Gowling WLG
Interesting selling points
- Gowling WLG is an international full-service law firm known for its work in the Life Sciences, Real Estate and Technology sectors.
- Chambers and Partners has awarded the firm Band 1 rankings for its Investment Funds: Closed-ended Listed Funds and Life Sciences: Transactional departments.
- Large base of public sector clients. For example, Gowling has previously advised Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, NHS Mansfield and Ashfield CCG, NHS Newark and Sherwood CCG, Birmingham Women's and Children's Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, and the West Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust.
- Carries out a broad range of interesting work, including work relating to entertainment and sport, cyber security, medical defence, and the public sector.
- Carries out work for private clients as well as corporates and other organisations.
- The firm was the official legal adviser and sponsor of the Birmingham Commonwealth Games 2022, as well as official sponsor of Team England at the games.
- Gowling WLG was the only law firm to be part of the UK’s Autodrive, the largest consortia trialling automated vehicle technology.
We cover these selling points in more detail below, alongside other relevant firm facts and characteristics.
Practice areas / services
Gowling WLG is a full-service international law firm, with a broad range of practice areas including:
- Advertising & Product Regulatory
- Artificial Intelligence (AI) Law
- Asset Management
- Banking & Finance
- Brand Protection
- Capital Markets
- Climate Change and Environmental Law
- Combined Human Resources Solutions
- Commercial
- Commercial Disputes and Litigation
- Commercial Litigation
- Company Secretarial
- Competition Law & Antitrust
- Construction
- Corporate
- Corporate Investigations
- Corporate Restructuring, Insolvency, Advisory
- Cyber Security & Data Protection Law
- Data Centres
- Defined Contribution Pensions
- Development & Regeneration
- Discrimination
- Dispute Resolution
- Employment Litigation
- Employment, Labour & Equalities
- Entertainment & Sports Law
- Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG)
- Finance Litigation
- Financial Services Regulation
- FinTech Law
- Fraud and Asset Recovery
- Governance, Risk and Compliance (GRC)
- Health, Group Risk & Related Employee Benefits
- Indirect Real Estate
- Industrial & Logistics
- Information Technology Law
- Insurance & Professional Liability
- Insurance and Reinsurance
- Intellectual Property Law
- Intellectual Property Transactions
- International Arbitration
- International Trade and Customs
- Investment Management
- IP Litigation & Strategy
- Litigation & Dispute Resolution
- Litigation Funding
- Living
- LLPs & Partnerships
- Mediation
- Medical Defence & Health Law
- Mergers & Acquisitions
- Offices
- Outsourcing
- Patents
- Pensions
- Pensions Disputes
- Planning
- Private Client Services
- Private Equity
- Product Liability
- Project Finance
- Projects
- Public Inquiries, Investigations and Inquests
- Public Law & Regulation
- Public Procurement
- Public Sector Pensions
- Rail
- Real Estate
- Real Estate Finance
- Real Estate Investment
- Real Estate Litigation
- Regulatory Crime
- Risk Transfer
- Tax
- Trade Secrets Law
- Trade Unions
- Trademarks, Brands & Designs
- Trusts Litigation
- Workplace Pension Reform
Chambers and Partners, a leading analyst of the legal market, has awarded Gowling WLG its highest ‘Band 1’ rankings for the following departments: Investment Funds: Closed-ended Listed Funds and Life Sciences: Transactional. See here for more information
Key sectors / industries
Gowling WLG services a broad range of industries, with some of its highest-value clients operating in the following sectors:
In addition, Gowling WLG services the following industries: Automotive, Aviation, Aerospace & Defence, Cannabis, Construction & Engineering, Food & Beverage, Government Contracting & Public Sector, Health & Care, Mining, Nuclear, Oil & Gas and Retail, Leisure & Hotels.
Work
Gowling WLG has worked with some high-profile clients, including:
- AstraZeneca: The firm advised AstraZeneca on an exclusive option and global license agreement with biotechnology company, Pinetree Therapeutics.
- London Tunnels: Gowling WLG has advised London Tunnels on its direct listing and admission to trading on Euronext Amsterdam. The London Tunnels plc was established to transform a former WWII tunnel complex in the centre of London into a major tourist attraction.
- UK Power Networks: The firm advised UK Power Networks on its acquisition of SEEIT Sol Limited, a 70-asset solar, wind and hydro portfolio from SDCL Energy Efficiency Income Trust (SEEIT).
Offices / global footprint / expansion
Headquarters: Ottawa, Canada, 160 Elgin Street.
Offices: The firm has over 1,500 legal professionals working across 19 offices worldwide, in locations including the UK (the firm has offices in Birmingham, Leeds and London), Belgium, Canada, China, France, Germany, and the UAE.
Insights, internships and other opportunities
The firm offers a traditional vacation scheme from which it recruits its trainees. It offers vacation schemes in the spring and summer in both its Birmingham and London offices. Alongside this, the firm offers two apprenticeship schemes at its London and Birmingham offices. The first is a paralegal programme and the second is a business services programme.
Gowling WLG also hosts a range of interactive virtual events including workshops, presentations, and panel discussions. These run throughout the year and provide an insight into the firm. Click here to register for Gowling WLG events The firm also offers a number of on-demand webinars covering key sector updates, which can be found on its Insights & Resources page.
Training contract
Gowling WLG recruits 25 trainees annually. The training contract is made up of four six-month seats, with compulsory seats in real estate, a contentious team and a non-contentious team (the fourth seat can be chosen by the trainee). Each trainee is allocated a partner mentor.
Secondments
The firm offers trainees the opportunity to apply for client secondments at organisations including charities, FTSE clients and public bodies, or international secondments at one of the firm’s international offices.
Technology and innovation
Gowling WLG has led the way in thinking about the implications of technology in the context of law and business, as demonstrated by the following examples:
- The Immaterial World: Navigating Attitudes to the Metaverse Revolution: This report was produced by the firm in 2022 and took note of the views of consumers on the Metaverse to then provide recommendations to help businesses develop their Metaverse strategies.
- Digital Currents in a Changing World: How Business can ride the tide in the era of disruption: This report was authored by the firm’s Global Tech team and explores the countries and sectors that lead the way when it comes to digital adoption and what business can learn from them.
- ThinkHouse: The firm has developed ThinkHouse, an exclusive programme of events and resources for in-house lawyers to help provide knowledge and skills to add value to their businesses.
- Autodrive: The firm is the only law firm to have been part of UK Autodrive which is the largest consortia trialling automated vehicle technology as part of a government-backed initiative to support the introduction of self-driving vehicles into the UK. Since this, Gowling WLG has continued producing white papers on the topic of autonomous vehicles and the societal and legal implications associated with them.
Gowling WLG describes its corporate responsibility commitments as centring on three elements: community investment, of which pro bono is a part, alongside volunteering and charitable giving; diversity and inclusion; and the environment. Some noteworthy examples of community investment initiatives include:
- Social Mobility Business Partnership: Gowling WLG is a member of the Social Mobility Business Partnership, which is a collaboration of law firms, other commercial service providers and commercial organisations that offer work experience to pupils from low income backgrounds.
- Suited for Success: Gowling WLG came together with Lloyds Banking Group and PwC in Birmingham to set up Suited for Success, a registered charity that provides interview clothing donated by business people to those who are unemployed and trying to get a job.
- Kids in Need of Defense UK: Members of the firm provide pro bono support to children and their families who are entitled to apply for citizenship.
Diversity and inclusion
Gowling WLG’s diversity and inclusion policies centre around the idea of celebrating the diversity of its people, as the firm wants to create a workplace where people can be “themselves, celebrating the fact that we’re all individuals”. Examples of the firm’s D&I policies include:
- Inclusion for All: This is the firm’s five year strategy which aims to ensure the diversity of its people is celebrated. It is hoped that by 2026, diverse teams will be the norm, the firm can attract, retain and develop diverse talent, there will be collective and individual accountability for D&I, people will feel empowered about inclusivity, and the firm’s D&I policies will align with client expectations.
- Black Talent in Law Bursary: This bursary scheme was launched in partnership with the University of Birmingham to offer three students a financial contribution to their studies, plus a Gowling WLG mentor and work experience.
- Employee Networks: The firm runs a number of employee networks which are open to everyone and provide education and awareness as well as networking opportunities. These networks are led by two co-chairs and two board sponsors who provide active allyship to the network. There are five such networks.