One of the ways we invest in our future lawyers is through our award-winning LIFT programme, the first internship programme of its kind.

We have partnered with a select number of organisations and core Clifford Chance business teams to offer paid summer internships to our future trainees, with the sole aim of supporting your professional development.

In the time between accepting your offer and starting your Training Contract, you'll have the opportunity to develop useful non-legal skills such as marketing, product management and business operations, which will help you as a trainee.

We recognise that being a good lawyer takes more than knowing the law – it's about understanding our industry, how businesses are run, and how best to service clients – and the best way to develop this understanding is through hands-on work experience.

This is another way in which we prepare you for the working world at Clifford Chance.

I benefitted from working on a variety of tasks, this included coordinating a project which facilitated the launch of a new partnership that promoted tech roles within Clifford Chance for women and individuals of diverse backgrounds. In leading on this project, I had the autonomy to create a variety of digital content, which was used to market Clifford Chance on the partner company’s website and other social platforms.

I was also able to liaise with the social media teams from multiple jurisdictions, frequently reviewing current and prospective content. I enjoyed the analytical element of this in evaluating strategies in view of analytics data and considering new innovative ways to boost engagement of the target audience.

These tasks were valuable in offering a practical insight into the complex collaborative makeup of projects. In reality, the success of a seemingly small task tends to be contingent on the cohesive collaboration of multiple individuals. This became particularly apparent when I was tasked with indexing a global recruitment calendar as I liaised with several colleagues across the network to help streamline content used for the new careers site.

It was also insightful working with branding specialist colleagues from the Delhi office, which highlighted how intricate and intentional Clifford Chance's employer branding and visual identity is. It was interesting to learn about the different tiers of branding and how consequently, marketing strategies and tools used may differ. This specificity reaffirmed how client-focus is central to all facets of work at Clifford Chance.

This exposure has allowed me to develop invaluable skills ahead of starting my Training Contract. 

For example, throughout my internship I worked on multiple projects concurrently, this encouraged me to hone the skills of multitasking, effective communication and collaboration. Beyond this, I was able to network broadly which will be valuable in building strong client relationships.

The level of responsibility and autonomy given was a key highlight for me. Notably, I led a merchandising meeting with a client, which was particularly exciting as I was able to meet them in the client reception and carry out the meeting in a way that may also be reflected in my experience as a trainee lawyer. Overall, I valued exposure to what day-to-day life could be like when I start my Training Contract. I really settled in and took advantage of the opportunity to come into the office as much possible.

"Jessica was a great addition to the team. She was optimistic, proactive, friendly and constantly showed her willingness to learn. Jessica quickly got to grips with the global nature of the firm and demonstrated her business acumen throughout our global talent acquisition network.

The network has been going through an exciting period of change and she took on tasks which included supporting the audit of our careers website, reviewing our social media engagement, collaborating with our global offices to coordinate and schedule their recruitment initiatives and more. Jessica was always keen to provide clear updates on her daily workflow and confidently raised any challenges she encountered." - Anita Bellos, Global Employer Brand and Marketing Manager at Clifford Chance
 

My responsibilities were varied, allowing me a holistic insight into the important role the BD team plays in the firm’s interactions both internally and with clients. My day-to-day tasks included updating and editing capability statements, scanning key client contacts for interest in various events, investigating potential collaborators and collating information for award submissions. A particular highlight was being responsible for compiling a master corporate capability statement, a process that allowed me significant insight into the benefits of collaboration between different teams across the firm when dealing with clients whose needs extend beyond the scope of any one practice area.

I was also given the opportunity to conduct in-depth research on the potential impacts of AI on the firm’s clients and the legal profession as a whole. I particularly enjoyed the independence I was given while researching this emerging phenomenon, as well as the feedback I received after presenting my findings to the team.

Working with the L&DR BD team provided a great deal of insight into the important role a coherent firm-wide business strategy plays in establishing Clifford Chance as a market leader. The BD team’s continuous focus on the potential business benefits any situation might provide for the firm is a large part of this, and is a mindset I aim to retain when I join the firm as a trainee.

My internship made clear to me that the way in which this business focus is converted into a tangible benefit to the firm is through regular collaboration, compiling and distilling multiple points of view to their most valuable ideas. Ensuring this collaboration occurs even in a busy hybrid working environment is a skill I developed by observing the members of my team, and I believe will allow me to better balance the variety of tasks I will be assigned as a trainee.

"We thoroughly enjoyed having Lex as part of our team for the month that he was with us. So much so, that it feels strange having an empty desk where he was sitting! Lex showed a real interest in Business Development from day 1 and took time to understand the role of BD in driving client engagement and seeking out opportunities for our lawyers. He was diligent, proactive and showcased great attention to detail. Lex didn’t just deliver on the specific task that was requested of him, he went above and beyond that to add value and suggest other approaches which could improve the output and delivery of the request. Lex regularly liaised with members of the BD team and the wider L&DR group. His support was invaluable and we continue to reference and use information and work that Lex delivered." - Mia Bernstein, Client & Market Development Associate Manager at Clifford Chance

The variety of the tasks and responsibilities was great and helped keep things interesting and new. These ranged from preparing partnership proposals for large corporations in the finance and legal sectors, to presenting to tutees about personal branding. This allowed me to interact with a range of people whilst engaging in a breadth of assignments.

I gained insights into how social enterprises operate, and how the self-sustaining business model at Peppo fits into their status as a CIC. It was really interesting to see how a social enterprise differs from a charity and how this status impacts the business.

The work highlighted the importance of attention to detail and presentation skills which has been excellent preparation for my training contract. The mid-point review and end of internship appraisal gave me clarity over what more is required to be a great trainee, as well as detailed insights into my strengths. The internship increased my confidence in my ability to implement efficient work processes and deliver results when set a task.

I would say the best part was presenting to the ACCESS students who received tuition from Peppo about personal branding. I’m quite a keen public speaker, so it was nice to be able to put my skills to the test and develop them in a new environment. It was also nice to hear feedback from the tutees about their experience with Peppo.

“LIFT is a brilliant scheme, so simple and yet so effective. It provides Peppo with an enthusiastic, bright, engaged intern and in return, the intern gets the opportunity to experience the business world and to develop many of the skills they will need at Clifford Chance. Our interns had the chance to draft and present a pitch, prepare an impact report as well as planning events and managing projects. I couldn’t recommend LIFT more highly.”  - Adrian Levy, Founder of Peppo Tutors and Partner at Clifford Chance

My work was wide-ranging, from development research to digital comms strategy and fundraising. I led a research project into the global community of wounded, injured and sick soldiers and veterans, conducting interviews with team managers and moderators in different nations. This involved communicating my findings and delivering a final presentation to the wider team.

I also had the opportunity to extend my internship, gaining exposure into other areas of the organisation. Working as part of the comms team in the lead up to the launch of the Netflix series ‘Heart of Invictus’, I learnt how to leverage this from a fundraising perspective.

These experiences provided me with an invaluable opportunity to hone my ability to think strategically, present research effectively and build enduring professional relationships. This will place me in a strong position to start my training contract, equipping me with vital skills to be successful in the role.

Most of all, I loved being part of an incredible team of passionate people, who inspired, encouraged and supported me every step of the way. I feel proud to have been part of such meaningful and impactful work.

“Nellie was a fantastic asset to the Invictus Games. She dived straight into the research project and was extremely helpful in not only completing tasks, but she identified new areas of growth and development for our Beyond the Games activities offered to the international Wounded, Injured and Sick community. This is such an important area for us and we cannot thank Nellie enough for her thoroughness and detail on this project. Nellie was able to offer insight and help to other areas of the business frequently reaching out to offer assistance where needed. Nellie is an incredibly hardworking and committed individual, coupled with her positive and friendly attitude, she will be greatly missed at the Invictus Games Foundation."  -Mickaela Richards, Grants & Programmes Director at Invictus Games Foundation