Paul, Weiss
London·New York
M&A·Litigation·Private equity
Historically one of the most formidable litigation firms in the US, Paul Weiss deliberately built a top-ten M&A practice after 2008. Corporate work now generates the majority of its revenue.
Why this firm
Reinvented itself from a litigation firm into top-ten M&A
Earned 24 top-five M&A league-table rankings across Bloomberg, Mergermarket, Dealogic and LSEG in 2025, including 3rd globally for private-equity M&A
The newest training contract on this list: its first-ever London cohort starts in 2026, so early trainees genuinely help shape the programme
A heavy private equity sponsor client base drives the London office, unlike firms with a broader generalist spread
What this firm looks for
Drawn from Paul, Weiss's own recruitment materials
Based on the firm's published recruitment materials, graduate recruitment commentary and stated values.
Entrepreneurial self-starters
The firm's official London early-careers site says it seeks self-starters with an entrepreneurial mindset who want to help build the future of law through its cross-border practice.
Highest level of excellence in lawyering
Official site language states trainees should want to achieve the highest level of excellence in lawyering, working on complex matters for major corporations and private equity firms in a fast-paced, team-oriented environment.
Pro-active continuous learning
The firm values candidates with a positive and pro-active attitude to continuous learning who take ownership on high-profile matters, reflecting the hands-on mentorship model of its newly launched (2024) London training contract.
Past applications
Real material for Paul, Weiss
These examples are for structure and inspiration. Your application should remain your own.
A real application for Paul, Weiss
Real cover letters and notes actually written for Paul, Weiss are on file: 2 documents. Sign in free to read a genuine excerpt of each, before deciding whether to unlock them.
Written Application Answer
How do your extra-curricular activities align with a career at Paul, Weiss
Sign in for a glimpse
Create a free account to read a genuine excerpt of the real material on file for Paul, Weiss, before deciding whether to unlock it.
Unlock Paul, Weiss
The real past applications on file above, shown redacted on this page, unlock for £7.99, one-time.
Track Paul, Weiss alongside every other application, and keep research like this to hand while you draft.
Start free