Following your two-year training contract, there are a number of stages that you may go through during your career as a lawyer.

• Qualification
  As a result of our non-rotational training contract, the transition from trainee solicitor to qualified solicitor is seamless. As you progress through your training, you will gradually come to concentrate on those practices that interest you most. Eighteen months into your training, you will be asked to nominate the practice into which you wish to qualify. Assuming that the practice agrees, you will then do more and more work in that practice. By the end of your training you will be working almost exclusively for your chosen practice.
  
  
• Associate
  On qualification, you become an associate. You will work in one practice, although it is possible for some associates to split their time between related practices if there is a business reason to justify this. Associates are still able to work with any partner within their chosen practice and are not divided into strict teams. At the moment, as associates approach eight years qualified, they will then be considered for promotion to of counsel or partnership.
  
  
• Of Counsel
  Of counsel are senior associates often running legal matters independently of partners with their own team of more junior associates. Some of counsel will be considered for promotion to partner after one or two years of being of counsel.  Some of counsel choose not to apply for partnership, and the extra responsibility that partnership brings with it, and to remain of counsel.
  
  
• Partner
  The partners together own the business of Jones Day and run all aspects of the Firm. Partners at Jones Day remain heavily involved in fee-earning work but also take particular responsibility for marketing, recruitment, training, and the internal administration of the Firm.