Neel Sachdev, co-head of Paul Weiss’s London office, explains how early responsibility and a clear route to the top shape the US firm’s trainee programme — with culture at its core
“Our overall mantra with our young talent is if you’re good enough, you’re old enough,” says Neel Sachdev, co-head of Paul Weiss’s London office and global co-chair of finance and capital markets. It’s a philosophy that underpins the US firm’s approach to developing junior lawyers. In just two years, its London practice has shaken up the market with rapid, unprecedented growth, scaling to around 250 lawyers. And with the first trainee cohort due to arrive in 2026, Sachdev is determined to build a culture where ambitious young solicitors from all backgrounds can thrive and reach their full potential.
Already, Paul Weiss’s commitment to nurturing home-grown talent is clear. In what was essentially its first full year of operation in London, the firm promoted 10 new partners. This is “a fantastic sign of support and commitment” from our partnership and New York, Sachdev notes, and vindication of years of hard work. It also sends a powerful message: “If you come to Paul Weiss, there is a clear path, a long-term path if you’re talented enough, to make partner,” he emphasises. Unlike at firms where associates might wait years for a vacancy at the top, Paul Weiss’s view is simple. “If you’re good enough, we want you to make partner,” says Sachdev, with “no waiting for somebody to die or leave” in order to progress.
That ethos shapes how the firm treats its juniors, putting their growth and potential at the heart of training. “We want to invest in your career,” Sachdev says — and that means giving trainees meaningful work as early as possible. New recruits won’t simply be relegated to the sidelines doing purely back-office tasks. Instead, they will be busy working on live deals and “learning both by osmosis and mentorship from day one”. Crucially, client exposure is a vital part of this approach to training. “What we want to do with our trainees is give them the opportunity early to be involved in deals, see clients,” he explains. “You will have a lot of opportunity at a very early stage in your career,” he adds.
Naturally, this approach demands a robust support network and Sachdev is quick to dispel the notion that the programme will be a “straightforward baptism by fire”. “I don’t think there’s any downside, as long as there’s support and a culture that is positive,” he says. If issues arise on a deal, the mindset is simply: “let’s just solve them together. Nothing is terminal.”
“Money isn’t sufficient glue for the best talent. They want to be in a culture that invests in them.” And that begins with partners leading by example. He points to the firm’s “incredibly high in-office attendance”, especially among partners, as evidence. “It’s really important that the our young lawyers see us in every day,” he explains. With senior lawyers present and approachable, juniors can “swing by and talk about a question on a deal” or seek advice. The result, he believes, is a powerful sense of togetherness. “That creates a strong in-office culture that is, I think, the best retention tool of any law firm,” he says. “If I were applying for a training contract now, I would want to know if the partners are actually in the office every day” he says.
Structured learning also plays a significant role in Paul Weiss’s approach to talent. The firm runs “very structured training programmes on the technical aspects” of law, drawing on the expertise of senior lawyers (many of them veterans of Magic Circle firms) to accelerate juniors’ development. In addition to technical know-how, trainees receive plenty of personal development coaching covering skills like presentation and public speaking, to “round off those other skills that in an age of legal tech and AI, will make you the most impressive adviser.”
This three-pronged approach — early deal and client exposure, in office support from market leading lawyers and technical training and holistic coaching — is, Sachdev believes, unique. “I don’t think other firms are offering a combination of all three,” he says, aiming to produce “the most rounded advisers from the earlier stages in their career.” It’s an ambitious model and, as he acknowledges, “a very accelerated learning path” that won’t suit everyone.
When it comes to trainee intake, “we are not wedded to a number,” he notes and the priority is finding “the right people who fit our quality and our culture metrics.” Those who do make the cut are expected to share the firm’s long-term vision. The ideal Paul Weiss trainee, he says, is someone who shows up every day eager to learn and “willing to push themselves outside of their comfort zones.” They also need a genuine “passion” for their practice area and an ambition to build a long-term career at the firm and “ultimately striving for partnership”. In return, the firm promises to pull out all the stops to develop its juniors. It’s a “social contract,” Sachdev explains. Paul Weiss will invest heavily in young lawyers’ careers, and in exchange it expects trainees to be dedicated to building a long-term future at the firm.
Ultimately, Paul Weiss is convinced that this approach is the best way to keep its lawyers loyal. Much has been written about the show-stopping Soho offices, which have more in common with a Mayfair private members’ club than a law firm, and the sushi and pizza which fuel these legal athletes. While Sachdev is rightly proud of the surroundings, he is also clear that what really matters is showing young lawyers “a true opportunity to progress their careers.” He contrasts Paul Weiss’s approach with peers where associates work hard but see “no tangible opportunity” to make partner. By instead promoting from within and “showing year-on-year promotions” of top talent, the firm gives juniors a real reason to stay. It’s proof that Paul Weiss “actually invests in its people and wants them to succeed. All of our efforts feed into the larger goal: retaining top talent.” The strategy is culture, the interviewee says simply.
As we round off the interview, Sachdev jokes that securing a training contract at Paul Weiss is like finding “a golden ticket in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”. From what we have seen, he’s right. If you are fortunate enough to get the call-up and approach it with the drive and dedication which are the hallmarks of this Paul Weiss office, “tremendous things are in store for you!”.
About Legal Cheek Careers posts.
