UK trainee makes partner grade at US firm

It appears that progressing your career at a US firm in London does not mean you have to be American.

In 1996 White & Case was one of the early birds amongst US firms hiring their own trainees.

And now, the first of the firms British whippersnappers has climbed all the way up the ladder to be invited into the partnership at the US firm.

Banking, assets and project finance lawyer Nick Collins was one of the first London trainees at the firm and is now one of the ten that were made up in London this year, out of a total of 31 partnership promotions worldwide - a record proportion and a coup for this side of the pond where more partners were made up than at all US offices of the firm combined.

And with more than 50 trainees now in White & Cases London office, thats a sizeable pool of eager young sharks snapping at the white-shoed heels of the firms US partners.