Reed Smith will partner with the Dickson Poon School of Law at King’s College London (KCL) to offer students undertaking the Anglo-French LLB work experience, support and guidance.
The LLB students spend two years at KCL and a further two years at the Université Paris 1 Panthéon – Sorbonne. They are awarded two separate degrees allowing them to practise law in both England and Wales and France.
Director of the LLB Dr Eva Steiner says: “Not only is this new partnership innovative in its design and purpose, it will also significantly enhance students’ experience in terms of legal training and job opportunities in the UK , France and Europe. It offers a unique package for students.”
“As well as arming junior lawyers with strong legal skills and experience, the King’s course helps students develop an international mindset very early on in their career”, adds Peter Hardy, Reed Smith training principal.
Joint LLB alumni in both the Paris and London offices and the Reed Smith graduate development and recruitment teams will advise students on how best to succeed on the course, especially on the crossover between cities and the change in academic environment and language.
Marc Fredj, partner in Reed Smith’s Paris office, says: “Our alumni have experience from the programme’s student committees in both Paris and London and are particularly closely linked to the course directors and faculties in both cities, allowing them to give valuable advice and link in with the course faculty.”
He adds: “Our teams in Paris and London have worked together to identify points during the four-year course where students need some extra support and guidance, whether they wish to develop their careers in Paris or London.”
Reed Smith will guide applicants through the process of becoming a lawyer in either city and will be on hand to work with students during this period. Students will be able to ask during events and meetings in both cities about how best to approach the application process and will gain a greater understanding of life at Reed Smith before making their applications.
Fredj says: “We have had a very good experience with alumni from the course - we find that the ‘fit’ with our firm and our culture is very good - but recently we have become increasingly aware from talking with the alumni that extra support throughout the degree would be beneficial, especially given the challenge of studying in two cities.”
