Litigation and Dispute Resolution at Ashurst | Career Guide

Ashurst is recognised as a full‑service disputes practice operating across commercial litigation, international arbitration, regulatory and investigations, insurance and reinsurance disputes, construction and engineering disputes, and insolvency‑related litigation. The team works on cross‑border, high‑value matters for corporate clients, financial institutions and governments.

The environment tends to be commercially focused, with emphasis on pragmatic solutions such as settlement strategy, alternative dispute resolution and the use of third‑party funding where appropriate. Trainees and junior solicitors often get exposure to international arbitration (including ICC, LCIA and ad hoc cases), cross‑border English litigation, and advisory work on dispute avoidance and contract management.

Practical example: A typical matter might involve advising a multinational infrastructure consortium on a dispute arising from an energy project where parallel arbitration and court proceedings are running in different jurisdictions. On such matters you will see litigation strategy, procedural work (eg disclosure and directions), and commercial negotiation play out together.

Ashurst's dispute teams are regularly instructed in high‑value commercial disputes and regulatory investigations. While public case lists can vary, the firm is often cited in market guides such as Chambers and Partners and Legal 500 for cross‑border capability and sector specialism in energy, finance and infrastructure.

Key characteristics of their work portfolio include:

• Handling multi‑jurisdictional disputes involving financial products, project contracts and cross‑border lending.

• Acting in complex arbitrations under major rules (ICC, LCIA, ICSID and UNCITRAL protocols).

• Advising on regulatory and enforcement matters alongside criminal and civil investigations.

For applicants, this means the matters you will encounter are seldom routine; they involve legal complexity combined with commercial pressure and tight timetables. The ability to think commercially and communicate complex points simply is therefore highly valued.

Ashurst offers structured training for trainees and newly qualified solicitors within disputes. Training contracts usually include seats in litigation, arbitration or investigations alongside opportunities in allied areas such as corporate or banking to develop commercial context.

Common elements of the training experience:

• Formal classroom training on litigation procedure, arbitration rules and evidence handling.

• On‑the‑job drafting of pleadings, witness statements, skeleton arguments, and disclosure exercises.

• Supervised advocacy opportunities in internal moots or in court where appropriate.

• Mentoring and regular feedback sessions with supervisors and partners.

• International secondments or seat swaps that expose trainees to cross‑border work and client relationship management.

Many large firms also support SQE candidates and provide internal tuition or study leave. Resources such as YourLegalLadder can help track training contract deadlines, understand firm profiles and access SQE question banks that complement firm training. Practical tips while in a litigation seat:

• Volunteer for drafting tasks early: even junior drafting of email advice, chronology notes and case summaries builds technical competence.

• Take ownership of procedural deadlines. Mastering timetables (eg disclosure, witness deadlines and hearing bundles) marks you as reliable.

• Ask for short advocacy opportunities in internal matters or client calls; even short oral submissions at an early stage are invaluable.

Securing a training contract or a disputes seat at Ashurst requires demonstrating technical interest, commercial awareness and evidence of transferable experience. Use these specific strategies:

• Tailor your application: Show clear interest in dispute resolution. Reference relevant work experience (paralegal roles, mooting, pro bono litigation clinics), and explain what about Ashurst's disputes practice appeals to you from a commercial and technical perspective.

• Quantify and contextualise experience: Instead of saying "helped with paperwork," state "prepared two witness statements and managed electronic disclosure for a multi‑party commercial claim involving 10k documents." Numbers and context make contribution tangible.

• Demonstrate commercial awareness: Read recent dispute outcomes, know trends such as litigation funding, class and group litigation in the UK, and digital disclosure techniques. Use resources like Chambers Student, LawCareers.Net, The Lawyer, Practical Law, and YourLegalLadder's weekly market updates to inform answers.

• Prepare for assessment centres and interviews: Expect competency and commercial interviews, potentially a skills task (drafting or problem question) and a partner interview. Use the STAR method to structure answers, and prepare short technical explanations of key concepts (eg Part 31 disclosure, Part 36 offers, Arbitration Act 1996 basics).

• Build demonstrable advocacy and drafting skills: Mooting, debating, pro bono court work and paralegal drafting are high‑value indicators of readiness for litigation work.

Example STAR response to a teamwork competency:

• Situation: You were part of a university pro‑bono clinic helping a tenant defend an eviction.

• Task: You had to prepare a skeleton argument and coordinate witness statements by the client.

• Action: You divided tasks with two colleagues, drafted the skeleton argument, and coached the client on giving witness evidence.

• Result: The hearing settled on favourable terms and the client retained the tenancy; partners praised your organisation and drafting.

Day‑to‑day life in Ashurst's disputes team varies by matter stage. Busy periods often involve preparing applications and disclosure exercises; quieter stretches offer time for research, drafting substantive arguments and client updates.

Core skills to develop:

• Legal drafting: Pleadings, skeletons, witness statements and ADR clauses.

• Procedural expertise: Mastering the Civil Procedure Rules, timelines and court etiquette.

• Analytical ability: Distilling large document sets into case themes and chronology.

• Client management and commercial judgement: Translating legal risk into commercial options.

• IT literacy: Familiarity with e‑disclosure platforms, document review tools and basic data management.

Recommended resources for preparation and ongoing learning:

• Practical Law and LexisNexis/Westlaw for precedent documents and commentary.

• Chambers and Partners, Legal 500 and The Lawyer for market intelligence and firm profiles.

• LawCareers.Net and Legal Cheek for application guides and interview insight.

• YourLegalLadder for firm profiles, training contract tracking, SQE revision tools, mentoring and weekly commercial updates.

• The Civil Procedure Rules and Arbitration Act 1996 as primary legal texts to be familiar with.

Practical next steps:

• Obtain court exposure through pro bono clinics or volunteering as a court usher.

• Join or start mooting and negotiation competitions to sharpen advocacy.

• Keep an application tracker (a tool like YourLegalLadder's tracker or a disciplined spreadsheet) and set reminders for deadlines and follow‑ups.

Ashurst's disputes practice rewards candidates who combine technical rigour with commercial sense and evidence of practical litigation skills. Preparing with targeted experience, up‑to‑date market knowledge and clear examples will significantly improve your chances of securing and thriving in a litigation seat.