TASK the Foresters

The Bird & Bird Bursary

Bird & Bird

Bird & Bird is an international law firm with over 200 partners offering a broad range of legal services. Well known for its intellectual property work, in recent years the firm has undertaken expansion in many areas of commercial law, across selected industry sectors. These sectors include automotive, aviation & aerospace, banking & financial services, communications, energy & utilities, food & beverage, information technology, life sciences, media and sport.

We operate as one firm with a single global business strategy. Because of this, all our lawyers share common business objectives and values and work together in international groups to achieve them.

We have more than doubled in size in the last five years and yet we have retained a friendly working environment with a good work-life balance.

The Bird & Bird bursary

In 2009, Bird & Bird, mindful of the need to contribute towards a solution to the issue of under representation of candidates from disadvantaged backgrounds within the legal profession, launched a new initiative, the Bird & Bird Bursary Fund. The objective of the initiative is to encourage more young people from such backgrounds to enter the legal profession.

We want to find undergraduates capable of developing expert legal skills and commercial acumen. Candidates should be willing to work hard and be genuinely interested in a career in law.

The award

The Firm will grant successful candidates an award of £2,500 per academic year to be paid in three equal instalments at the start of each university term. In offering this award the following principles apply:

• The award will be granted at the start of university, typically for a period of up to three years.
• The award is intended to assist candidates during their time at university. It is to be used sensibly but at the candidate's discretion.
• The award will be granted on the understanding the candidate continues to follow a law-related degree course.
• If for any reason, candidates need to interrupt or defer their degree course, at the discretion of the firm, in special circumstances the award may be suspended and resumed.
• The award will be stopped if the candidate brings the firm's name into disrepute or otherwise becomes ineligible to join the legal profession.
• The award is repayable only in the circumstances that there is evidence of a false application or fraud on the part of the candidate.

Computer

In the event that you do not have access to a computer, the firm will provide a laptop computer.

Work experience

The recipients of the Bursary will be given the opportunity to participate in work experience at the firm during their attendance at University.

The work experience will provide an insight into the firm and the different aspects of our practice. During the placement, students will work in one of the following departments: Banking, Commercial, Corporate, Dispute Resolution, Employment, IP or Real Estate.

All students will receive a structured induction and training programme, allowing them to integrate easily into the firm's life, improve their working skills and help them get the most from us.

Mentoring scheme

A mentor will be allocated to each Bursary recipient. The mentor will normally be a junior lawyer at Bird & Bird. The mentoring is likely to take the form of an initial meeting and then monthly email communication during term time. Mentoring will be coordinated through our Graduate Recruitment and Trainee Development team.

What we expect from you

The successful candidate will agree to:

• Study and complete a law or law-related degree at a recognised UK university.
• Participate in the firm's mentoring scheme.
• Participate in the promotion of the Bursary scheme.
• If required to do so, to represent and promote the firm within the university.
• Avoid bringing the name of the firm into disrepute.
• Avoid any act which might leave them ineligible to join the legal profession.

For clarity, it should be stated that:

• The award does not constitute an offer of a training contract with the firm.
• The firm has no obligation to the candidate beyond the award.
• The candidate is not regarded as an employee or student of the firm.
• The candidate has no right of access to firm data, premises or equipment unless specifically granted.
• The candidate has no right to use the firm's trade marks or trading styles without the firm's prior written permission.
• The candidate has no right to holiday work at the firm.

The selection criteria are as follows:

• The candidate must be applying to study Law or a Law-related degree at a UK university. Part time distant learning courses will be considered if circumstances warrant.
• The candidate must be attending a state (non-fee paying) school.
• The candidate must have been eligible for free school meals (or where this information is difficult or sensitive to obtain, the candidate attends a school that is significantly above the regional average in terms of number of students eligible for free school meals).
• The candidate would be the first generation in their immediate family to attend university.
• Candidates, assisted by schools, will be asked to provide a written statement on their background and aspirations.
• Candidates are to be academically gifted and are typically expected to have achieved at least 5 A grades in GSCE, including English and Maths when the application is made.
• Candidates are typically expected to achieve a minimum of 2 A and 1 B grade at A-level.

How to apply

Please send your CV together with the completed application form to the Graduate Recruitment and Trainee Development team at Bird & Bird by 31 May 2013. You must be in your final year at school or college and have an offer to study law at University.

Bird & Bird’s funding board will consider all applications and grant an award to such candidates that it considers meet the criteria.

The grant of an award lies entirely in the discretion of Bird & Bird and the firm is under no obligation to make any award if it decides not to do so.

The decision of Bird & Bird’s funding board is final and there is no right to any form of appeal.

Further information

For more information on the Bird & Bird bursary, please contact Laura Houston () or alternatively call 020 7415 6000.

Application Form

In addition to completing the following application form, please send us a copy of your CV and a personal reference from your teacher.

Signed

(student)

Signed

(teacher)

Send to:

Laura Houston

Graduate Recruitment Manager

Bird & Bird LLP

15 Fetter Lane

London

EC4A UP