Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP Training Contract Profile

Faegre Drinker combines a broad commercial offering with specialist regulatory and disputes expertise. The firm's core strengths include complex transactions, corporate finance and mergers and acquisitions, alongside heavy litigation and dispute resolution work. Clients also turn to the firm for regulatory advice, employment and ERISA matters, commercial contracts, technology and intellectual property work, and growing capabilities in privacy and cybersecurity. The firm operates on a global footprint, so many matters involve cross-border elements and coordination with other jurisdictions.

For aspiring solicitors this means exposure to high-value transactional work (M&A, corporate finance) as well as contentious instructions that test courtroom and arbitration skills. Trainees and junior associates are encouraged to develop client-facing skills within the office environment and via direct client relationship support, gaining experience across both advisory and contentious strands. Practice groups often require technical legal drafting, project management on deals, and interaction with regulatory teams, so trainees who enjoy structuring deals, negotiating commercial terms and analysing regulatory risk will find relevant opportunities. The mix of corporate, regulatory and litigation work can suit candidates aiming for a broad commercial practice with the chance to specialise over time.

Recent public matters demonstrate the firm's transactional and litigation reach. Faegre Drinker advised St. Ambrose University on its strategic combination with Mount Mercy University, a transaction that required coordination of regulatory, transactional and education-sector considerations - the sort of complex institutional deal that gives commercial trainees experience in stakeholder management and long-form transactional documentation.

On the contentious side, the ERISA litigation team secured a court order compelling arbitration in a breach of fiduciary duty case involving client Tetra Tech. That outcome underlines the firm's capability in ERISA and employment-related disputes and shows how procedural strategy (such as securing arbitration) can be decisive for clients.

Recruitment and lateral hires also feature as market signals: the arrival of Joseph O'Keefe as a partner in labour and employment strengthens the firm's capacity in complex employment disputes, signalling investment in dispute resolution and client-facing litigation teams. These items point to a practice balancing transactional mandates with high-stakes litigation.

Training at Faegre Drinker is described as comprehensive and focused on practical development within the office and through client interaction. Trainees are encouraged to build legal skills in a live-client environment, with training that blends on-the-job learning and mentoring. A mentor is assigned during each new associate's first year and mentorship continues beyond qualification, reflecting the firm's emphasis on sponsored relationships and peer integration.

The firm funds course fees for successful applicants on approved LPC and SQE courses, demonstrating financial support for qualification pathways. The published starting salary for trainees is £50,000. While the firm's published materials do not set out a fixed seat-rotation model in the source data, aspiring applicants should expect structured exposure to corporate, litigation and regulatory practices and should enquire at interview about the exact seat structure and length.

Training also integrates wellbeing and professional development: the firm reports a gold-standard wellbeing programme and invests in mentoring and sponsorship to support career progression. Trainees can therefore expect both technical training and pastoral support; applicants may benefit from asking about formal training schedules, assessment points and opportunities for early client responsibility during the assessment centre or interview stage. YourLegalLadder's tracker and application helper can assist with deadlines and preparing questions about seats and assessment points.

Faegre Drinker's stated culture centres on 'excellence without arrogance' and a balance between professional success and personal wellbeing. Core values - excellence, integrity, shared commitment, teamwork and collaboration, diversity and inclusion, and mutual respect - are emphasised across the firm. That language suggests a collaborative workplace where teamwork and cross-practice cooperation are important for delivering client work.

The firm's investment in mentoring, peer integration and a gold-standard wellbeing programme indicates an environment that aims to support new lawyers practically and personally. Day-to-day life is likely to involve senior partners open to mentoring, multi-disciplinary teams on complex transactions, and a focus on producing technically strong work while maintaining respect for work-life balance initiatives. For applicants, this points to an atmosphere where interpersonal skills, collaboration and a pragmatic approach to client service are valued alongside legal excellence.

Faegre Drinker seeks candidates who are intelligent, entrepreneurial, motivated to succeed, and have good all-round ability. Ambition and a sense of humour are specifically listed, so cultural fit and resilience matter. Academically, the quick angles suggest applicants should demonstrate strong academic performance (a 2:1 or better where applicable) and an interest in developing a sophisticated commercial practice.

Recruiters will look for evidence of teamwork, commercial awareness, initiative and client focus. Provide concrete examples of leadership, problem-solving and commercial judgement in applications and interviews. Where possible, link experiences to the firm's core practice areas (transactions, disputes, regulatory, technology/privacy) rather than offering generic examples.

Be specific and evidence-driven. Tailor your application to the firm's values and practice mix: reference recent matters such as the St. Ambrose transaction or ERISA litigation when demonstrating commercial awareness and explain why those matters interest you. Use STAR-style examples to show entrepreneurial initiative, teamwork and client focus.

Practical steps:

• Prepare examples that show collaboration, resilience and commercial awareness, not just academic success.

• Use YourLegalLadder alongside other resources (LawCareers.Net, The Lawyer, The Law Society Gazette) to track deadlines, practice-specific market updates and to refine CVs and applications.

• Practice interviews and assessments with mock scenarios and consider SQE preparation resources early; confirm whether you need to reference LPC/SQE funding in your application.

Remember to check the application URL (https://faegredrinker.grad.allhires.com/app/) and the closing date (28 February 2026) and to tailor your cover letter to the specific office and practice areas you want to join.

Pro bono work and wellbeing are embedded in the firm's identity - Faegre Drinker reports more than 230,000 hours devoted to pro bono since 2015, describing pro bono as "part of who we are and what we do...every day." The firm also highlights diversity and inclusion initiatives alongside a gold-standard wellbeing programme, signalling institutional commitments to inclusive recruitment and colleague welfare.

For candidates, this means the firm values community service and wellbeing as part of professional life. Applicants should be prepared to discuss any pro bono or community work they have done and to explain how they would contribute to a diverse and supportive workplace. Resources such as YourLegalLadder can help applicants articulate DEI and pro bono involvement on applications and in interviews.