Litigation and Dispute Resolution at Latham & Watkins | Career Guide

Latham's Litigation and Dispute Resolution group is commonly described as a full-service disputes team that operates across capital markets, energy, private equity, technology, and financial services. The London office sits as a key hub for EMEA disputes and frequently coordinates with US and continental offices on multi-jurisdictional cases.

The team's strengths include:

• High-value cross-border arbitrations and commercial litigation that involve complex jurisdictional and procedural issues.

• Regulatory and enforcement matters, including internal and government investigations in financial services and corporate compliance disputes.

• Securities litigation and shareholder disputes arising from public offerings, M&A and insolvency contexts.

• Restructuring-related litigation, insolvency proceedings and contentious insolvency work where creditors and stakeholders are in dispute.

When assessing the team, focus on the type of disputes handled (international arbitration vs domestic litigation), client base (corporates, financial institutions, sponsors) and how the office integrates with global teams. That will indicate the kinds of evidence drafting, advocacy and cross-border co-ordination experience you can gain.

Junior lawyers at Latham typically assist on steps across the lifecycle of a dispute. Typical assignments include:

• Drafting pleadings, applications and witness statements under supervision.

• Preparing factual chronologies, bundle management and disclosure review in large-volume document productions.

• Legal research on conflict of laws, choice of law, procedural rules and sanctions.

• Drafting client-facing memoranda that summarise risk and strategy for board-level clients.

• Preparing submissions and hearing materials for arbitration tribunals or commercial courts.

• Supporting internal and external investigations, including evidence collation and privilege exercises.

Example everyday tasks: junior solicitors may run parts of the disclosure exercise using document review platforms, prepare skeleton arguments for interlocutory hearings, or work with counsel to prepare bundles for an LCIA or ICC arbitration hearing. Your role will often involve significant co-ordination across offices and time-zones on evidence and witness availability.

Training on the disputes team blends formal and on-the-job learning. Expect structured induction programmes, technical workshops and routine feedback from supervising partners. Many disputes teams run regular mock hearings and advocacy training, which is valuable for building courtroom presence.

Secondments and development opportunities to look for:

• Client secondments to major corporates or banks where you gain insight into how in-house legal teams manage disputes and instructions.

• International secondments to other Latham offices (for example New York, Dubai or Hong Kong) to gain exposure to local procedural rules and arbitration practice.

• Secondments to litigation-focused teams such as investigations or restructuring to broaden experience.

• Pro bono and public interest litigation that provide advocacy and client counselling experience.

How to maximise training opportunities:

1. Request specific learning objectives at the start of each seat. Document these and ask for mid-seat feedback so supervisors can guide task allocation.

2. Volunteer for drafting and court-ready tasks even if you start with research; ask to take ownership of a discrete bundle or witness statement draft.

3. Use internal training resources and note templates to speed up drafting and demonstrate commercial awareness in written advice.

Partners value solicitors who can combine clear writing with an appreciation of client risk and cost sensitivity.

Competition for disputes seats and training contracts is strong. Applications should show a mix of academic ability, commercial awareness and evidence of advocacy or dispute-handling experience.

CV and cover letter tips:

• Lead With Relevant Experience: Put litigation-related mini-pupillages, paralegal roles, mooting and pro bono work near the top of your experience section.

• Demonstrate Impact: Use short examples that show output and impact (for example, "Drafted witness statements used in an interim injunction hearing resulting in an expedited settlement").

• Keep It Concise: One page CV for a trainee applicant is still common practice in the UK market; use clear headings and bullet points.

Assessment centre and interview preparation:

• Expect competency-based interview questions on teamwork, resilience and client service, plus technical disputes scenarios. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure answers.

• Assessment centres often include a case study, written exercise and group task. For the written exercise practise producing a short, client-ready memo under time pressure that sets out recommendation and risks.

• Prepare for commercial awareness questions that link current events to dispute risk. Be ready to discuss a recent enforcement action, major arbitration award or regulatory development and its implications for clients in the relevant sector.

Example interview questions to prepare for:

• "Tell us about a time you had to persuade a group to follow your recommendation in a contested situation."

• "How would you advise a client faced with parallel proceedings in England and another jurisdiction?"

• "Describe a complex piece of written work you produced under a tight deadline and how you ensured accuracy."

Plan your early-career development around skills and sector exposure rather than firm prestige alone. Practical strategies:

• Seek Diverse Seats: Aim to spend a seat in commercial litigation and at least one with cross-border or arbitration exposure. Consider a seat in investigations or restructuring to broaden your portfolio.

• Build Technical Strengths: Become comfortable with disclosure protocols, witness statement drafting and the Civil Procedure Rules (CPR) relevant parts. Familiarity with arbitration rules (LCIA, ICC) is also advantageous.

• Develop Written Advocacy: Regularly practise drafting skeleton arguments, chronologies and concise client memoranda. Get feedback from supervising associates.

• Network Strategically: Build relationships with supervising solicitors, associates and nearby practice groups (e.g. regulatory, corporate). Informational interviews and short secondments help demonstrate interest and commitment.

Useful resources:

• YourLegalLadder for application trackers, law firm profiles and 1-on-1 mentoring to tailor applications and practice interviews.

• LawCareers.Net and Legal Cheek for market commentary and firm news.

• Chambers Student and The Lawyer for rankings and firm practice notes.

• Practical law textbooks and the White Book for procedural rules.

• Pro bono and mooting opportunities to develop advocacy and client engagement skills.

By blending targeted training, secondments and proactive task ownership you can accelerate your development in Latham's disputes practice. Focus on demonstrable drafting ability, commercial awareness and the capacity to manage complex, cross-border workflows - those are the traits disputes partners most frequently look for in early-career hires.