series
• Rainbow Network (LGBTQ+)
• Embrace Network (cultural and ethnic diversity)
• Parents and Carers Together
• Disability and Neurodiversity Discussion and Impact (DANDI) Network
• Social mobility initiatives and widening access (RARE contextual recruitment used in trainee process)
• Mansfield Rule participation (since 2021) and Mansfield Certification Plus
• Diversity Lab’s Disability Inclusion Commitments
• Signatory to the UN Global Compact
• Menopause Workplace Pledge
• Women in Law Pledge
• Mind Forward Alliance membership

Pro Bono

Pro bono and social impact are embedded in responsible business programmes; Kennedys joined the UN Global Compact in 2020, operates Community Champions with volunteer hours available throughout the year and highlights European Pro Bono Week activities. The firm encourages pro bono, volunteering, and social impact projects across regions.

Innovation

Kennedys invests in legal technology and product development to improve claims handling and client experience — notably the Kennedys IQ platform. The firm has accelerated investment in senior technology leadership and launched specialised AI training for lawyers. Trainees and lawyers are exposed to knowledge‑sharing sessions, proprietary platforms and innovation‑led products, and the firm publicises its legal technology awards and initiatives.

• Kennedys IQ platform (claims and client-facing products)
• Kennedys IQ Limited (legal product company)
• Strategic collaboration and AI training programme with Spellbook
• Investment in a global technology strategy (appointment of a global CIO)
• Internal knowledge‑sharing webinars and firm-wide online learning management system
• Development of value‑added tools for catastrophic injury and claims handling

Quick Application Angles

• Complete Kennedys' Virtual Work Experience Programme and reference specific tasks from it — a significant proportion of recent trainees completed the programme and it is explicitly used in recruitment.
• Demonstrate genuine insurance/claims knowledge (or sector interest): reference recent firm work such as Bermuda Form arbitrations or the Bircroft sale to Gallagher to show sector relevance.
• Show alignment with Kennedys’ core values — give concrete examples of being approachable, straightforward, supportive, distinctive or ambitious in your experience.
• Mention engagement with the firm’s innovation or tech agenda (Kennedys IQ or AI training initiatives) if you have related skills or interest; the firm rates highly for training and partner approachability, so frame questions that show eagerness to learn.
• If applying to a regional or international office, evidence willingness to work across jurisdictions, language skills or previous international experience — the firm prizes global mobility and cross‑border capability.